TAKE PART!” Read-Aloud Scripts ABRAHAM AND ISAAC A Story About the Offering of Isaac (Gased on Genesis 22) TEACHER SCRIPT BY LINDA BATENABRAHAM AND ISAAC A STORY ABOUT THE OFFERING OF ISAAC (Story based on Genesis 22) CAST OF FIVE Reader I - Narrator Reader 2 - Narrator Reader 3 - Abraham Reader 4 - Narrator Reader 5 - Isaac Reader 6 - God (Offstage Reader) uy s Arrange three music stands and two stools as shown.ABRAHAM AND ISAAC VOCABULARY LIST spoil v. to destroy the value, usefulness or beauty of sacrifice v. to make an offering to a deity, to give up a cherished object person, idea, etc. donkey n. an animal with stupid or stubborn characteristics altar n. a raised place of worship or sacrifice faith n. belief without need of certain truth FOCUS AND FOLDERS Ask your readers to speak directly to the audience, not to each other. This is called "storyteller focus." Readers will focus upon the audience just as a storyteller focuses upon the listeners. (It is sometimes helpful for readers to focus eyes slightly above heads of audience members.) Place cast scripts in colorful folders. (Ring binders allow for smooth and easy page turing.) Place folders in front of, or on chairs or music stand before reading begins. Readers without music stands should hold folders at chest level and away from their bodies so listeners can see facial expressions and hear clearly. MOVEMENT AND ACTION This Teacher Script version of “Abraham and Isaac” includes movement and action directions which may be used if preparing readers for a more formal, elaborate performance of the story. These directions appear only in the Teacher Script. Disregard directions if you have chosen another reading approach. ENTRANCES (NARRATORS 1, 2, AND 4 TAKE THEIR PLACES AT THE MUSIC STANDS. THEY BEGIN THE STORY.)Teacher Scrip/ABRAHAM AND ISAAC, BIBLE AS LITERATURE AINARRATOR: 2INARRATOR: (knowingly) AINARRATOR: (agreeing): 3/ABRAHAM (sadly): 4/NARRATOR: (NARRATORS 1, 2, AND 4 TAKE THEIR PLACES AT THE MUSIC STANDS. THEY BEGIN THE STORY.) Today we have a story about Abraham. (ABRAHAM ENTERS, WALKING SLOWLY, SHOULDERS AND HEAD DOWN AND WRINGING HIS HANDS. HE TAKES HIS PLACE ON THE STOOL AND PUTS HEAD IN HANDS.) Here he comes now-just look at him! With his shoulders sagging and head down, he looks like a man with a GIANT-SIZED problem. (NARRATOR 2 LOOKS TO NARRATOR 1) This story also concems Abraham's son Isaac. | think both Abraham and his wife Sarah spoil Isaac, don't you think so? Yes, but you must remember that Isaac is a special child. He was born when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90—well past the age when she should have been able to have a baby. (3/ABRAHAM MOTIONS FOR 5/ISAAC TO JOIN HIM ON THE STOOLS ON THE SIDE OF THE STAGE.) Isaac, come sit with me. | have some news. ! think Abraham has BAD news! © 2000, Take Part Productions, Ltd., Box 86786, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, VL 4L3. This Teacher version of « Take Part Read-Aloud Script may not be duplicated,Teacher Scripf?ABRAHAM AND ISAAC, BIBLE AS LITERATURE 3/ABRAHAM (slowly): SIISAAC (excited): 3/ABRAHAM (gently): SNSAAC (curiously): 4INARRATOR: ABRAHAM: 2/NARRATOR: God talked to me last night. Really? You know, sometimes God asks us to do difficult things, but | believe and trust in God and | will obey Him. What did He ask you to do? (NARRATOR 1 TURNS TO AUDIENCE AND ADDRESSES THEM CONFIDENTIALLY.) Abraham isn't joking about being asked to do something difficult! (ABRAHAM PUTS ARM AROUND ISAAC'S SHOULDERS) God told me to go to the land of Moriah to a special mountain. He wants me to burn a sacrifice there, and YOU are to go with me. (SISAAC LOOKS EXCITED AS HE AND 3/ABRAHAM PRETEND TO TALK WHILE THE NARRATORS TALK TO THE AUDIENCE.) I don’t know what Abraham is telling Isaac, but | don't think he is telling Isaac EVERYTHING God said. (NARRATOR 4 CUPS HANDS AROUND MOUTH AND. SPEAKS SOFTLY TO THE AUDIENCE.) (© 2000, Take Part Productions, Ltd., Box 86786, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7L 4L3. This Teacher version of « Take Part Read-Aloud Script may not be duplicated.Teacher Script=ABRAHAM AND ISAAC, BIBLE AS LITERATURE AINARRATOR: JINARRATOR: 3/ABRAHAM (firmly): SISAAC (excitedly): 3IABRAHAM (kindly): 2/INARRATOR (amazed) 4INARRATOR: 1INARRATOR: You see, God had told Abraham that ISAAC was to be the sacrifice. Abraham just said he would obey God. | guess he means to do it! (ABRAHAM MOVES TO SIDE OF ACTING AREA.) | have to chop wood and get the donkeys ready. Are we going alone? We will take two men with us for the journey, but they will not attend the sacrifice. Go get ready. (ABRAHAM PRETENDS TO CHOP WOOD.) Abraham looks as if his heart is breaking! HOW can he face killing his only son! (NARRATOR 4 TURNS TO OTHER TWO NARRATORS WHEN HE SPEAKS.) Do you remember when Isaac was bom? DO I? WHAT A SHOCK! We need to hear this story from Abraham himself. (NARRATOR 1 MOTIONS FOR 3/ABRAHAM TO COME JOIN THE NARRATORS. WHEN 3/ABRAHAM IS CLOSE TO THEM, NARRATOR 4 CONTINUES.) (© 2000, Take Part Productions, Ltd., Box 86786, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, VIL. 4L3. This Teacher version of a ‘Take Part Read-Aloud Script may not be duplicated.Teacher ScriptABRAHAM AND ISAAC, BIBLE AS LITERATURE 4INARRATOR: 2INARRATOR: (puzzled) 3/ABRAHAM: (thoughtfully) 4INARRATOR;: (happily) J/NARRATON: (curiously) ABRAHAM: (remembering) 4INARRATOR: ABRAHAM: (proudly) 2INARRATOR: God came to visit “Abram” when he was 99. You mean Abraham, don't you? (ABRAHAM SHAKES HIS HEAD NO.) No. My name was Abram. God changed my name from Abram to Abraham and told me | would be the “Father of Nations.” Then came THE BIG SURPRISE! God told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a baby. What did you do? ‘Well, | fell down to worship God and to hide my face, because | was /aughing inside! Could | become a father at 100? Could Sarah have a baby at 90? It seemed impossible! Amazing! You must have been excited! God told me to name the baby “Isaac’ which means “laughter.” | /aughed when | heard the news, and then Sarah laughed when the angels visiting us said she would have a child. (2/NARRATOR PATS 3/ABRAHAM ON THE BACK.) He’s a fine son, Abraham. © 2000, Take Part Productions, Ltd., Box 96786, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7L 4L3. This Teacher version of a Take Part Read-Aloud Script may not be duplicated.