Hey, guys!

Sorry, I’m getting this up a day later than I said I would. 😛

Anyway! Enjoy my play of the book of Esther. Everyone is under 16 in this production. (Except me…)

I’m the narrator/scribe

Squink is Esther

Daniel is Haman

John is Mordachai

Peter is Bigthan

And the rest of the cast are friends. 🙂

(stay tuned to the end of the post for some costume pics after the play!)

 

Scene: Feast/palace

 

Narrator: These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.

At that time, Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media, as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.

 

(Narrator exits)

 

(King, Haman and party come on stage, laughing and generally partying with guys. Vashti sits on the other side of the stage with girls)

 

King: Send for Vashti! And tell her to put on her crown and most beautiful robes and to come before me! (to friends) So I may show you how beautiful she really is. (friends nod and then continue partying)

 

Hatach: (bows and goes to Vashti) My queen, the king says to put on your most lovely things and come before him so that he can show how beautiful you are.

 

Vashti: (indignantly) Am I a trophy to be displayed for his repulsive party? Tell him I will not come!

 

Hatach: (bows and goes to king) King Xerxes, she will not come.

 

(partying stops immediately)

 

King: (angrily) What?

 

Haman: (coming up beside him) My lord, she must be punished. The queen has done wrong against not only you but against the people in your kingdom. When everyone hears of this, if it is not punished, there would be no end of disrespect and discord in the land.

 

King: You’re right. (to Hatach) Banish her.

 

Hatach: (bows and goes to Vashti) You are banished by order of the king.

 

(Vashti leaves indignantly and King gives a satisfied nod)

 

King: Good riddance.

 

Haman: Indeed, sir.

 

King: But now where will I get a new queen?

 

Haman: Don’t worry. I have an idea.

 

 

Scene: Susa

 

Narrator: At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordechai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordechai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.

 

(Mordechai and Esther enter together first, followed by other beauty contestant girls)

 

(Hatach enters with scroll and stands on stool)

 

Hatach: By order of the king, all beautiful young ladies are to be escorted to his palace. There will be a contest for who most pleases the king, and the winner will be made queen in place of the banished Vashti!

Follow me.

(waves arm and exits)

 

(all girls excitedly follow Hatach except Esther)

 

Esther: Cousin, what should I do?

 

Mordachai: You don’t have much choice. Don’t worry, I can still check in on you, since I’m a gatekeeper at the palace. (thinks) One thing. Don’t tell anyone of your Jewish identity.

 

Esther: As you say, Uncle. (exits after Hatach)

 

 

Scene: Palace

 

(King sits on his throne)

 

(Haman enters and bows)

 

Haman: My king, the beauty contest commences. (takes his place beside the king)

 

(Maid enters and is shrugged off)

(Vashti enters, hiding behind flowers, is recognized and kicked out)

 

(Zeresh enters and is waved away)

 

Haman: (mouths to her) Call me!

 

(Esther enters)

 

King: Wait! (stands and walks over to Esther) What is your name?

 

Esther: Esther, my king.

 

King: I have found my queen!

 

(They exit happily)

 

 

Scene: Susa, by the palace gates.

 

Mordechai: (sits by the gates, Humming/whistling)

 

Bigthan and Teresh: (slink up, not noticing Mordechai)

 

Bigthan: Hey, Teresh. Let’s murder the king tonight.

 

Teresh: Yeah.

 

(Both pull out weapons and slink away, laughing evilly)

 

(Mordechai watches them leave with a concerned look and exits the other way)

 

 

Scene: Palace. Esther sits reading. King is doing a Rubik’s Cube. Scribe/narrator sits writing in the corner

 

(Mordechai enters quietly and whispers to Esther, who looks worriedly surprised. Mordechai nods and points to the king before leaving.)

 

Esther: (walks over to the king) Your majesty?

 

King: (distractedly) Hmm?

 

Esther: The gatekeeper Mordechai just warned me of a plot by Bigthan and Teresh to murder you tonight.

 

King: What?! (stands) We must execute them at once. It’s a good thing Mordechai found out. (to scribe) Write this down.

 

Scribe: (nods and scribbles as the king and queen exit)

 

 

Scene: Susa. People milling around.

 

Narrator: Some time later, King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.

 

Haman: (Enters proudly, smiling)

 

 Narrator: All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded.

 

(Officials and all the people bow, but Mordechai) (Haman looks happy until he spots Mordechai)

 

Narrator: But Mordechai refused to bow down or show him respect.

 

Haman: (Marches up) Bow to me, Jew!

 

Mordechai: (shakes head) I bow only to my God and my King.

 

(Haman stomps angrily away)

 

 

Scene: Palace. Haman’s chair in the corner. King on the other side of the room, again messing with a Rubik’s Cube.

 

Haman: (stomps in and throws himself in a chair, grumping)

 

Narrator: When Haman saw that Mordechai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.

 

Haman: (looks like he has an idea and stands, thinking)

 

Narrator: He decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordechai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.

 

Haman: (comes to the king) My king, I have discovered a people in your kingdom with much different customs from ours who pay no heed to your commands. It is not in your best interests to tolerate them.

If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business.

 

King: (shrugs) (gives Haman his ring) Keep the money and do with the people as you please. (goes back to messing with Rubik’s Cube)

 

Haman: (evil laugh) (exits)

 

 

Scene: Palace.

 

Maid: My Queen, Mordechai sits in sackcloth and ashes by the gate!

 

Esther: I wonder what’s the matter? Here, send him these new clothes. (hands clothes)

 

(Maids take clothes over to Mordechai who refuses them and sends them back)

 

Maid: He wouldn’t take them from us.

 

Esther: Something is very wrong. (calls) Hatach!

 

(Hatach enters and bows)

 

Esther: (worriedly) Please go and ask Mordechai why he sits in sackcloth by the gate.

 

(Hatach bows and walks over to Mordechai)

 

Hatach: The queen’s compliments. Why do you sit in sackcloth by the gate?

 

Mordechai: Haman has the king’s permission to kill all the Jews! Here, give her the decree and explain. (hands Hatach piece of paper) Please beg her to go to the king and plead for her people’s life!

 

(Hatach walks back, bows and gives paper to Esther)

 

Hatach: My queen, he says that Lord Haman has the king’s permission to kill all the Jews. This is the decree.

 

Esther: (reads it, horrified) Oh, this is terrible! What can I do to save my people? (acts distressed somehow)

 

Hatach: Mordechai said to beg you to go to the king and plead for their lives.

 

Esther: All the kings officials and even the peasants in the outside provinces know that anyone who comes before the king unsummoned is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. The king hasn’t even seen me in thirty days!

 

(Hatach bows and walks back over to Mordechai)

 

Hatach: The queen says that if she goes before the king, she’ll die… and he hasn’t even seen her in thirty days.

 

Mordechai: (stands and looks determined) You tell her . . . that she’s on a mission from God. (whispers to Hatach for a few seconds)

 

(Hatach goes back)

 

Hatach: He said to tell you that you’re on a mission from God. And to not think for a moment that you’re safe in the palace. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?

 

Esther: *draws herself up and looks determined* Tell Mordechai to gather the Jews and fast for three days for me. I will go in to see the king. If I perish, I perish.

 

 

Scene: Palace. King’s room.

 

Narrator: Three days later.

 

King and Haman: (are together by his throne) (Haman showing King how to do Rubik’s Cube)

 

Esther: (walks in)

 

Haman: (looks up) Did you invite the queen?

 

(Esther looks scared)

 

King: No. But it’s fine. (grins and holds out scepter)

 

Esther: (deep breath) (touches end of scepter)

 

King: What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!

 

Esther: If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.

 

(King and Haman exchange a look)

 

King: Your request is granted, my queen.

 

Esther: (smiles and leaves)

 

 

Scene: Banquet. Esther, Haman and King sit at table.

 

King: Really, Esther. What is your request?

 

Esther: This is my request and deepest wish. (deep breath) If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.

 

Scene: Palace gates. Mordechai stands guarding. Zeresh waits for Haman nearby.

 

Haman: (walks out happily) (sees Mordechai and scowls)

 

Mordechai: (waves)

 

Haman: (grumbles angrily and goes to Zeresh) That Jew just won’t bow to me! It’s so annoying!

 

Zeresh: (soothingly) Now, Honey. Why don’t you go ask the king if you can makes a gallows to hang him? That would make you feel better.

 

Haman: That’s a great idea! I’ll ask the king if I can kill him sooner. (they exit)

 

 

Scene: Palace. King’s room. King lies in bed and scribe/narrator sits nearby.

 

Scribe: Let’s see . . . (flipping through notebook pages) Oh, this part is exciting. (reads) On this day, Mordechai the gatekeeper found out of a plot to murder the king. The queen alerted the king and the two conspirators were executed accordingly.

 

King: (sits up) Wait! Was Mordechai ever rewarded for that?

 

Scribe: (flips through pages) (shakes head) Nope.

 

(Evil laugh offstage)

 

King: Who’s out there?

 

Hatach: (pokes in) Haman, King Xerxes.

 

King: Oh, good. Send him in.

 

Hatach: (nods and ushers Haman in)

 

Haman: (bows) My king, I have come to ask . . .

 

King: Haman! Just the man I wanted to see. Now, what would you say should be done for the man that the king would like to honor?

 

Haman: (stands up straighter) (to audience) I wonder who that could be? (wiggles eyebrows)

(to king) If the king wishes to honor someone. Let one of the king’s officials see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s finest robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse which the king has ridden. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’

 

King: Excellent! Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordechai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace.

 

Haman: Wh-what . . .?

 

King: Leave out nothing you have suggested, either. Thanks for the help. I’m so glad I have you. (smiles and lies down)

 

Haman: (storms out, muttering)

 

 

Scene: Banquet. Queen and King sit, waiting for Haman.

 

(Haman enters, comes over to his seat and sits down)

 

King: How did the parade go?

 

Haman: (fake smile) Lovely, my lord.

 

King: Good, good. (to Esther) Now, my queen. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted!

 

Esther: If I have found favor with the king, I ask that my life and the lives of my people would be spared. For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us.

 

Haman: (looks startled)

 

King: (disbelieving) Who would do such a thing? Who would be so bold?

 

Esther: (points to Haman) This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.

 

King: (stands angrily and exits)

 

Haman: (bows) Oh, my queen! Please, spare me! Please!

 

King: (returns) Will he even attack the queen in my own house?

 

Hatach: (enters)

 

King: Take him away!

 

Hatach: My king, we have found a gallows in Haman’s yard, on which he intended to hang Mordechai.

 

King: Hang him on them! Mordechai will take his place beside me!

 

(servants take Haman away)

 

Scene: Palace. King’s room. Mordechai stands by the king.

 

Esther: (enters) My king?

 

King: Yes, Esther?

 

Esther: My people are still in danger. Can you rescind the order to kill them?

 

King: (sadly) It has my seal on it and can not be rescinded. I’m sorry.

 

Esther: Then why don’t you send out an order for the Jews to defend themselves?

 

King: That’s a good idea. (Mordechai nods in agreement) Here, (hands Esther signet ring) let it be done as you have spoken.

 

Esther: (smiles) Thank you. (exits)

 

(scene cleared)

 

Narrator: The Jews won a great victory over their enemies on the day that Haman planned for them to be killed, and there was much feasting and joy. And from then on, that day has become the feast of Purim, celebrated by God’s people everywhere.

 

---

 

 

There were a few improvs and/or slip ups, (Mordachai doing a taunting victory dance and Bigthan’s knife getting stuck in his belt) but it turned out great overall. Hey, not bad for first time screenwriting. 😛

And, I didn’t get as many as I would have liked, but I have pictures from my photo booth at the Purim carnival.

James was Calvin and Hobbes. It fits. Trust me.

 

John and Peter as The Blues Brothers. (Can’t recommend the movie, but these two really nailed the costume. They won the costume contest.)

 

Isaiah as Mr. Nilson the monkey with a mustache. ❤

 

Peter is most certainly trouble… XD

 

That’s a party crasher if I ever saw one. A chicken with pigtails, sunglasses and a weird smile… wait… that’s John.

Hope you enjoyed the Purim report! 😀

Please comment!

~writefury