Without You

It is Good Friday . . and all hope is gone . 

Jesus, the promised one has been arrested, tried, convicted and crucified . .
And for the disciples . . it is . . . finished . .

This human video, (mime to music), script with original music tells the story of what it must have felt like to the disciples “on the ground” . . . while the dancers tell a visual story.

Cast: 5+ m or f

• Narrator (male or female, could be offstage voice)
• Singer (or singers) offstage, could be taped in advance
• D1 is the primary dancer
• DA are all other dancers, any number

Bible Reference: Luke 23

Set: blank

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song:

• “Without You” by DramaShare, available online or contact DramaShare
• Based on the Michael Bolton song “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?”

Lighting: as available but with ability to darken set

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 9

Sample of script:

Narrator: It is Good Friday. Jesus has been arrested, tried in a sham trial, and sentenced to be killed on a cross.

The followers of Jesus are scattering, afraid for their lives. The many people who waved palm branches and declared Jesus the Messiah are now either silent or demanding His death.

The few remaining disciples—mainly women—come to the cross, hoping against all odds that this prophet who gave life to so many will now triumphantly come down from the cross.

But Jesus doesn’t come down from that cross, and to the few remaining disciples... it is finished.

I have always believed that most of the traditional Good Friday celebrations in most Christian churches do us a disservice by relating the events of Good Friday as though the people present at the trial and crucifixion of Jesus had the advantage of hearing “the rest of the story” – as though they knew Jesus would somehow triumph over death.

But those people on the spot could only judge by what they saw before their eyes… and their eyes saw Jesus’ lifeless body. All hope was now gone.

It seems to me that the thought on the minds of those heartbroken disciples watching their teacher, their friend, their promised Messiah dying there at the cross must have been…

“How am I supposed to live without you?”

And so I ask you, would you please try to take yourself back in time, to stand there at the foot of the cross…

Try to remove from your mind the knowledge you have learned of the miracle of Easter Sunday, for these happenings those disciples on Good Friday could not know.

It is Good Friday…

It is a very black and hopeless day…

And in your mind… He is dead…

Scene 1

(D1 enters from upstage, slow, hesitating, rhythmic steps.)

Singer: I just couldn’t believe it…

(D1 moves slowly to center stage, emotion is concern, frown. DA enters from upstage wings, slowly moving toward D1, sad, concerned look.)

Singer: When I heard the news today…

(D2 moves closer to D1, touches shoulder, emotion as though confiding. D1 reacts in shock and disbelief.)

Singer: I had to come and see if it was true…

(D1 slowly moves a few steps downstage center. DA moves a few steps toward offstage, goes to knee, bows heads.)

Singer: You’d said you were leaving…

(D1 falls to knees, face upward, hands outstretched, shock. DA moves toward D1 in support, concern.)

Singer: You were going to go away…

(D1 shakes head slowly in disbelief. DA mimes “no!” in disbelief.)

Singer: I hoped that’s just a parable from you…

(DA smiles, nods heads in agreement, assuring D1. D1 bows head.)

Singer: So tell me of the future…

(D1 looks up, hands outstretched. DA focuses on D1.)

Singer: Does this mean our dreams are shattered?

(D1 falls to floor on hands and knees, face to the floor. DA sadly, slowly moves a few steps upstage and toward offstage, faces looking somewhat downward and offstage.)

Singer: Tell me now, I’ve simply got to know…

(D1 looks in downstage direction, frightened, pleading, hands outstretched at shoulder height. DA remains motionless, focusing downward and toward offstage.)

Singer: Tell me how am I supposed to live without you…

(D1 stands, slowly moves a few steps downstage, hands outstretched at shoulder height. D2 maintains the location toward offstage, moving in downstage direction to the same degree as D1.)

Singer: Tell me how I can continue strong…

(D1 very emotional, looking upward. DA looks at each other, shakes heads negatively.)

Singer: How am I supposed to live without you…

(DA turns, looking downward, turns backs to audience. D1 looks sadly at DA.)

Singer: And how am I supposed to carry on…

(DA starts moving slowly upstage, backs to audience. D1 runs to downstage center, emotional, looks upward, hands outstretched.)

Singer: Is all that we’ve been praying for now gone?

(D1 turns back to audience, slowly moves upstage. DA, backs to audience at upstage locations, spread across the stage, go to knees, bow heads.)

Scene 2

(In the next verse, D2 becomes the crowd scene and/or the soldiers. D1 is alone against the rest.)

Singer: I came here to Golgotha…

(DA forms lines at both sides of stage, as though watching what is going on at downstage center. D1 moves slowly, hesitatingly from upstage to centerstage, emotion fear.)

Singer: Heard the screams of angry men…

(DA mimes screaming, hatred on faces, shaking fists toward downstage center. D1 looks fearfully at the crowd, from side to side and then downstage center.)

Singer: Those who praised with palms…

(DA continues as above. D1 continues as above.)

Singer: Now shouting “Crucify!”

(DA continues their actions, growing in intensity. D1 stands in fear, looking around, helpless.)

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