CrossWind Community Church
Drama Team
This script is property of Fred
Lane and may not be sold or republished in any fashion without his written
permission. You are free to make as many copies as you want for church
use only.
The Return of Wormwood
Background: Wormwood is an apprentice demon
who is being tutored thru letters by her uncle, who is an older and wiser
demon. Her latest challenge has been preventing people from going to church.
Set: Wormwood enters holding an unopened
letter fromt eh older demon. She is wearing red clothing (like hat, scarf,
coat, pants, etc.) She moves about the stage as she talks.
(Lights fade up)
(Wormwood walks from the side talking to herself...)
I’m so glad I got this letter today. Uncle Screwtape
must have known that I would need special help with this one....(sighs)...
Sometimes I wish being a demon was not frustrating. The father below must
shudder when he sees us apprentices not messing things up for our clients.
Let’s see what he has to say (opens letter)
(Reading letter) My dearest and most disgusting
Wormwood...
(Looking up) I love how sweet he is to me!
(Reading letter) My consultations with our Father
below has made me aware that you are facing one of the most fearsome
challenges any young demon can face...preventing you client from meeting...I
dread to say it...GOD at church. I know how intimidating it is because
I too have faced the same situation with a number of my clients in centuries
past. Fortunately for us, the majority of people consider it a waste of
time to go to church and thus pose no problems at this point.
(Looks up) It’s just my rotten luck that I got
one that insists on going to church!
(Reading letter) These solidly mis-directed clients
satisfy themselves with the Sunday newspaper and a second cup of coffee.
What more could a demon ask for? Yet there are those that drag themselves
and their families out of their perfectly comfortable homes to meet together
to worship...HIM!
(Looking up) That would be my client. No matter
how warm the bed, how good the coffee, juice and TV, he still gets up and
goes.
(Reading letter) For these clients, we must adopt
a different strategy. Instead of discouraging them, encourage them to go.
(Looking up with shock; use expression by pulling
the letter away from your face) Wait, Wait, WAIT!I don’t believe my pointy
little ears!...Uncle Screwtape hasn’t defected, has he?
(Reading letter) And I haven’t defected, my dear
Wormwood!
(Look at the audience and cock your head) How’d
he know that? (Shake head and slowly return to reading)
(Reading letter) No, I have found that blocking
the trip to the church only makes clients feel like martyrs, and martyrs
are incredibly hard to deal with alone. Instead, let them enter the church
shaking friends hands, and allow them to set in the most comfortable seat
in the hall. Then, as the worship begins, prompt them to feel good about
the music, the message, the temperature - anything but what they most desperately
need. Let them enjoy themselves, but prevent them from sensing, you know
who, God. Then they will leave happy but unfulfilled...no better prepared
to face the day than they were when they came.
(Looking up with a demonic grin...do the best
youcan) Yeah, that makes really good sense. If I let my client “think”
he is doing all he needs to do at church, but I keep him away from God,
I’ve done it! I’ll get him really involved, doing all kinds of things,
so he won’t have time to think about the big guy.
(Reading letter) One caution, however. This is
a dangerous plan, because the enemy of our Father below can destroy this
deception with the motion of his hand. He is particularly jealous
of his worship and won’t allow us to tamper with it any more than our clients
let us. You must work hard to maintain your client’s ignorance of your
actions. Enough for now...remember to always leave a trail of destruction
behind you. Your Uncle, Screwtape.
(Looking up and placing letter back in envelope)
I knew I could depend on my Uncle Screwtape to help me out of a jam. You
know, as I think about it, it’s so obvious it scares me, and I love to
get scared! Just let him go to church and keep his attention on anything
but the enemy, and I’ve got it made. I’ll be out of the apprentice program
and on real duty in no time. So, anybody for going to church?