Joseph's New Duds
Script for Drama Workshop, Coat of Many Colours Rotation, adapted from the New Standard Revised Version © 2004, LD McKenzie
CAST: narrator, Joseph, lots of brothers, Jacob, man in field, Reuben, caravan of Midianite traders.
Narrator: Once there was a man named Jacob (although he developed a limp in later life, and some folks now called him Israel).
He had many sons. One of the youngest was Joseph. He was 17 and shepherded the flock with his brothers. But he was particularly special to his dad.
Jacob: Joseph. Come over here. I have something special for you.
Jos: Who me?
Jacob: Yeah, you. Check this out. Ever seen anything like it? [Holds up incredible coat for Jos to see.]
Jos.: Oh my gosh. Dad. That is incredible. You shouldn't have.
Jake: It was nothing.
Jos: No really. You shouldn’t have. None of the other shepherds will be wearing one. It's so long, and those sleeves. It’ll be really hard to keep up with the sheep in that thing. And those wild colours. It'll be the dickens to keep clean. I don't know. It's just not done.
Jake: I insist. You're just special is all. One of the last of my babies. Really, you must.
Jos: Oh, all right.
Narr: So Joseph started parading around the house in his fancy-schmancy coat. It really was too much. His brothers thought he looked like a clown. To tell the truth, Joseph did too. Then to make matters worse, Joseph started having these dreams. And telling everybody all about them. The family was not impressed.
Jos: Ahem. Attention. Attention. Gather round. I have a dream to tell everyone about.
Brothers: Oh, for Pete's sake. Do we really have to listen to this?
Jos: Yes. Listen to this dream I dreamed. There we were, binding sheaves of wheat in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood straight up. Then your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to it. Isn't that wild?
One of brothers: I'm really starting to hate this guy...
Jos[on soapbox again, in another corner of room]: Ahem. Attention. Attention. Gather round. I have another dream to relate.
Brothers: For crying out loud. Not again.
Jos: Yes. I have had another dream. This time the sun, the moon and the eleven stars were bowing down to me.
Jake: Uh, Joseph. Don't you think you're getting a little carried away?
Jos: Da-ad. What can I do? That's really how the dream went.
Narr: Some time after this, Jacob sent Joseph out to do some more shepherding with his brothers. Joseph likely had his head in the clouds, and he got lost. Luckily a stranger set him straight.
Stranger: Hulloo there. What are you looking for?
Jos: My brothers. They're probably with a bunch of sheep.
Stranger: Now that you mention it, I did see that motley crew. They went thataway.
Jos: Thanks!
Narr: Since Joseph was wearing his gaudy coat which was definitely not suitable for shepherding, his brothers saw him coming a mile away.
Bros: Let's throw him in this here pit.
Reuben: Good idea. Just don't hurt him.
Narr: So when Joseph caught up to his brothers, they took his coat away and stuck him down in one of the nearby pits meant for collecting rainwater. And Joseph couldn't get out.
Bros. [watching caravan of passing traders on their way to Egypt] Hey. You thinking what I'm thinking. Right on. Let's sell him! Hey. Guys. Wanna buy a new slave? Cheap!
Traders: Sure. Where is he?
Bros: Down in this pit.
Traders [looking down then reaching in to get Joseph]: Up you get, buddy. You're coming with us. Here's the cash, fellas. [tossing some coins]
Bros: Thanks. Bon voyage!
Narr: In a rocket science revelation, Joseph's brothers were suddenly struck by the realization that perhaps their dad would be mad at them for selling their brother into slavery. So they devised this clever plan.
Reuben: Listen up guys. I have a plan. We've got Joseph's annoying coat here. Let's rub some of this here goat's blood on it. Then we'll tell dad that a wild animal got Joseph, yeah, that's it, yeah.
Other brother: All right.. that's a good plan.. go for it.. we hear ya...
Reuben [sniffing an onion to get some tears going] Dad! Oh boo hoo. Dad! You won’t believe what has happened...
Jacob: Oh my poor son. This is so terrible...
Narr: Meanwhile when they got to Egypt, the Midianite traders sold Joseph to one of Pharaoh's high officers — the captain of the guard...what happened next is a whole other story!
THE END
