Who Would Imagine For Kids

It’s 12 years after the Jerusalem birth of the Christ child.

The controversy goes on, with some people trying to promote the belief that the birth was a concocted story while others believe that the child was killed by Herod. And now there are reports that Jesus has been seen at the temple amazing the elders with his knowledge.

This easily staged 2 scene drama can be used on its own or in concert with the “written for adult cast” drama “Who Would Imagine A King” Very popular!

Cast: 12 (male or female)

• teen or pre-teen:
  • Miriam
  • Lazarus
  • Aaron
  • David – Innkeeper’s grandson
  • Abraham – grandson of Simeon
  • Sarah – granddaughter of Anna
  • Olympias – Herod’s granddaughter
• 20’s (or made to appear):
  • Deborah - Reporter
  • James
  • Nehemiah
  • Ezra
  • Ahab

Bible Reference:  Luke 2:50

Set:   blank

Lighting:  standard

Sound:  wireless mics if available

Song: 

• Whitney Houston’s “Who Would Imagine A King”
• End of scene I only one verse of the song will be sung, (by David or any other actor,
• sing in its entirety at the end of Scene II, (likely by Deborah).
• You may also opt to use a non-acting singer or off-stage voice.

SFX:   none

Costumes:  likely contemporary but could be traditional

Props:  none

Special Instructions:   none

Time:  20

Sample of Script:

Scene I – Children Playing

[Scene: Kids playing on stage.]

SARAH
I don’t want to play anymore. . . Miriam plays too rough!

MIRIAM
Oh cry about it Sarah why don’t you?

ABRAHAM
You do play rough, Miriam; it’s no fun when you are mean to others.

MIRIAM
Oh sure, Abraham ben Simeon, stick up for Sarah why don’t you? . . Everyone knows you are sweet on Sarah. . . .
(sings and taunts)
Abraham loves Sarah!
Abraham loves Sarah!

SARAH
Sometimes, Miriam, you can be so mean and hurtful.

AARON
Will you guys just knock it off! . . I have to get back to the temple soon for scripture class and I don’t intend to waste fun times listening to you guys fighting.

DAVID
OK then Aaron, I challenge you to a duel with broad swords!

(Aaron and David play fight while talking.)

AARON
You are a dead man, David! . . Better tell your family to set up a room in your Bethlehem Inn for you so you can be nursed back to health after I carve you up!

DAVID
Don’t waste your energy feeling sorry for me. . . Here I go for the kill. . .

(David lunges at Aaron as though to strike him with a make-believe sword.)

LAZARUS
Knock it off you guys, someone’s gonna get hurt.

AARON
I agree with you, Lazarus. . . And it is gonna be this pathetic swordsman, David of Bethlehem!

(Aaron lunges at David. They both laugh. Olympias comes on stage.)

SARAH
Settle down everyone, here comes Olympias!

ABRAHAM (to Olympias)
What brings the princess to visit with us commoners?

OLYMPIAS
My father said you have to play with me. . . And when Herod speaks . . everyone jumps! . . So . . play! . . I have no one else to play with.

DAVID
Maybe if your grandfather hadn’t killed his children you would have more children to play with.

OLYMPIAS
You forget, my grandfather was Herod, the King of the Jews and shall always be King of the Jews. My uncles talked of some day becoming King of the Jews. Naturally, my grandfather couldn’t allow that. So . . he was forced to have them . . eliminated.

SARAH
When my brothers get out of line I just smack them.

AARON
Sounds like a much better way.

MIRIAM
I am sure King Herod had his reasons.

(Deborah comes on stage.)

DEBORAH
Hi kids, I was hoping to find you all together.

ABRAHAM
Who are you?

DEBORAH
I am Deborah, reporter from the Bethlehem Bugler, and I wanted to get some opinions from you on some happenings from back a few years ago.

DAVID
You wanted our opinions? . . But we are just kids.

LAZARUS
Are you sure you don’t want to talk to our parents?

DAVID
My mom says I can’t remember things from yesterday, how do you expect me to remember from a few years back.

DEBORAH
Well . . . thing is, maybe you have overheard your folks talking about it.

MIRIAM
About what, exactly?

DEBORAH
Well, back about 12 years ago, as the story goes, there was a baby born in Bethlehem.

DAVID
Well I am from Bethlehem and this may come as a shock to you but we have a bunch of babies born in Bethlehem every year. . . Just which baby are we talking about, exactly?

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.