45 minutes / 7 characters
Description
The script for this one-act play, Vacancy, begins with the dramatic portions of There’s Room in My Heart (the musical from which it is drawn), but has been fleshed out to make it an even stronger statement for life in Christ. The play includes two mysterious “Visitors” and drama centered around the Bethlehem inkeeper and his family. The two “Visitors” (mysteriously dark, other-wordly types) take us back to the time of Jesus’ birth to show us that those people, too, had daily pressures and self-centered priorities that prevented the Christ from entering their hearts. Christmas for them was also a time of crass commercialism.
Theme
Letting Jesus into your heart to replace the emptiness of this world.
Production Notes
This play lends itself perfectly to a strong Invitation by the Pastor at the end. The monologue at the end of the play sets up this opportunity.
Characters
Leader
The Visitors (2)
Simon, the Innkeeper
Joanna, his wife
Nathanael, their son
Eliezer, their neighbor
Set
This play is designed to have at least two separate areas of the stage: for the drama, and one or two isolated areas (such as organ chambers, baptistry, etc.) for the “Visitors.” Lighting is important to this production. The drama needs to be lighted as you would any play and requires blackouts. The “Visitors” require dark, mysterious lighting and black backgrounds so that, ideally, they are simply bodiless faces looking out of darkness.
Topics
Vacancy There’s Room in My Heart Bethlehem Christmas Roman Soldiers Belief Light Bread Wine Baby Christ Child Mary Joseph
