Christian Drama Ministry

This expression of Christ’s love to the world features prayerfully chosen scripts that powerfully tell the story by those who knew him. The songs were especially chosen to accompany these moving scripts as they intertwine to bring the audience back to the agony of Calvary and the ecstasy of our Savior’s resurrection. The scripts were written to empower a small cast demand, but in no way sacrifice the opportunity of the actors to bring the Biblical characters who knew Jesus…who encountered him, to life.

A prayerful compilation of monologues and dialogues and songs:

NOTE: Scroll down to read the finer descriptions of the sketches 2 - 7. These sketches are also available as a single. We've compiled them to create, "The Encounter."

Barabbas is Arrested (Tableau) – 1 Male and 2 or more soldiers
The Witness - 3 Male
I Stood Silent – 2 Male
Like a King, Like a Lamb – Monologue 1 Male
Obvious – Monologue 1 Male
He Opened His Hands - 4 Male
A Life of Swords and Thorns - 3 Female
He Has Risen (Tableau) 3 Female and entire cast enter during the song, “Unto the Lamb”

Songs:

1. "On My Cross" – By the recording group FFH - Song interpretation. This is a song interpretation that brings Barabbas to Calvary. A very moving moment in the presentation.

2. "Crosses and Crowns" – By Natalie Grant - Interpretive Sign. Crosses to Crowns -What a great sign song by Natalie Grant for anytime of the year, but special for Easter. This DVD is a group of students at CODE East. We had them do the song twice. Once with the lights on and then added black light for the second. It gives you an idea what it looks like both ways. The camera centers on Cory who taught the song to the students.

3. "Unto the Lamb" – The Hope Project by The Westside Choir - Interpretive sign and drama.

The music for the above songs are available through I-tunes for 99 cents each.

The Encounter Easter Package Includes all these dramatic scripts and the 3 songs are illustrated on DVDs. When you buy this package the sketches are emailed to you right away and the DVDs are sent using first class mail.

Performance time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes

Torn By Love

We are very excited to announce the latest Easter Drama presentation. An anointed compilation of all original drama by Howi Tiller and Terry Vik. A fantastic mix of dowel rod, sign language, monologue and dialogue that makes your Easter Sunday seamless. Each piece was specially written for Easter 2009. The music used in, "Torn By Love" has been specially chosen just for this event.

The song, "Matthew 28" is quickly becoming a favorite and we have created what we feel is one of our most exciting dowel rod interpretations. It will not disappoint you or your audience. They'll be standing to their feet on this one. There are nine other dramatic pieces included.

1. The Rent is Discovered - Sketch, 2. Matthew 28 - Dowel rod mix, 3. I Stood Silent - Sketch, 4. History - Song, 5. Mary's Lament - Monologue, 6. Held - Scarves, 7. Caiaphas's Contempt - Monologue, 8. Here in Your Holy Presence - Dowel rod/Sign, 9. Life in the Palace - Sketch, 10. Let the Veil Down.

There are 10 dramatic pieces included in this Easter Package. And we have video taped each song, monologue and dialogue to show you step-by-step how to do them. All the blocking, stage movement, notebooks, Instructional DVDs, and even graphics for advertising comes with this package. Everything is done for you.

This package is on sale now for 79.00 Instead of 2 1/2 months of rehearsal, your preparation time is greatly shortened because we've done so much of the work for you ahead of time.

Easter Plays, Sketches and Resources - Featuring 3 different series of sketches for your convenience. All the sketches are available as a single as well. Also, full length scripts for adults and adolescent ages to perform.

New for 2010

A Life of Swords and Thorns

(Do What You Know to Do…He Will Do the Rest)

A Powerful Easter Message From Mary's Point of View

It's early Sunday morning and two women are quietly preparing to return to the tomb of Jesus. Jesus had been crucified on Friday and his body was taken from the cross as the sun was going down. In keeping with the Sabbath, the disciples had just a short time to anoint his body for burial. The job was not done to the standard that was deserving of the Lord. So, on the morning of the third day the Bible speaks of Mary Magdalena, Joanna and other women preparing to go to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with precious spices and ointments. The conversation that took place in that early morning hour was no doubt one that needs to be shared with the whole world. Howi takes us to that highly emotional moment through, "A Life of Swords and Thorns". Mary the mother of Jesus reflects back to the day when she brought the baby Jesus into the temple and an old man named Simeon approached her and Joseph. Simeon shared with them how he was promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon also told Mary about a day to come where the sword would pierce her soul also. This is a tremendous sketch that can stand alone or compliment a musical.

Cast: 3 F Mary the mother of Jesus, Magdalena, Joanna Running time 8-9 minutes

Download A Life of Swords and Thorns $4.50

The Witness

(An Easter Themed Sketch.)

The Bible records that witnesses were hired to speak lies about Jesus while he was on trial. The Sanhedrin would have been breaking the law by having a trial at night, but that didn’t stop them. Howi takes poetic license to paint a picture of a private meeting where two scribes are trying to get a man to lie against Jesus. This man was blind, but Jesus healed him. The man will not submit to their wishes and the Pharisees accuse him of never being blind and that he made it up to get money from the people.

Cast: 3M

Epiphras - Pharisee

Aseph – Was blind but now sees – common man

Gomel: – Pharisee

Setting: Room in the temple somewhere Running time: 6-7 minutes

$3.00 Download * Not in the Howi Tiller Sketch Book 2008

I Stood Silent

(Immediate moments after Jesus' trial)

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin council. They were Pharisees and elders of Israel and part of the group that accused Jesus of blasphemy. No doubt they were not in favor of the judgment that was spoken over Jesus that took place illegally. I’m sure their lots were votes of dissention against the council. It appears they embraced Jesus’ teaching in a way the other members did not.

Joseph begged for the body of the Lord and offered his tomb for Jesus to be laid in. The monologue called "Obvious" is Joseph at the cross if you wanted to have another sketch follow, "I Stood Silent.".

Nicodemus met with Jesus at night and asked him questions.

In this sketch, Joseph and Nicodemus are discussing the way Jesus’ trial was handled and their own shame for standing silent when it mattered most. This could be a perfect set-up for the Calvary scene. Running time 5-6 minutes

Cast: 2 M

Joseph of Arimathea – Elder in Israel

Nicodemus – Elder in Israel

Download for $3.50 * Not in the Howi Tiller Sketch Book 2008

Like a King, Like a Lamb

(Barabbas in prison)

Barabbas is in a prison cell when he hears the iron doors to the cell next door to him open, someone shuffled in and then closed. He doesn’t know it, but it’s Jesus. He has been beaten, and put in prison. Barabbas doesn’t know it, but he is to be set free and Jesus crucified in his stead. Howi, again uses poetic license to create a moving, believable story in Like a King, Like a Lamb. The main production is a monodrama except when the soldier appears for just a few lines at the end.

Cast: 2 M

Barabbas

Soldier

$3.50 Download *Not in the Howi Tiller Sketch Book 2008

He Opened His Hands

(An Easter excerpt from the full length play,

The Opening of the Hand )

Cast: Centurion, Malchius, Talmus, Caspin

Four soldiers are conversing about the crucifixion. Jesus has just been crucified by these soldiers and two of them are disturbed by what they saw. Malchius is callused to any of it and wants to do away with all of them, especially, Barabbas. Talmus is a bit indifferent and not definitive either way, just doing his job. The younger soldier, Caspin is very moved and has many questions. The Centurion of course is also very moved.

Caspin: Sir, I have to ask. It was loud out there…the earth was shaking, but –

Centurion: Caspin, I don’t know…I don’t know…was the earth shaking or was it your heart pounding so fearfully hard that you didn’t know if it was the ground moving or your legs giving away to fear?

Download for $5.00

“He Opened His Hands” can be an accompaniment to a larger performance or a powerful and moving stand alone 9-10 minute sketch. You can read more about the full length play on the Drama Page

Obvious

(Monologue) There are many monologues about Calvary, but most are from Mary's or Caiaphas' point of view. This one is from the perspective of the man who begged for the body of the Lord, Joseph of Arimethea. This isn't revealed to your audience until the last line. Powerful stand alone monologue or to compliment a larger production. 7 minutes

The Easter Package Number 1

This Easter Package is a mix of 3 DVDs and the Easter Sketch Series 1. Which is 6 Monologues 2 Dialogues and 1 Reader's Theater. To download these sketches as a group, scroll down until you see the Easter Sketch Series 1 "cart button".

The DVDs are:

• DVD Volume 1 Has "Still Her Little Child" by Ray Boltz

• DVD Volume 2 Has "Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullins and the popular, "End of the Beginning" by David Phelps

• CODE Louisiana Thursday 2008 Has "Let the Veil Down" by Judy Jacobs This song performed with interpretive sign and movement is the most worshipful song we've ever done. It's a great finale piece.

The Easter Sketch Series 1

Someday, Came Today - An awesome illustration within the mind of the thief at the cross. Even though the event is historical, Howi brings a modern application through the breaking down of just the one line that Jesus said to the thief. “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” Never will those words have a fuller and more relative meaning then when they come alive through this monologue. Running time 8 minutes

The Perfect Lamb - We know that Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice on the mountain of Mariah. God supplied the sacrifice. What we don’t know is, ‘where did that ram or sheep come from?’ Was it a wandering sheep from a nearby herd? Howi uses a little poetic license to tell the story of the perfect lamb that God supplied to Abraham for the sacrifice.

Are You a King? - Sometimes you aren’t looking for a full length play, but you’d still like just enough drama to weave in the traditional Easter story. This script records what it might have sounded like when Jesus was brought before Pilot and Herod. Howi uses just a little poet license. Great for Easter or any time.

Failure Is Not Final - Found in the book, Whose Fault is it Anyway? - Sketches page

Obvious - Found in the book, Obvious - Sketches page (Monologue)

The Betrayal - Caiaphas reflects back to the moment when he was visited by Judas and set up the moment when Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus. Great for Easter or anytime. 9 minute

Cholos - Cholos means cripple. He was born in Bethlehem on the night of the bright star, but thirty-three years later his whole life changed completely.

The Act - A moving and touching depiction of Christ's love in the life of the woman accused of adultery. This monologue has a custom music track that enhances this wonderful story of forgiveness. "The Act", is the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. You can order the track on the Monologues page.

Six - This is a sketch about the woman that Jesus met at the well and told her, her whole life story. Found in the book, Whose Fault is it Anyway? - Sketches page (Monologue)

The Thorns Have a Rose - Reader's Theater This reader's theater is for two readers. This script compares the unfortunate death of Judas with the sacrificial death of Jesus. A perfect piece to add variety to the traditional story.

If you only want the sketches, you can download the entire Easter Sketch Series 1 for $15.00

The Easter Package Number 1 which includes all 9 sketches and 3 DVDs

Easter Package Number 2 Includes the Easter Sketch Series 2 and 2 DVDs

The DVDs are CODE Louisiana Thursday 2008 and CODE West 2008. These DVDs include songs for Easter like, Let the Veil Down, Why Not Trust God Again?, Resurrection, Who Am I?, Power In the Name of Jesus and more.

Easter Sketch Series 2

The Miracle of Insignificance

A wonderful monologue to introduce the ministry of the Lord in an early scene of a production. The water turned to wine was a wonderful miracle, but was there an even greater miracle that Jesus showed? Monologue 8 minutes

Return To Give Him Thanks

Luke 17 records the story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed. All ten men were healed but only one came back to thank the Lord for his healing. Howi uses the scriptural events and poetic license to show us the story of the Samaritan leper who was healed by Jesus and came back to thank him. This monologue could be a sermon set-up or added to a Thanksgiving theme or accompaniment to a larger dramatic production. 8 minutes

The Arrest

The Arrest is an excerpt form the full length script called, “The Dance of the Broken Bones”. This sketch takes us into the inner circle of Mary, Salome and Mary Magdalene…some of the people closest to Jesus. A knock at the door of Mary’s home interrupts their conversation. 8 Minutes

Obvious

There are many monologues about Calvary and the crucifixion. Most are from Mary’s or Caiaphas’ or a disciple’s perspective. This one is from the perspective of the man who begged for the body of the Lord, Joseph of Arimethea. The monologue doesn’t reveal that until the last line. This will keep your audience in suspense. This monologue can stand alone or be added to the Easter program. 7-8 minutes

He Opened His Hands

This is a powerful and moving Easter passage from the full length script called, “The Opening of the Hand”. It is an excerpt from those immediate moments after Jesus’ death that brings the audience into a closed private session with the Roman soldiers who had just crucified the Lord. 8-9 minutes

Easter Series Sketches 2 Only 15.00 Download now

Easter Series Sketches 2 and DVDs CODE Louisiana Thursday 2008 and CODE West Sign Blast 2008

Easter Sketch Series 3

I Stood Silent (Immediate moments after Jesus' trial) Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin council. They were Pharisees and elders of Israel and part of the group that accused Jesus of blasphemy. No doubt they were not in favor of the judgment that was spoken over Jesus that took place illegally. I’m sure their lots were votes of dissention against the council. It appears they embraced Jesus’ teaching in a way the other members did not.

Joseph begged for the body of the Lord and offered his tomb for Jesus to be laid in. The monologue called "Obvious" is Joseph at the cross.

Nicodemus met with Jesus at night and asked him questions.

The Arrest The Arrest is an excerpt form the full length script called, “The Dance of the Broken Bones”. This sketch takes us into the inner circle of Mary, Salome and Mary Magdalene…some of the people closest to Jesus. A knock at the door of Mary’s home interrupts their conversation. 8 Minutes

The Witness (An Easter Themed Sketch.) The Bible records that witnesses were hired to speak lies about Jesus while he was on trial. The Sanhedrin would have been breaking the law by having a trial at night, but that didn’t stop them. Howi takes poetic license to paint a picture of a private meeting where two scribes are trying to get a man to lie against Jesus. This man was blind, but Jesus healed him. The man will not submit to their wishes and the Pharisees accuse him of never being blind and that he made it up to get money from the people.

Like a King, Like a Lamb (Barabbas in prison) Barabbas is in a prison cell when he hears the iron doors to the cell next door to him open, someone shuffled in and then closed. He doesn’t know it, but it’s Jesus. He has been beaten, and put in prison. Barabbas doesn’t know it, but he is to be set free and Jesus crucified in his stead. Howi, again uses poetic license to create a moving, believable story in Like a King, Like a Lamb. The main production is a monodrama except when the soldier appears for just a few lines at the end.

Obvious There are many monologues about Calvary and the crucifixion. Most are from Mary’s or Caiaphas’ or a disciple’s perspective. This one is from the perspective of the man who begged for the body of the Lord, Joseph of Arimethea. The monologue doesn’t reveal that until the last line. This will keep your audience in suspense. This monologue can stand alone or be added to the Easter program. 7-8 minutes

He Opened His Hands This is a powerful and moving Easter passage from the full length script called, “The Opening of the Hand”. It is an excerpt from those immediate moments after Jesus’ death that brings the audience into a closed private session with the Roman soldiers who had just crucified the Lord. 8-9 minutes

$15.00 Download Easter Sketch Series 3

Please visit the DVD and Dowel rod pages for more information about sign language, song interpretation and dowel rod songs on DVD.

Full and medium length Scripts

"Dance of the Broken Bones"

A full length script for anytime of the year. Howi in coordination with the Parable Players toured with this script in the spring of 2007 and recently performed the play at CODE West. Your actors will love the message and challenge of this play.

Cast: 3 F and 3 M

This play speaks powerfully about integrity and integrity lost. The righteous judgment God and repentance of King David and powerfully demonstrated. God's forgiveness and restoration is not revealed more than in the play, "The Dance of the Broken Bones."

The story centers around David’s sin with Bathsheba, but reveals the dedication and honor of Uriah, (Bathsheba’s husband). Uriah, though when faced with a very hard decision, he does the right thing. King David had Uriah sent to the front lines of battle so that Uriah would be killed. This was done in effort to hide David's sin. The play also reveals the judgment of God through his prophet, Nathan toward David and then the mercy of God through David’s repentance. God not only forgave David, but restored him and fulfilled a prophecy spoken by Nathan that it would be one of David’s sons that God would use to build the temple. We’ve come to know that son as Solomon, which was born of David and Bathsheba. Even more amazing is that Christ himself came through the lineage of David and Bathsheba.

The fifty-first Psalm is written as a result of David’s repentance of that sin. David speaks to the Lord in Psalm 51:8 “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” This is the theme of the play.

Even after failure the Lord can still restore, heal and forgive us so our bones can dance again.

The play brings Old Testament characters to the New Testament. Jesus cried from the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", but it was David who penned it in the old testament. Jesus was quoting David from the cross. This mix of old and new brings Calvary into new light as David is translated to the foot of the cross.

Also, the last scene is very thought provoking as Howi brings Eve, Bathsheba and Mary into the same scene. They all lost a son because of sin. Eve was the first to lose a son as Cain killed Abel. Bathsheba lost her son because of David trying to hide the sin from God and finally Mary lost her son at Calvary for all people’s sin.

Download script $12.00 separately from Packet

The Great White Pearl

The Ultimate Victory Over Davey Jones’ Locker

(An exciting Easter play for kids and early teens to perform)

Deception, Intrigue, and Mystery on the Open Sea has Never Been More

Fun!

The Great White Pearl This is a children’s play about the resurrection of the Lord. It has taken the Pirate theme and retold the Easter story through a mix of a fun and exciting story with scripture and the powerful resurrection message,

“Triumph over death.”

Download this script for $10.00 The Great White Pearl

Cast: 16 speaking parts mixed

Main characters are: Captain Goodspeed and Captain Sin Bad.

Running time: 45 minutes.

Spectacle

"Spectacle"
The Gospel According to the Angels
A serious comedy about the diligent desire of three angels' look into the life of Christ. The Bible says that the angels desired to look into the things of Christ and the gospel. Howi takes just a little poetic license and with the help of the "Heaventron", he mixes it with scripture to create this full length play.

Great for Easter or anytime of the year.
Cast: 3 Males
Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Download Spectacle now for $10.00

Mind and Heart

The story of the two men who were crucified with Jesus. As twin brothers, they grew up in Bethlehem and were both there the night that Jesus was born. Heart is changed from that moment on, but Mind seemed indifferent. This Biblical themed play tells the story of the human battle between your mind and heart. Both characters end up suspended between heaven and earth where they both must make their final decision.
Cast: 50 or more, mainly male speaking parts.
Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes.

$15.00 Download Mind and Heart

The Opening of the Hand

The Secret of Giving and Receiving the Miraculous

The Opening of the Hand is a full length play that explores the principles and revelation of giving and receiving. It also speaks to the pride of life that often times keeps us from receiving God’s blessings and promises. The opening of the hand is what can open the windows of heaven’s healing, restoration and guidance. To be helped, one must open their hand and yet to be the help, one must also open your hand. In this play Howi uses the non-fictional characters of the Bible with ones that could have lived then and demonstrates to us the power of opening the hand. God opens his hands to us if we open our hands to him. This theme creatively weaves its way through the characters in the story to share the wonderful gifts God gives to us when he opens his hands.

The conflict in the play is between the characters of Peter and Jerome. Peter is the Peter of the Bible. Howi has created Jerome to be the man born crippled and ends up the man who is healed in the book of Acts. They are both from families who made their living by fishing. Jerome despises Peter as he thinks him to be a loud mouth fool and speaking before he thinks. The play starts as Peter and Andrew are just coming in from the lake with a catch of fish that was the result of Jesus telling them to cast the nets on the right side. From then on, the jealousy and pride of Jerome encourages him to hate Peter even more. They intertwine as the play unfolds and the conflict between the character of Jerome and Peter is resolved in the last scene through the scriptural writing of the book of Acts as Jerome ends up being the lame man who asks for alms at the gate just outside of the temple and Peter says, silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee, in the name of Jesus…rise up and walk. There are many intense moments of rage, action and even comedy.

Great for Easter as well as any time of the year!

Cast: 4 M Each actor plays 4 different character

$15.00 Download The Opening of the Hand

The Prisoner of God

"The Prisoner of God"
The Name - The Blood - The Cross
A full-length play about the Apostle Paul and a very zealous Roman Captain named Marcus. Historically, Paul even converted the soldiers who guarded him in prison. With this in mind, Howi authors a play from scripture that is layered with twists and turns that will keep your audience guessing from beginning to end. Just when you thought you had the plot all figured out, a surprising ending reveals all the mysteries.
Cast: 2 Male
Running time: 1 hour

$15.00 The Prisoner of God Performance DVD

Download the script for $10.50

C.O.D.E. Conference!

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