----------------------------- A NOTE REGARDING THIS VERSION ----------------------------- This script is from the HIS COMPANY CATALOGUE of plays and musical resources. It is in ASCII (or plain text) format, and is intended only to be used for evaluation purposes. Visit our web site at http://hc.dlampel.com to download the FREE Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version for performance. ----------- DESCRIPTION ----------- MOVIN' UP TO GLORYLAND Type: Musical Resource Description: For the choir that's ready to take one step closer to a real musical (from the cantata format), Movin' Up To Gloryland fills the bill. Every choir member on stage is a character and gets to dress up in old-fashioned clothes. Synopsis: The time is late morning on Saturday, March 4, 1933. In Washington D.C. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is giving his first inaugural address while somewhere in the rural Midwest the local church is holding its annual picnic in the county park. The women of the church enter and begin preparing a simple, yet hearty meal; the menfolk straggle in bemoaning the current depression and resulting hard times. On the radio, the crowd in Washington applauds a point in FDR's speech. The people have a faded, weary air about them--yet in spite of their near poverty, they have a strong community spirit of pulling together and a powerful faith in their God. On the radio, FDR holds out hope for an impoverished country; at the picnic, the people know that their hope is in Jesus Christ--and that even if things don't turn around on earth, their will always be that day when they will be Movin' up to Gloryland. Themes: Our hope and comfort now in Jesus; our hope for the future in heaven Tech. Notes: Included with this script are sample pictures that can be used by the choir members in securing costumes that are appropriate for the Thirties. Also included is a cassette containing a portion of FDR's speech. This musical will require a greater commitment to rehearsing dialogue. While the dramatic portions are relatively simple, they will require something beyond just handing someone a script. The best arrangement for the busy choir director is to place someone else in charge of rehearsing the dramatic portions. Songs: I'LL FLY AWAY JOY COMES IN THE MORNING THE SOLID ROCK HE'S STILL THERE GLORY TO HIS NAME/ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD WHEN GOD DIPS HIS LOVE IN MY HEART JESUS LOVES ME/AMAZING GRACE TEN THOUSAND YEARS COUNTRY CHURCH MEDLEY GOOD-BY, WORLD, GOOD-BY MOVIN' UP TO GLORYLAND Sources: Joyous Songs for the Evangelistic Choir, Marsh (Benson) Because of Who You Are, David Culross (Singspiration) (Movin' Up To Gloryland is an 8vo) Set: The stage should be set to suggest a picnic, using things such as papier-mache rocks, blankets, small picnic tables, etc. If artfully done, you could even use painted trees and bushes. Props: An old, wooden radio; casserole dishes and bread baskets with red-checkered cloths; old metal beverage cooler; apples, oranges, etc.; picnic tables; blankets. Length: 45-60 min. ------ SCRIPT ------ MOVIN' UP TO GLORYLAND Copyright (c) 2000 David S. Lampel His Company [The time is late morning on Saturday, March 4, 1933. The setting is a county park somewhere in the rural Midwest. The occasion is the annual church picnic. Before anyone enters, we hear (from a radio) the broadcast of the Oath of Office for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term. [FDR] "...industrial enterprise...." As the crowd in Washington applauds, and the address continues, the women of the church enter and begin preparing a simple, yet hearty meal for the members around two tables downstage.] [FDR] "...only a foolish optimist can deny the harsh realities of the moment." < pause tape > WOMAN #1 Betty, did you bring another of your raspberry pies this year? Land sakes, how do you manage? BETTY The good Lord fills my bushes so I gotta pick 'em. WOMAN #1 How many years now with Frank gone? BETTY Since '29. WOMAN #1 And how we'd like to forget that year! WOMAN #2 Say, where's the Jones family today? WOMAN #1 Didn't you hear? They're home packing. Lost the farm last week. WOMAN #2 No! [FDR] "...frankly and boldly...." [The menfolk begin straggling in describing their present depression and resulting hard times. The people have a faded and weary air about them--yet, in spite of their near poverty, they have a strong community spirit of pulling together and a powerful faith in their God. Several of the men huddle around the radio.] [FDR] ". . . have to fear is fear itself. Nameless, unreasoning . . ." (speech slowly fades out) < pause tape > MAN #1 Well, do you think he'll pull it off? MAN #2 Who? MAN #3 God? MAN #1 No, silly; Roosevelt. MAN #3 Same thing. MAN #2 He can't work miracles. MAN #1 (to #3) Listen, if anyone can get this country back onto its feet, it's FDR. MAN #2 Don't be so sure. I say it's a long way from Hyde Park to us poor dirt farmers. MAN #3 Just have a little faith. MAN #2 What, in a politician?! MAN #3 No, in our President! PREACHER (scolding good-naturedly) Gentlemen! Not today. Not at our picnic. MAN #3 What do you say, Pastor? Will the "New Deal" really work? MAN #2 Or will we just keep on building `Hoovervilles'? PREACHER God gives us our leaders, too. We must trust His judgment. MAN #2 Well, I say those leaders haven't been doing so well lately. The country's in a mess. It couldn't get any worse! PREACHER John, God is still here with us. MAN #2 These days I think I'd rather go up and be with Him, 'stead of Him being down here with us. MAN #3 Sure, when things are rough, that's when we want Jesus to return. PREACHER But when things are smooth, we'd just as soon He take His time about it. MAN #2 I don't care. He can get me outta here any time! + [General agreement among the people as INTRO begins.] Song: I'LL FLY AWAY - 1:48 - :08 [Much laughter and slapping of backs as everyone settles back into their groups. Meanwhile, the SHERIFF enters.] SHERIFF Is Sam Richards here today? (Everybody looks around) Got somethin' for him. SAM (knowing already what the Sheriff has for him) You decide to finally join the church Sheriff? SHERIFF (trying to be official about it) I'm real sorry, Sam. It pains me but I gotta do it. I gotta serve these papers on ya. [Grumblings from the people.] SHERIFF Yeah, I know. I've been putting it off long as I can. But the bank says it can't wait any longer. PREACHER But not at our picnic! Here, have some watermelon. SHERIFF I hate it as much as you, Preacher. But it's gotta be done. (handing papers to SAM) They're giving you three days, Sam, to come up with the mortgage or vacate the premises. (SAM stares at the paper in his hand; the Sheriff turns to go, then turns back) Real sorry, Sam. (pause) C'mon, I'll give you a lift into town. SAM (to the PREACHER) What am I going to tell Mabel? + [The PREACHER comforts SAM and they exit as INTRO begins. PREACHER returns in time for Trio.] Song: JOY COMES IN THE MORNING - 4:00 - :03 - TRIO, SOLO Song: THE SOLID ROCK - 2:09 - :12 - COUSIN SADIE Sure we got hard times. No argument there. And I know heaven starts lookin' real sweet when things are lookin' bad down here. But listen folks, there's no reason in the world to be thinkin' all's lost. You think the Lord don't see what's goin' on down here? You think His hand ain't in it? Why, I remember the old days when things were really rough. My stars, we were lucky to even get any supper before bed. We'd have to trudge a good 50 mile through snow up to here just to get to school. This is nothin'. + Listen, don't go lookin' for no easy excuse to stop singin' His praise. The Lord's still on our side. He's still here with us. So when those blues start gettin' to ya, you just think of the Lord Jesus lookin' down from above. He's always takin' care of us. Song: HE'S STILL THERE - 5:53 - :25 - SOLO COUSIN SADIE Sure, we've all been there, haven't we. Tom, remember when your barn caught fire and the whole town turned out to save it? You found friends you never knew you had. And Sarah, when your little Jimmy was late in coming and Frank was over in France fightin' the Kaiser..... you had more midwives than you could handle. Jesus was right there in all of it. He's here, working through every one of us. So sing glory to His name! Song: GLORY TO HIS NAME/ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD - 2:11 - :05 Song: WHEN GOD DIPS HIS LOVE IN MY HEART - 2:05 - :10 - WIFE Go on, John. You can do it. HUSBAND Leave me be, woman! WIFE You said you were going to. HUSBAND That was yesterday. WIFE Go on. Speak your peace before I speak it for you. HUSBAND (seeing that everyone's attention is on him by now anyway) It's really no big deal. I just had somethin' I wanted to say. (pause; turning back to his wife) But I don't think so. (his wife turns him back around) Well, you see, I just got this letter from my cousin in South Dakota. He says grain there is cheaper than coal--so they're burnin' it in their furnace. Burned it all winter, they did. The county elevator listed corn at minus three cents. Minus three cents a bushel, can you believe it! You gotta pay that there elevator man three cents a bushel just to take it off your hands. Say it don't pay for them to handle it. Well, it got me to thinkin'. Minus three cents is pretty bankrupt. You're scrapin' the bottom when things get so bad that you gotta pay some guy to take your crop off your hands. Yessir, that's pretty bankrupt. (pause) Just like we're bankrupt when we come to the Lord. We got nothin' else. + We come to Him with our pockets turned inside out--nothin' to offer. And look what he does in return. Song: JESUS LOVES ME/AMAZING GRACE - 3:41 - :09 - SOLO(S) WOMAN #3 Brother Harold! Haven't you got anything to say about all this? HAROLD I got plenty to say. But no one asked. PREACHER That's never stopped you before. HAROLD When a man of God retires God don't turn off his brain. PREACHER Well, what do you think of our new president? HAROLD When all's said and done, I bet you he puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like me. (pause for reaction) But I'll say this for him: he ain't afraid to speak his mind. MAN #3 But, will he get us out of this depression? HAROLD Well now, he just might. But it won't be his doin'. Roosevelt's just hangin' around down here like us. I happen to agree with Cousin Sadie; we aren't in charge down here. The great God in heaven's gonna pull us outta this fix we're in--and it's Him that's gonna decide when. (pause) Nobody's lookin' forward to those streets of gold more than me. But for the moment, we're here. And we're to be singin' His glory and doin' His work while we are. WOMAN #4 What you gonna be doin' up there in heaven, Harold? HAROLD Now we all know I've overstayed my welcome. The good Lord's gettin' ready to call me home any day now. And you know what I'm lookin' forward to? I've been talkin' to Jesus from way down here all these years. Yeah, I know He's heard every word I've said. But still, it's gonna be glorious talking to Him in person-- + lookin' into His eyes, telling Him face to face how much I love Him. And I'll never get tired of telling Him. Song: TEN THOUSAND YEARS - 3:15 - :15 - SOLO [Brother Harold begins the song as a solo.] WOMAN #3 Well, you're not dead yet, Brother Harold! But you have been around awhile. Weren't you one of the original members of our church? HAROLD Set the front door in place myself, back in ought-nine. WOMAN #3 And how we've grown since! PREACHER We too easily forget how our church has bound us all together. Not the building--but us. We make up the church. WOMAN #4 Why, little Amy was baptized in our church-- WOMAN #2 Remember Pastor Sam and his talking mule? MAN #2 I helped put the bell up in the belfry....... his WIFE (aside) Yeah, and the bats have been there ever since! + Song: COUNTRY CHURCH MEDLEY - 3:18 - :06 - SOLOS & ENSEMBLES PREACHER But just like everything else in this world: the bell, the belfry, the front door Brother Harold set in place... everything--including us--is only here for a short time. This world's not our home; we're just passin' through! Song: GOOD-BY, WORLD, GOOD-BY - 2:15 - :03 [Immediately at cutoff, lots of crowd noise and laughter, men quickly move two tables off to stage right and left. As they are returning to center stage Trax begin. Big finish.] Song: MOVIN' UP TO GLORYLAND - 2:48 - :06 [TRAX roll after INVITATION. This is demo for "going home" music.] ORDER OF SONGS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll Fly Away p.72 - Joyous Songs...Choir Joy Comes in the Morning p.22 - " The Solid Rock p.19 - Because of Who You Are He's Still There p.13 - " Glory to His Name/Are you Washed? p.8 - " When God Dips His Love p.51 - Joyous Songs...Choir Jesus Loves Me/Amazing Grace p.31 - Because of Who You Are Ten Thousand Years p.4 - Joyous Songs...Choir Old Country Church Medley p.12 - " Good-By, World, Good-By p.49 - Because of Who You Are Movin' Up to GloryLand 8vo - ---------------- COPYRIGHT NOTICE ---------------- This script is Copyright (C) 2012 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. The data file may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 2012 David S. 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Lampel") ----------------- USING THIS SCRIPT ----------------- For electronic distribution, the Internet version of this script uses the following conventions: * character names are in ALL CAPS. * stage directions within a character's line are enclosed in parentheses (e.g., "(with anger)"). * stage directions without are enclosed in brackets (e.g., "[They exit.]"). * the plus sign (+) indicates when to cue trax or begin intro for next song ---------------------------------------------------------------------- These plays and musical resources are made available free-of-charge, without obligation, in service to our Lord and to His glory. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- David S. Lampel Winterset, IA 50273 USA Complete resources at http://hc.dlampel.com/ "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." (Rom 11:36) 20120305