THE RIM
OF THE CHARIOT WHEEL
A Good Friday Play in Two
Acts by Jewell Ellen Smith
All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. Nonprofit
groups may perform this play without payment; but as Jewell's children like to
keep track of which plays are being performed, we ask that if you are planning
to perform this play, you e-mail Jewell's older son David at
DSmith1204@aol.com,
particularly if you have any questions or problems.
Return
to Jewell Ellen Smith Home Page
Theme: God is all things to all
men: A Spirit. A Lamb. The Bread of Life. Like the rim of a chariot wheel, God
has no beginning and no end. God is eternal.
Scripture basis: Acts 8:26-35; Genesis 22:1-14, Matthew 26:17-30.
Résumé of plot: "And
the angel of the Lord spake to Phillip, saying Arise, and go toward the south
unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza… And he arose and went:
and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace
queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come
to Jerusalem for to worship. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read
Esaias the prophet.... And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with
him.... Then Philip opened his mouth ... and preached unto him Jesus."
Time and Place: Jerusalem,
and a desert place in southwest Palestine, near Gaza. About 40 AD. Also, the Upper Room in
Jerusalem, at the Last Supper. And, the land of Moriah, upon one of the
mountains, where Abraham worshiped.
Summary:
Act I: In the Jerusalem home
of the Evangelist Philip, one evening at dusk.
Scene 1: As Philip prepares
to retire for the night, his four daughters prophesy that he will take a
journey toward the South.
Scene 2: Philip's bedroom,
the same evening. As Philip sleeps, the Voice of the Lord speaks to him. And
his daughters appear in his dream, singing.
Act II: The next morning,
after Philip's dream.
Scene 1: Philip's home in
Jerusalem. Philip arises and leaves quickly for his journey.
Scene 2: The roadside, north
of Gaza, where the Ethiopian Eunuch's chariot has sustained a broken wheel. The
Eunuch reads his newly acquired copy of Isaiah as he waits for his servants to
go to Gaza for a new wheel. Philip appears and explains the Scriptures to the
Eunuch-after the servants had tried entertain the Eunuch with singing and
dancing.
Sub-scene A: The Upper Room
in Jerusalem, where Jesus had the Last Supper with the 12 apostles. Pantomime,
while Philip continues explanation to Eunuch.
Sub-scene B: The Land of Moriah,
upon the mountain where Abraham prepared to offer up his son Isaac as a burnt
offering to God. (Angel appears, sings solo. Abraham and Isaac sing duet.)
Scene 3: The roadside,
adjacent to the Eunuch's chariot, a few minutes after Philip finished explaining
the Scriptures. The servants return with a new chariot wheel. Immediately
afterward all players converge near chariot for the Grand Finale.
Grand Finale: The Angel is
the central figure in the Grand Finale and sings the solo part of the final
song.
Characters
(in the order of their appearance):
Philip the Evangelist, a leader in the Church at
Jerusalem
Four daughters of Philip, "virgins, which did
prophesy."
The Voice from the Lord
Ethiopian Eunuch, Queen Candace's treasurer
The Eunuch's retinue of servants:
Number One Servant
Chariot Driver
Two Musicians, who also hold the Eunuch's canopy
Two Fanners
The Christ Figure
The Twelve Apostles:
Simon Peter
Matthew
James the son of Zebidee
Thomas
John the brother of James
James the son of Alphaeus
Andrew
Thaddeus the Canaanite
Philip
Judas the brother of James
Bartholomew
Judas Iscariot
Abraham
Abraham's two Servants
Isaac
The Angel of the Lord
Songs: One quartet, one solo, two duets, and the
climaxing hymn.
SCRIPT
ACT I, Scene 1
Philip the Evangelist sits
at his study table, reading a scroll by lamplight. His head is bare. He rises
and takes off his cloak in preparation for going to bed. He spreads a blanket
on his couch, sits down on the couch, and begins taking off his sandals. His
four daughters enter. The first carries a headdress; the second, a new cloak;
the third, a cake of bread and bowl of fruit; the fourth, a new staff.
1ST DAUGHTER:
Father, may we come in for a minute before you go to sleep?
PHILIP: Do! Do come in, my daughters!
And what have we here? Feels of new cloak. It looks as if you've been
busy with your needles.
2ND D.: It is a
new cloak for you, father Philip. One for you to wear on your journey.
1ST D.: quickly
And here's a new headdress for you to wear. It will be very hot on the desert.
And this white material will help keep away the dreadful heat of the noonday
sun.
PHILIP: perplexed
What journey? What desert place? What are you daughters talking about?
4TH D.: I thought
you would need a new staff for this journey.
PHILIP: I'm not planning to
go anyplace.
3RD D.: Yes,
father, we know that you are to travel--probably at dawn tomorrow. God has
revealed to us that you will take a journey for Him. Southward, down toward
Gaza. You'll need food, and there are no places along the way for lodging. So,
do take this with you. Sets food on the table
PHILIP: My dear daughters! I
scarcely know what so say! I'm aware that all four of you have the gift to
prophesy-it's a power given from God--but I think you must be mistaken! There's
no reason for me to go down south toward Gaza! Besides, I'm duty-bound to stay
in Jerusalem. I'm extremely busy with the Church. Many believers depend on me.
I'm a deacon, remember?
3RD D.: Oh yes,
Father, we know you've one of the seven chosen to see over the Church.
PHILIP: I just shouldn't
leave Jerusalem at this time. Why, I just came back yesterday from Samaria
where I preached the word of the Lord in village after village.
That's my work: telling the
Good News that Christ has risen! And baptizing in His name. I can't be going
off on a long journey to Gaza!
4TH D.: Perhaps
you will feel differently in the morning, Father. You must go to sleep now.
Rest well. Here, let us arrange your covers.
Fourth and First Daughters
tuck Philip into bed. Third daughter extinguishes lamp.
2ND D.: Come,
Sisters. Our father is weary.
Sisters leave room. Philip
goes to sleep.
Scene
2
Voice from the Lord enters
Philip's room. She stands at the foot of his bed and speaks to him.
VOICE
FROM THE LORD: Arise, Philip, thou servant of the most high God,
and "go south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza,"
walk along the desert road. Talk to a stranger of Jehovah, thy God.
Philip rises up momentarily, rubs his eyes, lies
back down, and goes back to sleep. The Voice is joined by the Four Daughters.
The five sing, then, fade away. Philip continues to sleep. A musical interlude
indicates passage of night.
Act
II
Scene 1 (same as above)
Philip awakens slowly, sits
up on side of bed, and talks to himself.
PHILIP: Surely that was God
appearing to me in a dream. Or, was it a dream? I did hear a voice. It seemed
so real. I saw my daughters clearly! But who am I to question the Lord? I must
leave immediately! Whether it was a voice or a dream or what, it was from God!
Philip hurriedly puts on his new clothing, packs the
bread and fruit in a knapsack, takes the new staff, and leaves.
Scene
2
On the roadside, not far
north of Gaza. The Ethiopian Eunuch's chariot is stopped. The Eunuch and his
retinue of servants stand, looking at and talking about the right wheel, which
has several broken spokes. Two servants are holding a canopy over the Eunuch.
Two others are fanning him with long palmetto-like fans. Number One Servant is
down on his knees, working with the wheel. The Eunuch is exasperated.
EUNUCH: This is too much!
Why do such things happen to me? Here we are in the middle of the desert, with
a broken down chariot! And no place to get it fixed! If Ethiopia ever gets
control of this strip of land, I'll persuade Queen Candace to set up some
chariot repair places along the way!
The Fanners redouble their
efforts.
#1
SERVANT: But,
my lord, perhaps we can mend the wheel. It's just broken spokes.
EUNUCH: Just broken spokes!
How many?
#1
SERVANT: counts
Two broken. One more loose. And I'm afraid there's one badly cracked.
EUNUCH: Oh, me! What to do?
What to do? (Paces back and forth.) Such things ought not to happen to me or
anybody else in the service of the Queen of Ethiopia.
CHARIOT
DRIVER: Some of
us could walk out to Gaza and buy a new wheel there. Our horses need the rest
anyway.
EUNUCH: I suppose so. But
it's a long way to Gaza yet. It would take you hours and hours to go there and
back.
DRIVER: That's all right, my lord.
We'll go. And we'll hurry.
EUNUCH: Such is life! Such
is life! Opens money pouch Here, take money. The merchants of Gaza don't
give away chariot wheels. I'll have to make an accounting to Queen Candace as
soon as we get back home.
Number One Servant takes
money.
Don't spend any more than
you have to.
Eunuch moves to side of
chariot, talking to himself. He takes a scroll out of the chariot.
EUNUCH: to himself
This trip I've made up to Jerusalem to worship didn't please the queen too much
in the first place. But when I start reading these fascinating old scrolls I
bought for her, she'll forget all the expenses--maybe even the cost of wheel
repairs.
Eunuch climbs into chariot,
picks up scroll, takes out a different one, unrolls it. The servants don't
move. They talk among themselves. Audience hears, Eunuch doesn't.
DRIVER: The main thing we have to
worry about is keeping the Eunuch in a good mood.
#1 Servant: That's not easy.
1st Musician:
We'll play music for him!
2nd Musician: Yes. Songs always
please the Eunuch.
1st Musician: to Second M Let's do our new song-the one we wrote
for Queen Candace.
2nd
Musician: Not the one about the queen and the fish and the fox!
1st Musician: Sure!
That one! 'Course we haven't ever practiced it, but the Eunuch won't know that!
1st Fanner: I think we ought to dance for
him, too.
2nd Fanner: Yes! I'd rather dance any day
than fan, fan, fan! waves fan My arms are positively numb, anyway.
Eunuch interrupts.
EUNUCH: Well? What are you
waiting for? Be on your way to Gaza, or we'll still be sitting here when the
sun goes down.
#1 SERVANT: Please, my lord,
how many of should go?
EUNUCH: It doesn't matter.
All of you can go.
#1 SERVANT: No,
no, my lord, we can't leave you alone here in this forsaken place. Two of us
will go. And four will stay to look after you. Aside to musicians
Get your instruments right now, and try to help our master pass away the hours
pleasantly.
Eunuch becomes absorbed in
his scroll again. Number One Servant and Driver leave to go to Gaza. One
carries the hub and broken spokes, the other the rim of the wheel. The
Musicians put aside the canopy and run to get their instruments. The Fanners
resume their task, standing behind the Eunuch.
EUNUCH: to himself
Now, to re-read this part here, one more time. It's hard to understand. Reads
aloud, to himself, part of Isaiah 53
"Who hath believed our
report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before
him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground: He hath no form or
comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire
him. He is despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief.... Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows..."
I simply don't understand
it. He reads on
"All we like sheep have
gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on
him the iniquity of us all.... He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as
a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth...."
This is strange writing.
Very strange. The scribe who sold it to me said it was written 700 years ago. I
believe it's poetry! It sounds beautiful, even if I can't get the meaning.-I'm
just going to keep reading it until I do understand it.
Reads aloud again, this time
more slowly and deliberately.
"He is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter..."
The two Musicians come
rushing back to the side of the chariot, playing their instruments and singing.
At first the Eunuch pays no attention, but as the song becomes louder and
louder and worse and worse he is distracted from his reading. The Fanners drop
their palm branches and begin dancing, circling the chariot and musicians.
Their dancing is exaggerated, anything but graceful.
EUNUCH: Quiet! Quiet! Music
and dancing subside What's the meaning of all this noise and prancing
around?
1ST MUSICIAN:
We're just trying to entertain you, my Lord.
EUNUCH: Entertain? Such
entertainment as that would take the hump off a camel's back!
2ND MUSICIAN with
disappointment: That was our newest song for Queen Candace.
1ST MUSICIAN: The
title of it is "The Moon and the Queen of Ethiopia." We're sure she
is going to like it! And we thought you would.
EUNUCH: If you two dumb-- hesitates
Uh-- Uh-- What I mean to say
is this: if you two self-styled musicians play that song in front of the
queen, she'll have your heads! Makes throat-cutting gesture with hand
2ND MUSICIAN:
But, but, my lord-- what'll we do?
EUNUCH: Go 'way out there in
the desert and practice it some more! points across desert Or
better still, write a different one. And when you sing it for the queen, don't
make yourselves sound like two desert foxes on your last legs!
Musicians walk away
dejected, heads down, instruments almost dragging ground.
1ST FANNER: My
lord, do you want us to dance some more for you?
2ND FANNER: We
will, Sir! Or, we'll keep on fanning you.
EUNUCH: Do me a small favor,
will you? Go fan the musicians. They need it. But just one thing!
1ST FANNER: What's that, my lord?
EUNUCH: Make sure that you
do your fanning 'way, 'way out across the sand-- so far that I can't see or
hear any of you! I want to read this scroll, in peace!
BOTH FANNERS: Yes, Sir. Yes, my lord. We will!
Fanners start to leave.
Musicians come hurrying back, for the have seen Philip the Evangelist
approaching.
1ST MUSICIAN out
of breath: A stranger is coming, my lord! A traveler on foot. Points to
Philip, who is some distance away
EUNUCH: Good!
2ND MUSICIAN:
What shall we do, my Lord?
EUNUCH: Go write your song.
Far, far away. Where I can't hear you! Remember? All of you, be gone! Be gone! Waves
them away I know how to talk to strangers-- I'll have time to read this
manuscript some more before the traveler arrives.
Four servants leave
hurriedly. Eunuch reads aloud to himself again. Philip looms nearer chariot,
stops.
"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.... He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter ..."
PHILIP: Good day, Sir.
EUNUCH: Good day. Perhaps I
should introduce myself. I am the Treasurer to the Queen of Ethiopia. And you?
PHILIP: I am Philip. Called
in Jerusalem "Philip the Evangelist." May I inquire if you understand
what you are reading?
EUNUCH: I certainly do not.
Perhaps you could tell me what it all means, that is, if you are acquainted with
the old sacred writings of the Hebrews.
PHILIP: Yes, I know the
writings well-- the Law, the Prophets, and the Books of Wisdom.
EUNUCH: Then please climb up
here in the chariot and explain this to me. Philip gets into chariot,
sitting on side next to audience. I bought these copies in Jerusalem just
this week, when I went up there to worship. This scroll here holds up scroll is evidently some sort of prophecy or
poetry, or both. But I can't decide if the writer speaks of himself, or some
other man.
Philip examines scroll.
PHILIP: Oh, Sir, what you
have here is the writings of the great prophet, Isaiah! He foretold the death
of the Messiah more than 700 years ago. And it happened just as he said, word
for word!
The Messiah was crucified!
He shed His blood, just like a lamb. He was the Lamb of God.
EUNUCH: Who was a lamb? And
when? Tell me about it! It sounds incredible!
PHILIP: He was Jesus of
Nazareth. He came into the world to die as a lamb, to shed His blood. For, God sent
Him. He was crucified just a few years ago. But he arose from the grave and
went back to heaven. I wish you had been in Jerusalem then, to see Him and hear
Him teach God's love. The people who killed Him didn't know He was the Son of
God. I don't think they would have nailed Him to the cross.
EUNUCH: The Son of God? Tell
me more!
PHILIP: All who believe in
their hearts that He is the Son of God will have everlasting life!
EUNUCH: Please help me
to believe it! I want to have eternal life! Pauses But, I don't
understand about the shedding of His blood.
PHILIP slowly,
deliberately: God speaks to people and reveals Himself in ways they can
understand. For hundreds and hundreds of years--generation after generation—the
Hebrews worshipped God by sacrificing a lamb. The blood of the lamb took away
their sins, so to speak. So, perhaps God knew that if He sent His Son, Jesus,
as a Lamb, the people could understand that He would take away their sins.
EUNUCH: Did this Jesus have
many followers?
PHILIP: Indeed, He did. And
He had 12 special apostles, who were very close to Him. I know many of them
now. Often, they recount what He said about His blood being spilled for man-the
very night before He was crucified. It was at the time of the Passover, and
they were having the Supper, in an upper room...
Sub-scene
A
Curtains open to show Christ
Figure and 12 apostles seated at Feast of the Passover table in a pose to
resemble the celebrated Leonardo da Vinci painting. These 13 do pantomimes, as
recorded in Matthew 26:26-28, while Philip explains same to the Eunuch.
PHILIP: While they were
eating the Passover Supper, Jesus took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke
it up and passed it around among His disciples and told them to eat it. For, he
said: "This is My body."
Then, He took the cup of
wine and gave thanks for it. This time, He said:
"Drink ye all of it;
for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins."
Curtain closes as cup is
passed from apostle to apostle.
EUNUCH: in amazement:
Remarkable! In fact, this is amazing! I think I'd like to follow this Jesus!
This Lamb who gave His life!
PHILIP: Let me read for you
the story of another lamb God sent-a real one, with wool on his back. Looks
among scrolls It's about our father Abraham and his son Isaac. You must
have it here, somewhere. Ah, you do have Genesis. When I read you this, you can
understand even more about Jesus unrolls scroll. I'll skip this first
part. Here's the place! Reads
Sub-scene
B
Philip reads first two
verses of Genesis 22. On verse 3, Abraham, Isaac, and two servants come on
stage. One servant carries huge bundle of sticks. Second has flaming torch and
a long knife fasted to his belt. At verse 5 Philip stops reading. Abraham
begins to talk and action starts.
PHILIP: "And it came to
pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him,
Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine
only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer
him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee
of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning….and took two of his young men
with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and
rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him."
Abraham, Isaac, and two
servants advance toward center stage.
"Then on the third day
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off."
Curtain parts to reveal
wooded scene, up on an elevated stage.
ABRAHAM: There it is! There
is the mountain of which God spoke.--I want you two gestures to servants to stay right here. My son Isaac and I
will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. Son, let's put the wood for
the burnt offering on your back.
Sticks are tied onto Isaac's
back. Servants help.
ABRAHAM: to servant with
torch and knife Here, let me
have the fire and the knife.
Abraham and Isaac start
toward mountain scene, Abraham in front.
ISAAC: Father?
ABRAHAM: What is it, my son?
ISAAC: I know we're going up
on the mountain to worship. You have the fire, I have the wood; but where is
the lamb for a burnt offering?
ABRAHAM: Isaac, God will
provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.
Both stop near some bushes.
Abraham unstraps wood from Isaac's back. Together, they lay the wood in order.
Quickly, Abraham binds a rope around Isaac, lays him across the wood, and
raises the knife in the air! The Angel appears, calling out to Abraham.
ANGEL: Abraham! Abraham!
ABRAHAM dropping knife
and turning quickly: Here am I, O Lord!
ANGEL: Lay not thine hand
upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him! For now God knows that you
trust in Him. You have not withheld your son, your only son.--And Abraham,
forget not that the Lord will keep His Covenant with you, forevermore.
Abraham kneels before the
Angel. Isaac sits up, on stack of sticks. The Angel sings a solo.
SOLO: "A Lamb He will
send."
The Angel fades into
background. Abraham gets up off his knees, turns around, and sees a ram caught
in a thicket by his horns.
ABRAHAM: Look, my son, a
ram! Caught by his horns in the thicket!
Abraham begins untying
Isaac.
ISAAC: God did provide a
lamb! Just as you said!
ABRAHAM: Yes my son.
"In the mountain Jehovah will provide."
Abraham and Isaac sing a duet
(see below). As Abraham takes the sheep from the thicket and places him on the
altar of sticks, the curtain closes.
PHILIP: Now, I can
understand that God sent that sheep to the mountain to die for Isaac. He sent
His only son to be the Lamb to die for us. These sacred writings teach many more
things about God. We can--
Philip is interrupted by the
return of the Eunuch's two servants who have returned from Gaza. One carries
the old wheel and rim. The other has a new chariot wheel.
EUNUCH: I'm sorry for this
interruption. starts getting out of chariot We'll continue this studying
the Holy Writings as soon as my servants have put on the wheel. To servants
I see you had to buy a whole new wheel.
#1 SERVANT: Yes, my lord. This
one couldn't be fixed. The spokes are just worthless. But the chariot repairman
in Gaza said the rim is as good as gold. In fact, he told me he had never seen
such a well-made rim.
PHILIP now out of chariot
and standing near Eunuch: Our God is like this rim of the chariot wheel takes
rim from servant, runs fingers along it But we are like the spokes that bend and break. Notice how
this rim has no beginning and no end. God is like that. He has no beginning and
no end. God is eternal.
Angel begins singing
"God is Like the Rim of a Chariot Wheel," etc. She leads all players
onto stage for Grand Finale song.
FINAL CURTAIN
