openi

ngscenef
ort
hepl
ay,
"TheDi
vi
ne st
ar"
:

*
*Openi
ngScene:
"TheDi
vi
neCal
l
"**

[Thesceneopensi naheavenlysetti
ng,wi
thcloudsandradi
antli
ght
.Godisseatedona
magnificentt
hrone,l
ooki
ngtroubled.TheArchofangel
ssurroundsGod,
thei
rfacesfi
ll
edwi
th
concern.]

**God:
**(wi
thaheavyheart
)"Mybel
ovedchil
dren,
Iseet
heweightoftheirsi
ns,andi
tpainsme
deeply
.Theworldisi
nneedofasavi
or,someonewhowil
lgoandwi l
l
inglylaydownthei
rli
fet
o
redeem t
hepeopleIl
ove.
"

[God'
svoi
ceechoest
hrought
heheav
enl
yreal
m,butt
her
eissi
l
enceamongt
heangel
s.Noone
stepsf
orwar
d.]

*
*God:
**(
wit
hincreasi
ngsadness)"
Ist
her
enooneamongy ouwhowil
ltakeont
hisnobl
etask?
I
sther
enovol
unteerwhowouldgoanddiefort
hesi
nsoft
heworld?
"

[
Sti
l
l,t
her
eissi
l
ence.Theangel
sexchangegl
ances,
unsur
eofhowt
orespond.
]

[
Suddenly
,Jesus,dr
essedi
nhumbl
eat
ti
re,
stepsf
orwar
dwi
thdet
ermi
nat
ion.Hel
ooksatGod
wi
thloveandpurpose.
]

*
*Jesus:
**(
wit
hunwav
eri
ngr
esol
ve)"
Fat
her
,Iwi
l
lgo.
"

[
Theangelsandheav
enl
ybei
ngsar
etakenabackbyJesus'
response.Theywhi
speramong
t
hemselv
es.]

*
*Angel
:
**(
stammer
ing)"
But
,Lor
d,Youar
etheSonof
..
."
[
Bef
oret
heangel
canf
ini
sh,
Godr
aisesahand,
sil
enci
ngt
hem.
]

*
*God:
**(wi
thj
oyanddet
ermi
nat
ion)"
Iti
sdeci
ded.Rej
oice,
ever
yone,
formySonwi
l
lgot
osav
e
t
heworl
d."

[
Anangelst
epsfor
wardandreci
tesJohn3:
16:"ForGodsolovedt
heworl
dthathegav
ehi
sone
andonl
ySon,t
hatwhoev
erbeli
evesinhi
m shal
lnotper
ishbuthav
eet
ernall
i
fe."
]

[
Theheavenl
yreal
mf ill
swithasenseofhopeandcelebr
ati
on.TheAr
chofangelsbr
eaksint
oa
j
oyoussong,si
ngi
ng" DingDongMerri
l
yonHi gh.
"Theangel
sdanceandrej
oice,
thei
rvoi
ces
f
il
li
ngtheheavenl
yrealm wit
hpureanddivi
neenergy
.]

*
*SceneCl
oses*
*

Thispowerfulopeningsceneset
sthetonefort
heplayandunderscor
esthesel
fl
esssacr
if
ice
thatJesusiswill
i
ngt omakeforthesal
vati
onofhumanity
.Iti
samomentofdi vi
nelov
eand
purposethatwil
lresonatewit
htheaudi
enceandcarryt
hroughtheenti
repr
oducti
on.

*
*Act2:
TheAnnunci
ati
onandTheCal
l
ingoft
heWi
seMen*
*

*
Scene1:
Mar
yandGabr
iel
*

[
Thestagei
ssetwi
tharust
icwell
.Mary
,dressedi
nasimpl
eatt
ir
e,enter
swi
thapai
lofwat
er.
She'
shummingsof
tl
ytoher
self
.Thespotl
i
ghtshif
tst
oherasshedrawswat
erfr
om t
hewell
.]

[AsMar ydr
awswat er,t
hesoundoff
ootstepsappr
oachi
ngcatchesherat
tent
ion.Aspot
li
ght
shinesonGabri
el,
dr essedi
nradi
antat
tir
e,wit
hshimmeringwings.Hest
andsbehi
ndMary,
i
nvisibl
etoher
.]
*
*Gabr
iel
:
**[
Sof
tl
y]Hai
l
,Mar
y,f
ull
ofgr
ace!TheLor
diswi
thy
ou.

[
Mar
ygaspsi
nsur
pri
se,
droppi
ngherpai
l
.Shet
urnst
oseeGabr
iel
.]

*
*Mar
y:*
*[Kneel
i
ng]Whoar
eyou?

*
*Gabri
el:
**Donotbeaf
rai
d,Mar
y.Iam Gabr
iel
,themessengeroft
heLor
d.Youhav
efound
f
avorwit
hGod.

*
*Mar
y:*
*[Conf
used]Whatdoy
oumean?

**
Gabri
el:
**Youwi
l
lconcei
veandgivebir
thtoason,andy
oushal
lcal
lhi
m Jesus.Hewi
l
lbet
he
Sonoft
heMostHigh,andhi
skingdom wi
llnev
erend.

*
*Mar
y:*
*[I
nawe]Howcant
hisbe,
sinceIam av
irgi
n?

*
*Gabri
el:
**TheHol
ySpi
ri
twi
llcomeupony
ou,andt
hepoweroft
heMostHi
ghwi
l
lov
ershadow
y
ou.Thechil
dbornt
oyouwil
lbecal
ledt
heSonofGod.

[
Mar
ybowsherheadi
nhumi
l
ity
.]

**
Mary:*
*[Tear
sinherey
es]Iam t
heLor
d'sser
vant
.Leti
tbedonet
omeaccor
dingt
oyour
word.

[
Gabr
iel
exi
tsgr
acef
ull
yasMar
ywat
chesi
nwonder
.Shepi
cksupherpai
landhur
ri
esof
fst
age.
]

*
Scene2:
TheAr
chAngel
s*
[Aheav
enl
yandj
oyf
ulat
mospher
efi
ll
sthest
age.TheArchofangel
s,ador
nedi
ncol
orf
ul
cost
umesandwi
thspar
kli
ngwi
ngs,
assembl
esonstage.
]

*
*Nar
rat
or:
**[
Off
stage]I
ntheheav
ens,
theAr
chofj
oyf
ulangel
srej
oiced.

[TheArchAngel ssi
ngadel
ight
ful
andcelebr
ator
ysong.Thei
rmovement
saregraceful
and
synchr
oni zed,
creat
ingamesmeri
zingper
for
mance.Thi
ssongcanbeanori
ginalcomposi
ti
on
orawel l
-knownhy mn.]

*
*Ar
chAngel
smi
mest
othesongangel
Gabr
iel
**

[
TheAr
chAngel
sexi
tgr
acef
ull
yast
hei
rsongconcl
udes,
leav
ingt
hest
age.
]

*
Scene3:
TheWi
seMen'
sCal
l
ing*

[
Thestagei
stransf
ormedtodepictt
heshepher
ds'fi
eldwhereI
re,
Ife,
andAdearet
endi
ngt
o
t
hei
rsheep.Theyconver
seaboutthechal
l
engestheyfaceduet
ohight axes.
]

*
*Ir
e:*
*[Worr
ied]Theset
axesar
emaki
ngl
i
fehar
derf
orus,
myf
ri
ends.Ourf
lockspr
ovi
de,
but
i
t'
sgetti
ngt
ougher.

*
*If
e:*
*[Noddi
ng]I
ndeed,
thet
imesar
echangi
ng,
andnotf
ort
hebet
ter
.

*
*Ade:
**[
Thought
ful
]Wemustf
indawayt
osecur
eabet
terf
utur
eforourf
ami
l
ies.

[
TheAr
chAngel
sreappearonst
age,
theysi
ngast
anzaof"
archanher
aldAngel
ssi
ng"
)
[
Ast
hesongends,
theAr
chAngel
sex
it,
leav
ingGabr
iel
aloneonst
age.
]

*
*Gabri
el:
**[
Appr
oachi
ngt
heWi
seMen]Wi
semen,
donotbeaf
rai
d,f
ory
ou,
too,
hav
efound
f
avorwit
htheLor
d.

*
*Ir
e:*
*[Sur
pri
sed]Whoar
eyou?

**Gabr
iel
:*
*Iam Gabr
iel
,themessengeroft
heLor
d.Youhav
ebeenchosenf
oradi
vi
nemi
ssi
on.
Looktotheheav
ens.

[
Aspot
li
ghtr
eveal
sabr
ightandshi
ningst
ari
nthesky
,andt
heWi
seMengazeati
tinwonder
.]

*
*If
e:*
*[I
nawe]Thest
ar!I
t'
sunl
i
keanyot
her
.

*
*Ade:
**[
Det
ermi
ned]Whatdoest
hismean?

*
*Gabr
iel
:
**Fol
l
owt
hedi
vi
nest
ar.I
twi
l
lleady
out
otheKi
ng,
thenewbor
nSav
ior
.

*
*Ir
e:*
*[Resol
ute]Wewi
l
lfol
l
owt
hest
ar,
fori
tbeckonswi
thapur
pose.

[
TheWi
seMenexi
t,f
oll
owi
ngt
hest
ar,
asGabr
iel
wat
chest
hem depar
t.
]

*
Scene4:
EndofAct1*

[
AstheWi seMenexi
t,t
hest
agedarkens.Mar
y,Joseph,
andt
heWi
seMenar
elef
tont
hei
r
r
espect
ivejour
ney
s,set
ti
ngt
hestageforAct2.
]

[
Thecur
tai
nscl
ose,
mar
kingt
heendofAct1.
]
--
-Thi
sscr
iptforAct2br i
ngsthebi
bli
cal
nar r
ati
vet
oli
feinawaythati
sbot
hf ai
thf
ul t
othe
sourcemater
ialandcreati
vel
yengagi
ngf ort
heaudi
ence.I
tset
sthest
agefortherestoft
he
playandt
heunf ol
dingoftheheart
warmingstor
y.

-
--

*
*Act3:
TheWi
seMen'
sJour
neyandHer
od'
sDecept
ion*
*

*
Scene1:
TheWi
seMen'
sQuestCont
inues*

[I
re,
Ife,
andAdecont
inuet
hei
rjour
ney
,fol
l
owi
ngt
hedi
vi
nest
ar.Theydi
scusst
hei
rpur
poseand
exci
tement
.]

**
Ire:
**[
Exci
ted]Thest
arl
eadsusont
hisext
raor
dinar
ypat
h,myf
ri
ends.Ourhear
tsar
efi
l
led
wit
hhope.

*
*If
e:*
*[Det
ermi
ned]Wej
our
neywi
thpur
pose,
gui
dedbyt
hedi
vi
nel
i
ght
.

*
*Ade:
**[
Grat
eful
]Andwi
thgi
ft
sfi
tforaKi
ng,
weshal
lhonorHi
m.

*
Scene2:
ThePal
aceofKi
ngHer
od*

[
Thest
aget
ransi
ti
onst
oKi
ngHer
od'
spal
aceasdescr
ibedear
li
er.
]

[
TheWi
seMen,
ledbyI
fe,
ent
ert
hepal
ace.
]

*
*If
e:*
*[Respect
ful
]OKi
ngHer
od,
wecomebear
inggoodnews.
*
*Her
od:
**[
Fei
gni
ngsur
pri
se]Goodnews,
yousay
?Pr
ay,
shar
eitwi
thme.

*
*Ade:
**[
Conf
ident
]Wef
oll
owt
hedi
vi
nest
ar,
forweseekt
henewbor
nKi
ng,
theMessi
ah.

*
*Her
od:*
*[Conceal
inghisj
eal
ousy]AnewbornKing,y
ousay?Howmarvel
ous!Please,
goand
f
indt
his"
so-cal
l
ed"new-bor
nKing,
andreportbacktome.Iwisht
owor
shipHim aswell.

[
TheWi
seMenexi
tthepal
acewi
thasenseofaccompl
i
shment
,leav
ingHer
odal
one.
]

*
*Her
od:
**[
Evi
ll
aught
er][
Del
i
ght
ingi
nhi
sdecept
ion]Iam t
heonl
yKi
ngher
e.

[
Her
odexi
tst
hest
ageast
heWi
seMendepar
t.
]

*
Scene3:
Meet
ingt
heGoodSamar
it
an(
Angel
Gabr
iel
)*

[
TheWiseMen,l
edbyI
fe,
re-
ent
ert
hest
age,
sti
l
lexci
tedaboutt
hei
rjour
ney
.Theymeett
he
GoodSamar
it
an.
]

*
*GoodSamar
it
an(
Angel
Gabr
iel
):
**[
Fri
endl
y]Gr
eet
ings,
trav
eler
s.Ar
eyouonaspeci
almi
ssi
on?

*
*Ir
e:*
*[War
mly
]Indeed,
wef
oll
owt
hedi
vi
nest
art
ofi
ndt
henewbor
nKi
ng.

*
*GoodSamar
it
an(AngelGabr
iel
):
**[
Kindl
y]Takeheed.Gobackonadi
ff
erentpat
h,anddonot
r
etur
ntoKi
ngHerod.Hi
sint
enti
onsarenotwhattheyseem.

*
*Ade:
**[
Sur
pri
sed]Whoar
eyou?
*
*GoodSamari
tan(Angel
Gabri
el)
:**[
Reveal
i
nghistr
uei
dent
it
y]Iam Gabr
iel
,themessengerof
t
heLord.Goonyourway,andy
oushallf
indtheKi
ng.

[
Ir
e,I
fe,
andAdenodinunder
standi
ngandgr
ati
tude.Theycont
inuet
hei
rjour
ney
,leav
ingt
he
GoodSamar
it
an(Angel
Gabri
el)behi
nd.
]

-
--

Thismodifi
edscri
ptpr eser
vestheelementsy
ourequested,incor
por
ati
ngtheGoodSamarit
an
(AngelGabr
iel
)aftertheencounterwit
hKingHer
od.Itaddsasenseofmy st
eryandgui
danceto
theWiseMen'sjourney,makingitapivot
almomenti
nt heplay.

*
*Act4:
Mar
yandJoseph'
sJour
ney
**

[
Thestagetr
ansit
ionstoanightscenewit
hstar
sshiningbr
ight
ly.MaryandJoseph,wear
ing
humbleat
ti
re,ar
eshownont heirj
ourney
.Theyaret
iredanddustyfr
om thei
rlongtr
avel
s.Mary
appear
stobeindiscomfor
t.
]

*
*Mary
:**(
wit
hexhaust
ion)"
Joseph,
Ican'
tgoonmuchl
onger
.It
'sbeenal
ongandt
ir
ing
j
our
ney.
"

*
*Joseph:*
*(concer
ned)"Iknow,Mar
y.We'
vecomeal
ongway
,andi
t'
sget
ti
ngl
ate.Wemust
f
indaplacetorestf
orthenight
."

[Mar
yandJosephconti
nuethei
rjour
ney,
andt
heyev
ent
ual
l
yreachasmal
ltown,
wher
ethey
comeacr
ossMr .Kol
a,t
heinnkeeper
.]
*
*Mr.Kol
a:*
*(approachi
ngMar
yandJoseph)"
Goodev
eni
ng,
trav
eler
s.Whatbr
ingsy
out
oour
t
ownatthi
slatehour?"

**Mar
y:*
*(wear
y)"Wecamet
oJer
usal
em becauseoft
hecensus.I
t'
sourhomest
ate,
andwe
hadtotr
avel
here.
"

**Joseph:
**(
wit
hahopef
ult
one)"
We'
rei
nneedofapl
acet
ost
ayf
ort
heni
ght
.Cany
ouhel
p
us?"

**
Mr.Kola:*
*(apologet
ic)"I
'
m af r
aidall
myhot el
swerefi
l
ledduringtheday
,andt
her
e'sonl
yone
pl
aceleft
.It
'snotideal
,butit
'stheonlyopt
ion.It
'sast
abl
ewher ewekeepourani
mals.I
t'
s
warm andshelt
ered.Wouldy oubewi l
li
ngt
ospendt heni
ghtthere?"

[
MaryandJosephexchangeaconcer
nedl
ook,
butr
eal
i
zingt
heyhav
enoot
herchoi
ce,
they
agr
ee.
]

*
*Mar
y:*
*(r
esi
gned)"
Yes,
we'
l
ltakei
t.Thanky
ou.
"

[
Mr.Kolapoi
ntsi
nthedi
recti
onoft
hest
abl
eandl
eav
est
hest
age.Mar
yandJosephst
artt
o
makethei
rwaytothest
able.
]

*
*Joseph:
**(
wor
ri
ed)"
Mar
y,i
t'
snotmuch,
butatl
easti
t'
sshel
ter
.We'
l
lmaket
hebestofi
tfor
t
oni
ght."

[
Mar
ycl
utchesherst
omachandgaspsi
npai
n.Josephi
sal
armed.
]

*
*Joseph:
**(
pani
cki
ng)"
Mar
y,what
'swr
ong?Ar
eyoual
lri
ght
?"

*
*Mar
y:*
*(st
ruggl
i
ng)"
It
'st
ime.
..He'
scomi
ng.
"
[
Josephimmediat
elysupport
sMar
y,put
ti
ngherar
m ar
oundhi
m.Het
ri
est
oremai
ncal
m ashe
l
eadshertowar
dsthestable.
]

*
*Joseph:
**(
reassur
ing)"
Hol
don,
Mar
y.We'
real
mostt
her
e.Justal
i
ttl
elonger
."

[
ThesceneclosesasMar
yandJosephent
ert
hest
abl
e,pr
epar
ingf
ort
hemi
racul
ousbi
rt
hof
BabyJesus.
]

Act5:

Scene1:
TheBar
ninBet
hlehem

(Asthecurtai
nrises,
thestageissettodepi
ctahumbl ebarni
nBet hlehem.Theatmospher
eis
serene,
andt her
e'sawarm, gent
leli
ghtshi
ningonMar yandJoseph, whoarebothseat
edon
eit
hersideofamangerwi thBabyJesusinside.Thear
chofangels,wear i
ngwhit
eandsparkli
ng
costumes,i
sar r
angedinthebackground,r
eadyt oper
for
m.Soft,celesti
almusi
cplays.
)

Thewi
semencomesonst
agebr
ingi
ngpr
esent
sfort
henewbor
nbabyJesus.
.

*
*If
e(Br
ingi
ngFr
anki
ncense)
:**

I
fe:"
Greet
ings,y
oungone.Iam I
fe,andIbr
ingy
ouagi f
toffranki
ncense.I
tisafragr
ancet
hat
f
il
lstheai
rwithit
ssweetaroma,j
ustasyourpr
esencefi
ll
sthewor l
dwithlove.

*
*Ir
e(Br
ingi
ngMy
rrh)
:**

Ir
e: "
Iam I
re,andIoffery
ouagiftofMyrrh,muchl
ikeyourpr
esence,myr
rhrepr
esent
sthe
blessi
ngsandgoodnessy oubri
ngtoallofus.I
twasusedforheal
ing,j
ustasyouwil
lheal
our
soulswit
hy ourteachi
ngsandsacri
fi
ce.
"

*
*Ade(
Bri
ngi
ngGol
d):
**

Ade:
"Iam Ade,
andIpr
esentt
oyout
hegi
ftofgol
d.You,
li
tt
leone,
aret
het
rueKi
ngofKi
ngs,
desti
nedtor ul
ewithl
oveandgrace.Goldisasymbolofyourr
oyal
li
neage,andIof
feri
tin
acknowledgmentofyourdi
vineki
ngship.Mayyourr
eignbefil
l
edwithj
usti
ceandcompassion,
andmayy ouforev
erweart
hecrownofourhearts.
"

Inthi
sway ,
eachwi
semanrel
atest
hei
rgi
ftt
othei
rrespect
ivenames,
emphasi
zi
ngt
he
signi
fi
canceoft
hegi
ft
sandthei
rsy
mboli
sm i
nconnecti
ontobabyJesus.

(Thearchofangel
sbeginstoper
form ast
anzaof"JoytotheWorl
d."Theysi
nganddance,
creat
inganatmospher
eofpurejoy.Thei
rvoi
cesareangeli
c,andt
heirmovement
saregracef
ul.
Theaudiencei
scapti
vatedbytheenchant
ingper
formance.)

Ar
changel
s(si
ngi
ng)
:

"
Joyt
othewor
ld,
theLor
dhascome,

LetEar
thr
ecei
veherKi
ng!

Letev
eryhear
tpr
epar
eHi
mroom,

AndHeav
enandnat
uresi
ng,

AndHeav
enandnat
uresi
ng,

AndHeav
en,
andHeav
en,
andnat
uresi
ng!
"

(
Astheangel
sfi
nisht
hei
rper
formance,
theygraceful
l
yexitt
hestage,
leav
ingasenseofj
oyand
wonderi
ntheai
r.Mar
yandJosephgazelov
inglyatBabyJesus.
)

Scene2:
KingHer
od'
sAnxi
ousMoment

(Cur
tai
ncloses,andthest
ageisdimmed.KingHerodisseenpaci
ngbackandfort
hinhis
opul
entpalace,hi
sfacefi
l
ledwit
hanxi
etyandfrust
rat
ion.Hei
sdressedi
nregalat
tir
e,andhi
s
advi
sorsarestandi
ngnearby.
)

Ki
ngHer
od(
mut
ter
ingt
ohi
msel
f)
:Twent
yday
s..
.it
'sbeent
went
ylongday
ssi
nceIsentt
hose
wi
sement
ofi
ndt
hatnewbor
nKi
ng.Whyhav
en'
ttheyr
etur
nedt
omewi
tht
henewsIdesi
re?

(
Het
urnst
ofacet
heaudi
ence,
thr
owi
nghi
squest
iont
othem.
)

Ki
ngHer
od(addr
essingtheaudi
ence)
:Hav
eIbeendecei
ved?(
Pauses)Coul
ditbet
hatt
hose
wi
semenhavebetr
ay edme?

(
Her
odbegi
nst
oreassur
ehi
msel
f,hi
svoi
cebecomi
ngmor
edet
ermi
ned.
)

KingHerod(t
ohimself
):No,t
heywouldn'tdar
ebetr
ayme.TheyknowwhoIam,
theKi
ngof
Jerusal
em.Theyunder
standtheconsequences.

(
Hepauses,
cont
empl
ati
ngt
hesi
tuat
ion.
)

Ki
ngHer
od(
tohi
msel
f,wi
thdoubt
):But
..
.woul
dthey
?(Pauses)Orcoul
dthey
?

(AsHerodcont
inuest
oquest
ionhi
msel
f,t
hescenecl
oses.Theaudi
enceisl
efti
nsuspense,
wonderi
ngaboutthef
ateoft
hewisemenandtheunf
oldi
ngdramainthesear
chforBaby
Jesus.
)

(
Cur
tai
nfal
l
s,endofAct5.
)