Editor's Note:

The following two scripts were originally posted by LD Mackenzie, one of our most creative script writing volunteers. Her informal kid-friendly language is always welcome, and often quite funny. You'll especially note that in the following script for OLDER children.

Presentation notes:

These could be use with puppets, or live actors in a variety of ways.  For example, kids could say and act the lines, OR, one kid could say a line while the other has "improv" act it out in real time. After doing this, switch roles, as the kids will learn from each other and get better at presenting the story.

LD's use of the term "tableau" in these scripts probably refers to a concept of actors "freeze framing" the scene on cue as the story is read.

Ruth Rotation

Background Notes

Reversal of fortunes.
The story begins when three women are left unsupported and somewhat outcast after the deaths of their husbands. Their fortunes turn when they make use of Israelite legal codes and traditions that 1. allow foreigners, widows and the poor to gather or glean grain during the harvest season (see book intro in NRSV); and 2. require a widow's next of kin to marry and provide for her (see intro to this story in Lois Wilson's Miriam, Mary & Me. )

Not from around here.
It's significant that while Naomi the matriarch has Jewish roots, Ruth does not. Ruth is quite distinctly from someplace else. Lois Wilson, in the book cited above (which can be found in the St. John's Resource Centre), sets the story up this way: "Most commentators believe that this artistic tale was written in the fourth century BCE as a protest against the prevailing hostility to the Moabites… The book of Ruth advocates an attitude of tolerance toward people of other nations."

Where's Moab?
Check a map. Or two. There's an old-fashioned one at https://www.blueletterbible.or...y/south_palestine1_b .

Here's another good little map: https://biblearchaeologyreport...-modern-maps-jordan/

Harvest theme.
Ruth and Naomi's fortunes turn in the barley fields. Ruth, the destitute foreigner, goes on to become the grandmother of a remarkable family.

Great poetry.
Poets have always been drawn to Ruth. John Keats's famous 'Ode to a Nightingale' features Ruth in verse 7. He makes liberal poetic use of the harvest imagery from this grand story. Look up this poem at: http://www.bartleby.com/126/40.html .

Questions For Discussion:

1. What kinds of fears, worries or concerns do you think were running through Ruth’s mind when she had to choose whether to follow Naomi into a foreign country or to go home?

2. What about Boaz. Do you think he had any fears or concerns about marrying an ‘outsider?’ Do his and Ruth’s actions say something about how they or their culture respected the elderly?

3. What about Orpah. What fears or concerns would she have about returning to her ‘mother’s house’? Can you think of a parallel situation in today’s world? [maybe Afghan women returning or staying home to try to educate the current generation of girls.]

4.  Let's make a list of all the fears that people YOUR AGE might have today.  Parents?  What message does the story of Ruth and Naomi GIVE THESE PEOPLE and their problems?

Preschool Script

Wherever you go, I will go
(The story of Ruth)
adapted from the Good News Bible © LDMcKenzie

CAST: Narrator, Naomi, Orpah, Ruth, harvesters, Boaz, townsfolk, Obed

ACT 1
Narrator:
Long ago in a far off land called Moab, there were three women. Their names were Naomi, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi was older. Orpah and Ruth were younger. Their husbands had died and they were very sad and didn’t know what to do.
Naomi decided to go back to Israel, the country she originally came from. Orpah and Ruth thought maybe they should go with her. (Naomi was pretty old after all. Maybe she could use their help.)

The three women began the long trip together.
But then Naomi thought it would be better for the girls to go back home. They were all very sad about the thought of leaving each other. But Orpah agreed, and returned home.

However Ruth said:
No way. I want to stay.
Where you go, I’ll go.
Where you live, I’ll live.
Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Narrator:
So the two women continued the journey together. Finally they came to Bethlehem. They arrived at harvest time, which was the time for bringing in crops from the fields.

ACT 2
[insert tableau here of several people harvesting, with Ruth following behind]

Narrator:
Ruth had an idea. She thought it might be good to gather grain in the barley field.
She just happened to end up working in a field belonging to a rich man called Boaz. He was in fact a relative of Naomi’s husband. Boaz noticed a new girl gathering grain.
Boaz had heard about how good and kind Ruth was to Naomi. So he made sure Ruth found lots of extra grain to gather.
[Then Ruth picks up heavy bundle (use blanket) and heads home. Plunks sack/bundle down on floor.]

Naomi was amazed at the HUMUNGUS amount of grain Ruth brought home. This gave Naomi a good feeling. Everything was going to be all right.

ACT 3
Narrator:
As time went on, Boaz became awfully fond of Ruth. He told he thought they should get married. Ruth was very happy.
So Ruth got married to Boaz. And then they had a baby. They called him Obed.
[go to scene of the happy couple with Naomi showing off their new baby to some townsfolk]

This was an incredibly happy ending for Ruth and Naomi. Naomi of course became a gramma and gave Obed too many presents.

Obed grew up to be a fine young man anyway. And in time he became the grandfather of a king David.

Script For Bigger Kids

"Wherever you go, I will go"
(The story of Ruth)

adapted from the Good News Bible © LDMcKenzie

CAST:
Narrator, Naomi, Elimelech, Mahlon, Chilion, Orpah, Ruth, harvesters, Boaz, Foreman, townsfolk

ACT 1

Narrator:
Long ago in Israel, there was a famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech from Bethlehem went with his wife Naomi and their 2 sons to live for a while in the country of Moab.
While they were there, Elimelech died. This left Naomi alone with her sons and their wives from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later, Naomi’s sons died too.
Then Naomi heard good news.

Naomi:
Girls, I hear things are growing like sixty in Judah. Maybe we should head back.

Orpah:
Okay.

Ruth:
Okay.
[the women start walking]

Naomi:
Hang on. You two really should go back home. That’s where you belong.

Orpah & Ruth [with lots of crying, hankies, etc]:
No. We won’t go. We want to stay with you.

Naomi:
No. Seriously. You don’t belong with an old woman like me. I love you both dearly. But coming to my country with me is a very bad idea for you.

Orpah [still sniffling]:
Okay. Maybe you’re right. My mom might need me. Good-bye. Make sure you write. Or send an email...

Naomi to Ruth:
What’s your problem. You should go home too.

Ruth:
Uh-uh.

Noami:
I mean it.

Ruth:
Too bad.

Naomi:
Seriously. I want you to turn around and go back.

Ruth:
That is just too bad because wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.

Naomi:
You’re a hard case.

Ruth:
You got that right.

Naomi:
Fine then. Let’s go.

[the pair walk a minute without saying anything]

Naomi:
Well here it is. Bethlehem. And it looks like we’re just in time for barley season.

ACT 2

Ruth:
What about this idea. Why don’t I try to gather some grain behind the harvest workers.

Naomi:
Okay. Give it a whirl, girl!

[insert tableau here of several people harvesting with Ruth following behind and picking up leavings]

Narrator:
So Ruth went out to the barley fields to pick leftover grain. She happened to end up in a field belonging to Boaz. He was a wealthy man and a relative of Naomi’s husband. The boss noticed Ruth.

Boaz to Foreman:
Who is that young woman?

Foreman:
She’s the foreigner who came back from Moab with Naomi.

Boaz to Naomi:
Excuse me. Okay, listen carefully. Gather your grain only in this field. Not anywhere else. The men and women here will look after you.

Ruth:
That’s awfully nice of you. Why?

Boaz:
Because you’ve been so good to Naomi since her husband died. I’ve heard the whole thing. I hope God showers you with many blessings.

Ruth:
Aww shucks. That’s so sweet. [she goes on working]

Boaz to Foreman:
Look out for her, will ya? Leave a few extra barley tops lying around for her to find...

[Ruth picks up heavy bundle (use blanket) and heads home. Plunks sack/bundle down on floor.]

Naomi:
Oh my goodness. Where did you get all this?

Ruth:
From this guy, Boaz. He was really nice to me.

Naomi:
This is incredible. He is a relative of ours. Stick with him, and we’ll be all right.

ACT 3

Narrator:
As the harvest season marches on, Boaz and Ruth have an interesting conversation at the threshing place.

Boaz:
You know, Ruth, you’re an awfully special gal, looking after Naomi the way you do. Know what, I think we should get married. But first I’d like to have best wishes of some of the older wiser people in town. Just let me check that out with them.

Ruth:
Oh wow. That would be really nice.

[insert tableau of Boaz meeting with/sitting in circle with townsfolk (harvesters from before). They shake hands as if agreeing on something.]

Narrator [over tableau of happy couple with Naomi showing off their new baby to same townsfolk]:
So Boaz took Ruth home as his bride. Later on they had a baby, a little boy.

Folk 1:
He looks just like his father.

Folk 2:
Naomi, you are so lucky. Who would have thought you’d be such a happy grandmother after all you’ve been through.

Naomi:
It’s so true.

Folk 3:
Of course, you’ll name him Obed.

Ruth:
Why not?! Obed. I like it. It has a nice ring to it.

Narrator:
Obed went on to become the father of Jesse, who was the father of an uncommon shepherd that became king, called David.

Here is a video presentation of the Story of Ruth told with a special "storytelling bag".

Sold by Salt and Light Ministries at https://www.saltandlightmin.or...less_Story_Bags.html

IDEA:
Perhaps the bag could also be MADE by the students, so that each student could learn to tell a shortened form of the story using their own bag.

Luanne adds:  Here is a pattern for making a 'Story Bag' I found at The Agape Puppets" website. 

http://www.theagapepuppets.org...Make-a-Story-Bag.pdf

and the page the link is on...

http://www.theagapepuppets.org...esources/story-bags/

See the discussion between members about how to make a 'Story Bag', how kids can make them in class.

Ruth: Drama Play for 7 to 11-year-olds

I teach ages 7 to 11 and have a fairly small class so we often double up on parts.  I've listed (below) who can "double up" in order to keep people involved in the story for the maximum amount of time. There are other parts who can double up (not listed); we did this with just 3 kids and 2 leaders the week I ran it as most of the class were absent (Typical!)...

Characters:

Narrator
Boaz (and traveler)
Ruth
Elimelech  (and  Wheat Sheaf Collector 1)
Mahlon (and Closest Kinsman Redeemer)
Chilion (and Townsperson 1)
Orpah (and Wheat Sheaf Collector 2)
Naomi

RUTH – THE PLAY

Narrator:  A long time ago in a country far far away….

EVERYONE SING STARWARS MUSIC

Narrator:          No, no, no – it’s not that kind of story.  This one is a REAL story.  But there are deaths, there are good guys and, well, OK, there’s no bad Darth Vader style characters, but it’s still a good story and it happened a Long Time Ago in a country far far away… 
There was once a small family.

ENTER ELIMELECH, NAOMI, MAHLON, CHILION

Mahlon:          I’m hungry

Chilion:          Me too.  Muuuum.  When’s dinner?

Mahlon:          Muuummm… what’s for tea?

Naomi:          Nothing boys.  Same as yesterday.

Mahlon:          But we had nothing yesterday.

Chillion:          And the day before yesterday.

Elimelech:          And there’ll be nothing today either.  This is what famine is like boys.  No food.  Nothing to eat for days on end.

Naomi:          We can’t live like this.

Elimelech:          No.  That’s why people around here are dying Naomi.  You can’t live on no food.

Naomi:          Can’t we do something about it?

Elimelech:          We could move.  There’s no famine in Moab.

Naomi:          Er… didn’t God want us to stay in Israel?

Elimelech:          Yes.  But there’s no food.  Let’s move. 

Mahlon:          If there’s food in Moab – I say – let’s go to Moab.

Chilion:          Me too.

Narrator:          So they moved.  And they stayed.  And the boys got married to two local girls.  Orpah and Ruth.

ENTER RUTH AND ORPAH.

Narrator:          Aw… isn’t a double wedding lovely?

EVERYONE SING WEDDING MUSIC

Narrator:          You may now kiss the bride

Mahlon & Chilion:           Yuk.  I don’t think so.  Not with everyone watching us.

Narrator:          OK.  Well, I guess this is only a story.  Anyway, you won’t have to stay married for long.

Mahlon & Chilion:          Oh?

Narrator:          No.  You die.

MAHLON AND CHILLION BOTH DIE NOISILY

Elimelech:          Oh dear.  That’s not so good.

Narrator:          Elimelech?  What are you still doing here?  You died too.  First. 

Elimelech:          You never said.

Narrator:          I am now.  Queue death scene.

ELIMELECH DIES NOISILY

Narrator:          There – that’s better.

Naomi:          (SOBBING) I’ve lost both my boys and my husband (SOB SOB) how is that better?

Narrator:          Oh – not for you obviously… just better for the story.  We’re back on track.

Orpah and Ruth:          (sob sob sob) What will we do?  What will we do?  We’ve lost our husbands. 

Naomi:          And I’ve lost my husband. There’s nothing I can do for you. I can’t give you a new one. He’d be a bit young for you even if I did manage to get pregnant today—which is unlikely given I have no husband. Oh, woe is me, I am such an unlucky, unlucky woman.

Orpah and Ruth:          Me too; us too.

Naomi:          Oh! Is that a traveler from home I see?

TRAVELER ARRIVES

Traveler:          Hello Naomi, Hello Ruth, Hello Orpah. Where are your husbands?

Naomi, Ruth Orpah:          Dead. All dead.

Traveler:          Oh.  That’s er… awkward.  Still, erm… nice to see you.  Things are better back home now. Plenty of food and all that. Well, I guess I’ll best be seeing you…

TRAVELER LEAVES

Naomi:          Oh how I miss my old country. All my old friends. All my family. People that speak my language and worship my god.  (sob, sob)

Narrator:          Say, Naomi?

Naomi:          Uh huh.

Narrator:          Why don’t you go home then?

Naomi:          Good idea. Girls! I’m going home. Well, home to my country. You both belong here.  I’m sure your family will sort you out some new husbands if you go home. Bon voyage. Bye!

NAOMI STARTS WALKING BUT RUTH AND ORPAH FOLLOW.

Naomi:          Why are you following me? Go home. Both of you, shoo.

Orpah:          But we love you. We want to be with you.

Ruth:          We can’t leave you alone.

Naomi:          Nonsense.  Orpah—you’ve always been the sensible one. Take Ruth and go back to your families. Things will be better for you here. You’re strangers to Israel. No one likes the Moabites; they attacked us, they tried to curse us—there was even a talking donkey involved in that story… Everyone HATES Moabites. You’ll not get a husband there. They’ll not want anything to do with you.

Orpah:          No. We still want to come with you.

Naomi:          Didn’t you hear me? No one will want anything to do with you. Your only hope of marrying is if I have another baby—and trust me—that isn’t going to happen. See sense Orpah.  GO HOME.

Orpah:          OK. What you say makes sense I suppose. 

ORPAH LEAVES.

Naomi:          Now you.  Ruth—shooo!

Ruth:          No.  I’m staying with you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, whether they like me or not. And your God will be my God.

Naomi:          OK then… I can see there’s no reasoning with you—you'd better come with me.

Narrator:          So they went back to Israel. Now… to cut a long story short—Ruth met a man.

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        Hey!  Hang on a minute!

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        You can’t just skip us like that!

Narrator:          No?

Wheatsheaf Collector 1 and 2   NO! We’ve got union rights. Contracts. We’ve been promised a part in this drama.

Narrator:          OK then… in this long, long story, it came to pass one day that Ruth was out in the fields in Israel gleaning behind the harvesters.

RUTH AND WHEATSHEAF COLLECTORS 1 and 2, WORK COLLECTING WHEAT

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        Who’s that girl?

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        The Moabite woman?

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        Yes—the foreigner.

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        She’s Naomi’s daughter-in-law. 

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:         Oh. Unlucky. Best keep away. Bad luck could be catching.

BOAZ ARRIVES

Boaz:          Who’s that woman?

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:       Which woman?

Boaz:          The foreigner collecting behind you. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed her.

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        What us? We’re busy, boss. Collecting all this wheat. No time to gossip or notice the people behind us.

Boaz:          OK, I get it, you’re busy busy busy. But WHO is she?

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        Ruth.

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        The unlucky Moabite daughter in law of Naomi. Touch her and you die.

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        Stop exaggerating. She must be bad luck though. Three men dead. All in the same family. Spooky.

Boaz:          Well, leave her alone. In fact, make sure she gets enough food when she’s gleaning.  Pull out a few extra stalks and purposefully leave them behind for her. I’ve heard she’s taking care of Naomi, and Naomi is a distant family member of mine. Keep her safe too—no one is to do anything to her; not throw rocks, not call names, not harm her in any way.

Wheatsheaf Collector 1:        As if we would! 

Wheatsheaf Collector 2:        OK boss.

Narrator:          Anyway—to cut a long story short—Boaz and Ruth get together.

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:  (COUGHING)     Erm… you can’t go missing me out like that. I have rights too you know and a contract that says…

Narrator:          OK. OK. No fast-forwarding. Except for this bit.  Ruth, Boaz, Naomi—no chatting —just act out what I say…

          So… late one night Naomi tells Ruth…

NAOMI MIMES WHISPERING IN RUTH’S EAR

…to get dressed all smart and run down to the threshing floor and do something weird with a blanket.

NAOMI WAVES OFF RUTH AND LEAVES.  RUTH SITS AT THE EDGE OF THE STAGE WATCHING BOAZ WORK THRESHING WHEAT.

 So she does.  She waits until Boaz finishes working threshing wheat and goes to sleep under a blanket …

BOAZ ACTS OUT WORKING, FEELING SLEEPY, AND LYING DOWN TO SLEEP UNDER A BLANKET

…  and then Ruth comes in, lifts up the blanket by his feet and goes to sleep next to them with the blanket over her. 

RUTH DOES THAT

Weird or what.  Anyway—the next day Boaz sets this plan in motion… Right—clear off the stage you pair.  Work to do… chop chop.

RUTH AND BOAZ LEAVE THE STAGE.

Narrator:          So…where was I?

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:       You were about to skip my part.

Narrator:          Yes. That was it. OK. Well, Boaz goes to meet the town elders at the city gates—as this is where this sort of stuff is talked about. Well, go on then, you and all the other out-of-work actors—on stage, pretend to be elders at the city gate. Old men, chatting.  Might as well get our money’s worth out of you.

EVERYONE EXCEPT BOAZ ON STAGE SITTING IN A CIRCLE

Narrator:          And then Boaz walks up.

Boaz:          My close relative Naomi wants to sell her fields. I’d like to buy them if I may.

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:      Oi! I’m the next of kin. Surely I should get first dibs on the land.  That land is rightfully mine!

Boaz:          OK. Well, just so you know, the land comes with her daughter-in-law Ruth.

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:      It what?

Boaz:          She won’t sell the land unless the buyer also takes Ruth as a wife.

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:      She can do that?

Townsperson 1:           Yes. It’s in the law God laid out. The next of kin is supposed to marry the widow to ensure the family line is maintained.

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:      Me? Marry Ruth? Oh!  My wives are never going to go for that.  Trust me. Nor will my sons. A foreigner? With access to our land and profits when I die? No no no that will never do.

Boaz:          So I can redeem it?

Closest Kinsman Redeemer:      More fool you—but yes you can. I’ll even take off my sandal to prove it.

HE REMOVES HIS SHOE/SANDAL

Narrator:          And that’s was how it was done. It’s not quite what you expect from a romance story—but one sandal down, and bob’s your uncle, Ruth is remarried.

WEDDING MUSIC

BOAZ AND RUTH TOGETHER

Narrator:          I guess you may now kiss the bride

BOAZ AND RUTH PULL A FACE

Narrator:          I guess not. But you’ll never guess who you both raise?

Ruth:          No.

Narrator:          Only Obed.

Boaz:          OBED?  What sort of a name is that? I would never name a child THAT!

Naomi:          No – but I do.

Boaz:          Figures.

Narrator:          And Obed is the father of Jesse, and Jesse is the father of David… which makes Ruth’s story quite important as she’s also the great great great great great… well a lot of greats anyway, great-grandmother of Joseph who was the father of Jesus.

THE END