THE IGNORANCE DRAMA

By Eduardo Velez
Untouchables Youth

2015

Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge

before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I
will disown before my Father in heaven.

MATTHEW 10:32-33
Characters (In order of appearance):

Geography Teacher - A younger teacher, maybe in his twenties. He

wears a light-colored suit thats a little too big with no tie
and his shirt is not tucked in. He tries to be fun, but still
wants work done. Hes kind of funny.

Science Teacher - A more experienced teacher, about thirty-five.

(S)hes just a little inflammatory. (S)hes the type to claim
(s)hes the best teacher around, but in reality her students blow
off his/her class. (S)he went to an okay college, and is prouder
of that than she should be.

English Teacher - An experienced teacher, definitely older than

his co-workers. Hes a little arrogant, and hes aware of that.
Its on purpose. Hes the kind to demand better work than his
students can probably manage. His English is a little over-
enunciated and hes a little too proud that hes left handed. He
practices cultural appropriation.

The Student - The student is new to high school. (S)he is

reasonably intelligent, but isnt very dedicated to anything in
particular, and church isnt an exception. In any case, (s)he had
no issue openly being from a Christian family until now. Its not
cool anymore. His/Her mind has become a little too open. Still,
anti-religious remarks are hard to hear for her/him.

The Pastor - A real warrior. Not ashamed to call people out or

make his opinion heard. He doesnt seek the approval of men. Hes
very aware of the ongoing battle between the youth of the Church
and the enemy. He seeks to defend Gods glory and raise up a
generation for Christ.

Jesus - Jesus plays the role of a father figure for the Student.
Hes always watching the Student and knows exactly what to say to
the Student. He knows what the Student is feeling and is always
ready to guide the Student and bring him/her peace.
(LIGHTS UP. THE STUDENT is at a desk at STAGE CENTER, wearing the kind of
clothing you wear to try to make a good impression, perhaps a t-shirt with a
wrinkled plaid button-up overtop for a boy, or jeans, a t-shirt and a pair of
hip glasses for a girl. The STUDENT waits patiently for the teacher to walk
in. He/She taps a pencil or something while checking the classroom out.
He/She is clearly pretty excited for his/her first day at school. The
GEOGRAPHY TEACHER walks in from STAGE LEFT kind of quickly and nonchalantly.)

GEOGRAPHY TEACHER: Good morning, class. Welcome to your first day in AP Human
Geography. We move very fast in AP, so lets jump right into it. Flip open to
page 23 of your Human Geo textbook, those of you who actually bought it, and
well discuss Environmental Determinism. Environmental Determinism is a
leading theory for why religions exist in the first place.

(He crosses slowly UPSTAGE of THE STUDENT as he speaks to THE STUDENT, who
has been listening just as a student does, and finishes speaking just as he
hits STAGE RIGHT. He stays on stage, and as soon as he finishes his thought,
the SCIENCE TEACHER enters STAGE RIGHT, just DOWNSTAGE of the GEOGRAPHY
TEACHER. (S)he crosses UPSTAGE of the STUDENT as (s)he speaks, just like the
GEOGRAPHY TEACHER, but flipped)

SCIENCE TEACHER: Good day, students and welcome to Pre-AP Biology. By the end
of the year, you will be more than prepared to go into AP Biologyso long as
we do not waste time. Were going to begin just discussing how wonderful a
job nature has done creating organisms so well suited to their environment.

(The ENGLISH TEACHER picks up as the SCIENCE TEACHER finishes, in the same
way the other two did before, ending STAGE CENTER. The ENGLISH TEACHER is too
good for smiling.)

ENGLISH TEACHER: Hey, there, children. This is English I. In my class, you

will learn from me, among various other things, how to identify archetypes in
World Literature. Religious Archetypes are a major topic for English I. The
archetypes come primarily from the Holy Books of the worlds major religions.
None of these religions take precedence over the others in World Literature.

THE TEACHERS (IN UNISON): See, if it werent for

SCIENCE TEACHER: Nature

ENGLISH TEACHER: Great writers in the past

GEOGRAPHY TEACHER: Harsh weather conditions on Earth, wed never have any
ethnoreligious culture or music

SCIENCE TEACHER: Youd have no peanut butter or jelly

GEOGRAPHY TEACHER: No Graham Crackers

ENGLISH TEACHER: Movies would always be frivolous comedies

SCIENCE TEACHER: Thered be no pigs to make ham

GEOGRAPHY TEACHER: Nobody would ever have created a deity

ENGLISH TEACHER: We wouldnt have wonderful pieces of culture, like the

Bible

SCIENCE TEACHER: There would be no life on Earth. (beat) Nature

GEOGRAPHY TEACHER: Cognitive Dissonance

ENGLISH TEACHER: Human Creativity

THE TEACHERS: did come through, however, and we have that to be thankful for.

(At the GEOGRAPHY TEACHERS harsh weather line, the Pastor begins to enter
through the STAGE LEFT aisle with a very determined energy, and JESUS walks
on the STAGE RIGHT aisle calmly. They reach the stage at the end of the did
come through line and THE PASTOR overlaps them with his declaration.)

THE PASTOR: YOU HAVE GOD TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

(THE TEACHERS ad lib. Okay, whatever Yeah, man, sure Whatever you say,
pal sarcastically in response. At this point, they may look at one another,
and they know theyre in the same room. They walk off somewhat haughtily.
JESUS and THE PASTOR close in STAGE CENTER.)

JESUS: Listen. They may tell you a lot of things, but theyd never die for
you.

(The three exit down the STAGE RIGHT aisle. LIGHTS DOWN.)

[OPTIONAL: JESUS and THE STUDENT hug and THE PASTOR watches, smiling and
happy for THE STUDENT. Then they exit down the STAGE RIGHT aisle.]