Offero (Christopher) is the strongest man in the village and he wants to serve The King of Kings. He meets an old hermit who shows him that serving Jesus is to serve others. Using his strength to serve others Offero carries people across a dangerous river. A stranger he carries turns out to be Jesus, the King Offero longs to serve. Offero is given a new name "Christopher" - the one who carries Christ.
Perfect for young actors to perform.
Characters:
Offero / Christopher, Hermit, Child Jesus Christ, Old Beggar Lady, Evil King (Can double roles with Villager 2), Fruit Seller (Can double roles with Guard 2), Butcher, Villager 1 (Can double roles with Guard 1), Villager 2, Villager 3, Villager 4, Guard 1, Guard 2.
Length: 20 Minutes
Cast: 13 actors (The characters are all interchangeable between male and female actors).
Price: $15 (Buy once, download, and then print as many copies as you need for your actors).
Hermit: (Enters and talks to audience) Welcome to our play. Our play is about a man named Offero and it begins in the village market place
Scene One - The Village
Villagers enter the market. Fruit Seller and Butcher enter with baskets of food and start calling out:
Butcher: Meat, lovely fresh meat!
Fruit Seller: Fruit, lovely fresh fruit!
Villagers enter and begin bargaining with the Butcher and Fruit Seller. Enter Offero.
Villager 1: Hey it's Offero!
Villager 2: Hey, the Giant is here!
Villager 3: Wrestled any bears today, Offero?
Villager 4: How about a lion?
All laugh including Offero.
Offero: (To Fruit Seller) I want an apple. How much for an apple?
Fruit Seller: One coin... or free - if you can beat me in an arm wrestle!
Offero: Sounds fair to me.
Villager 1: Bring in a table.
Villagers 3 and 4 bring a table onstage. Everyone crowds around it and Offero and the Fruit Seller get ready to arm wrestle.
All: One! Two! Three! Go!
Offero easily beats the Fruit Seller. Everyone cheers and slaps Offero on the back.
Fruit Seller: That was lucky! One more try!
Offero: (Laughing) Lucky? We'll see about that!
All: One! Two! Three! Go!
Offero easily beats the Fruit Seller. Everyone cheers and slaps Offero on the back.
Fruit Seller: Another lucky one! Try again!
Offero: Again? All right then.
All: One! Two! Three! Go!
Offero easily beats the Fruit Seller. Everyone cheers and slaps Offero on the back.
Fruit Seller: One last try! I know I can beat you.
Offero: (Laughing) Maybe you can, come on then!
All: One! Two! Three! Go!
Offero easily beats the Fruit Seller. Everyone cheers and slaps Offero on the back.
Fruit Seller: Well done, Offero. Here's your apple. I can't beat you.
Villager 3: You didn't beat him last week why did you think you could beat him this week?
Villager 4: What do you mean last week? He tries this every week and every week he loses!
All laugh.
Villager 1: (Slapping Fruit Seller on the back) But he always does his best!
Offero: And I always get an apple!
All laugh.
Offero: (Noticing the old beggar women) This is for you.
Beggar Woman: Thank you, Offero.
Villager 2: Offero. The King is looking for a new executioner. With your power you could be the best. Why don't you see about it? Serving the king has good rewards.
Offero: Executioner? I want to serve the king but not that king. No, I want to serve my King... Jesus.
Villager 3: You might be the strongest man in the village but you don't sound like the smartest!
All laugh.
Old Beggar: Don't listen to them, Offero. If you want to serve Jesus you should talk to the Hermit. He'll know what to do.
Offero nods and exits. Others pack up and leave, talking between each other as they do.
Scene Two - Near the River.
Hermit: (Hermit enters and speaks to audience) That's right. I would know what to do. Some people say I am the wisest person in these parts... maybe that's true, maybe it's not. But I did have some advice for Offero.
The Hermit begins picking berries from bushes. The Villagers enter and cross the stage to the "waters edge".
Villager 1: The bridge is washed out again! We'll never get across.
Villager 2: Every time the king builds a bridge here, the floods come and it gets washed out.
Villager 3: The river is too strong. No bridge can stand its force.
Villager 4: The floods come and wash it away.
Old Beggar: The king won't build another bridge. He said if this one washed away he wouldn't spend any more money on this river!
All groan and walk back across stage complaining. The Hermit has listened to their conversation and watches them leave. He continues picking berries. Offero enters.
Offero: Hermit! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you.
Hermit: Really? Well here I am. What can I do for you?
Offero: I want to serve the King. Can you tell me how?
Hermit: I hear the king is looking for an executioner. There's a job for a big fellow like you.
Offero: I don't mean that king, I mean the King of Kings... and I'm not interested in being an executioner.
Hermit: A good answer. Tell me, what is your name?
Offero: My name is Offero.
Hermit: Well, Offero. You are right to want to serve the King of Kings. Do you know his name?
Offero: Of course, "Jesus".
Hermit: Good.
Offero: Tell me how to serve him.
Hermit: Well, he would have you serve him by serving others.
Offero: How can I do that?
Hermit: The river has destroyed the bridge, and the king will not repair it. No one can cross the river... perhaps you can help.
Offero: And this is serving Jesus?
Hermit: Serving Jesus is serving others.
... the script continues.
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