A Palm Sunday Pageant
by Carolyn Marengere
Allen Park Presbyterian Church
Allen Park, MI
This play was “performed” during worship.
We had children from age 2 through 5th grade participate. The younger children and those who didn’t have a speaking part were part of the crowd. The speaking parts were done by those in K-5th. We did video tape the Zacchaeus section and projected it at the appropriate time in the script (if video taping is not possible, the scene could take place off to one side).
We rehearsed the play for several weeks during our regular class time. See below for a list of specific topics of the story that were taught each week before we rehearsed.*
“Dateline: Palm Sunday 2011”
Characters: Jesus (modern day)
TV Reporters (3)
Zacchaeus - possibly seen or heard “via satellite"
Andrew
“Donkey” owner
Pharisee(s)
People in the crowd -plus a few to “interview"
Props needed: bike (with donkey ears/tail), hand held microphone (real), hoodies/jackets, #1 Fan Fingers, pom-poms, palm branches, stole for Pharisee to wear. All children wear regular school/church clothes.
Setting: Jerusalem 2011
Reporter 1 (Sanderson): (to the congregation) “Good Morning, I’m Sanderson Cooper, live from Jerusalem. We have reports that Jesus of Nazareth is in the area and may be coming into town today. We’re looking for people to speak with about this visit.”
motioning to Andrew
“You, sir, are you familiar with this man from Nazareth?”
Andrew: “Yes, he should be here shortly.”
Reporter 1: “Is he really who people say he is, the Messiah?”
Andrew: “I really cannot say.”
Reporter 1: “Some say that he is going to deliver his people from the Romans. Do you think he will be driving in a Hummer?”
Andrew: “Well, a few minutes ago he told me and a friend to go find him something he could ride. He told us to go ahead of him and we would find a donkey bike that would be tied to a tree.”
Reporter 1: “Really? What happened then?”
Andrew: We went down the road and we found a donkey bike. The owner of it asked why we were untying it and we told him exactly what Jesus told us to say.”
Reporter 1: “What was that?”
Andrew: “That the Lord was in need of it.”
Reporter 1: “Really? Where is this person? I’d like to speak with her.”
Andrew: “She’s right over there.” pointing to the donkey bike owner Reporter crosses to the bike owner
Reporter 1: “You ma’am, did someone just untie your donkey bike?”
Bike Owner: “Yes. At first I thought it was strange. But when I asked the guys why they were taking my donkey bike, they said, ‘The Lord needs it’.
Reporter 1: “Was it difficult to give to the Lord? I know sometimes it’s difficult for me to give up things I want to keep to myself. Was it hard for you?”
Bike Owner: “Well, it is my favorite donkey bike. I got it for my birthday.”
Reporter 1: “Then why did you give it to Him?”
Bike Owner: “It wasn’t easy, but I know that everything I have is a gift from God. I am glad that I was able to help Him in some small way.”
Reporter 1: holding his ear, listening through his ear piece
“Ok, sorry. It looks like we have a report coming in via satellite from nearby Jericho by Katie Zueric.”
Some people in the Crowd enter at the back and slowly make their way down the center aisle while the Zacchaeus interview is played.
Reporter 2 (Katie): “Mr. Zacchaeus, I understand you had an interaction with this man from Nazareth. What can you tell me about him?”
Zacchaeus: “Well, I heard he was coming into Jericho a couple of days ago and I wanted to go see him. But I’m just a little guy, so I couldn’t see over the crowd of people that had gathered.
Reporter 2: “So what did you do!?”
Zacchaeus: “I climbed up a tree so I could see Him. And then the strangest thing happened.”
Reporter 2: “What was that?”
Zacchaeus: “He saw me up in the tree and He said ‘Zacchaeus, come down out of that tree; I want to come to our house for lunch’. I couldn’t believe it! I couldn’t believe He would want to even see me, let alone go to my house for lunch.”
Reporter 2: “Then what happened?”
Zacchaeus: “Well, a lot of people starting saying things like, ‘Can you believe Jesus is going to his house? He’s a tax collector…we can’t believe Jesus would want to hang out with a cheating tax collector.’”
Reporter 2: “What happened next?”
Zacchaeus: “Well, I told Jesus I would give half of my possessions to the poor and that if I had cheated anyone, that I would pay them back 4 times as much money.”
Reporter 2: “What did Jesus say?”
Zacchaeus: “He said that He had come to seek out and to save the lost.”
Reporter 2: “Well, that’s all we have from Jericho. Now over to Wolf Blizzard, reporting live from Jerusalem.”
Reporter 3 (Wolf): “Thanks Katie. Back here in Jerusalem, we have Breaking News, as we have begun to see people from the crowd take off their hoodies and cloaks and lay them down on the road in front of Jesus!”
Some take off their hoodies or jackets and put them on the floor of the center aisle.
Crowd comes in with palm branches, pom-poms and “#1 Fan foam fingers”. They start to chant Hosanna! (at a low volume at first)
Reporter 3 crosses over to begin to interview people in the crowd.
Reporter 3: “You ma’am. Why are you here today?”
Crowd person 1: “I’ve come to see Jesus! He is going to save us!”
Reporter 3 moves to another person (and so on)
Reporter 3: “And how about you Ma’am. Why did you come here today?”
Crowd person 2: “I have been following this Jesus. He is a wonderful man, full of compassion for all, even the lost and outcast.”
Reporter 3: “You sir. Why you are here today?”
Crowd Person 3: “I have seen this man Jesus perform miracles. He is a holy man. I am filled with hope that he will save us all!”
The crowd continues to say/shout Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! (getting louder and louder as the interviews take place).
Reporter 3: “The crowd is getting larger and louder as we speak.”
Jesus enters, riding on the “donkey” bike.
The Pharisee(s) arrive, or come out of the crowd, and move toward Jesus.
Pharisees: “Teacher, tell your disciples to stop all this racket!
Jesus: “If these were silent, (motioning to the crowd), even the stones would shout out.”
Jesus continues on, finally kneeling on the chancel floor, says line looking prayerfully upward.
Jesus: “Oh Jerusalem, if you had only recognized on this day the things that made for peace!”
Jesus bows head, weeping.
Music (piano) begins to play. Entire cast sings “Hosanna! Blessed be the Rock!” from the chancel.
Play concept by Megan Cuthbert and Carolyn Marengere. Script written by Carolyn Marengere, adapted from the NRSV. (Mt 16:20, 21:1-11, Mk 11:1-10, Lk 19:1-10, 28-42, Jn 12: 12-19.
*Each week’s lesson was a different part of the story. The children also took home each week a reminder of a part of the story (crossword/word search puzzle, coloring page, etc)
Week 1: Overview of the story - we read the story from the Family Story Bible by Ralph Milton. Since the play is a modern day version of the story (as if Jesus were coming into your town today), we discussed how things would be different from the original account.
Week 2: The Donkey – We discussed that many people thought the Messiah would be a military leader and ride in on a horse. Why it was important for Jesus to come in a peaceful manner. How some people in the world are still waiting for the Messiah.
Week 3: Hosanna – The meaning and why the people were saying it and celebrating. The importance of the crowd to the Palm Sunday story. Why they would have put their cloaks on the ground and why they waved palms.
Week 4: Zacchaeus – Since we included his story in the play, we discussed it this week.
Week 5: Pharisees – Who they were, why they acted as they did.
