Got Oil?

Got Oil?

A Play in 3 Acts

This short drama brings life to the phrase and U.S. Coast Guard motto, Semper Paratus or “always ready” or the Boy Scout Motto, “Be prepared.”  It is the Parable of the 10 Virgins found in Matthew 25:1-13 lived out through as few as 5 or as many as 20 cast members.  It reminds us that while we are loving, caring, and sharing people; our faithfulness to Christ (symbolized in the oil) is not for sale or loan or to be bartered away.

Let’s thrown in one more motto:  Semper Fidelis.  Leathernecks know that this is “Always Faithful.”  We are to live faithfully in the Kingdom of God now—that means following Jesus now—so that on the day of Christ’s return we will not be caught off guard.

It is recommended that all cast members read Matthew 24 and 25 for a week before assigning parts.  Discuss what it means not to know the day or the hour of our Lord’s return.  Discuss putting our talents to work.  Discuss the separation described at the end of the age.

Now select parts, get into character, and have fun presenting the Parable of the 10 Virgins in a fresh new way.

Cast

Meg (with oil)

Mattie (with oil)

Sally (without oil)

Shirley (without oil)

Groom

Crowd (can be imagined where there is a small cast)

Offstage Voice

Echoed Voice

Voice from inside the door [can be Offstage Voice if needed]

Act I

[Four girls sitting on steps with lamps.  Meg and Mattie have containers of oil]

Meg:  They are going to be so happy.

Mattie:  I’m  so happy for her.

Meg:  Yes, and one day it will be our day and other young ladies will line the way for that wonderful day.

Mattie:  And you have a way with words.

[Sally and Shirley roll their eyes]

Sally:  Really, don’t you think this whole waiting for the groom and his party is a bit overplayed?

Shirley:  I don’t know.  The food is always good at these things.

Sally:  If you can wait that long.

Shirley [looking at Meg and Mattie]:  You ladies bring anything to eat?

Meg and Mattie [together]:  Yes.

[Both dig into their bags]

Meg:  How about some fresh baked cookies?

Shirley:  You bet!

Mattie:  Or some energy bars?

Sally:  Now we’re talking.

[The girls share their food]

Sally [Looking at Meg and pointing to a large bottle she took out of her bag]:  And that’s some oil.

[Mattie takes out her larger bottle of oil and shows it to Meg]:  Had a coupon for the large size.

Meg:  You are so going to be the Proverbs 31 wife.

[Mattie smiles]:  That’s my hope.

Sally:  How about you let me have some of that?

Shirley:  Yeah, I could use some too.

Meg:  You had better get your own.

Mattie:  Yes, get some while you still have time.

Shirley:  We've got time.

Sally:  What’s the rush?

Mattie:  Really, ladies, this isn’t something to be put off.

Meg:  Trust her.  You need to have your own oil.  There is time now.  Why don’t you go now?

[Both Sally and Shirley wave their hands at the other two as to give them the brush off]

Sally:  Wish I had brought my nail kit.

Meg:  Oh here, you can use mine.

Sally:  What’s up with that?  You won’t give me any oil but you feed me and you would let me use your nail kit.

Meg:  Yes.  This oil has a very special and very specific purpose.  It’s not for me.  It is for the bridegroom.  I am going to be ready for his coming.

Mattie:  Same here.

Shirley:  You two are bonkers.

Sally:  Ditto

Meg:  Call us what you want, but we will be ready.

Shirley:  Bonkers.

[All four girls pantomime continued conversation until gradually all fall asleep]

Offstage Voice:  Get ready!  The groom is coming.  Get ready!

[The girls awaken and wipe the sleep from their eyes]

Echoed Voice:  Get ready!  The groom is coming.  Get ready.  Get read.  Get ready [Fading out]

Meg:  Isn't this exciting.  Let’s get our lamps going.

Mattie:  I’ll  help you first.

[The two pantomime pouring oil into their lamps and lighting them]

Meg:  They are getting close.  I can hear the crowd. 

Mattie:  Oh, how I have waited for this!

Sally:   Hey!  Give us some oil.

Shirley:  Come on.  Let us have some of your oil.

Meg:  You need to go quickly and buy some for yourself.  Hurry before the wedding party gets here.

Sally:  Really, you won’t give us your oil?

Shirley:  Yeah, really?

Meg:  This oil is my steadfast readiness.

Mattie:  Sort of my faithfulness.

Meg:  My oil won’t help you.  You really need your own.

Mattie:  You really should hurry.

Sally:  Pleeeaaaaaaaaase!

Shirley:  And pretty pleeeasssssssssssssse!

Meg:  Hurry.

Mattie:  You are running out of time.

[Sally and Shirley throw up their hands walking off, turning back to shake their fists, walking more, turning back and putting their hands on their hips]

Shirley:  Get my own oil, really?  We will just see how this comes out.

Sally [Looking out into audience]:  Yeah, what she said.

[Sally and Shirley exit stage left]

[The wedding party enters stage right and exits stage center.  People in the crowd are waving to Meg and Mattie.]

Crowd:

Come on!

Follow us!

It’s time to party!

Get your lamps and join in!

[Meg and Mattie smile at each other]:  Let’s go!

[The entire group exits stage center making all sorts of celebratory noises]

TURN LIGHTS DOWN

THE STAGE IS SILENT AND NEARLY DARK FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS

Act II

[Sally and Shirley enter stage left.  Lighting remains low.]

Sally:  Where is everyone?

Shirley:  They are gone.

Sally:  I hear a party going on in there [pointing to stage center].

Shirley:  That’s where we are headed then.

[Both walk a few steps forward and knock on an imaginary door facing the audience.]

A KNOCKING SOUND IS AMPLIFIED OVER THE LOUD SPEAKER TO COINCIDE WITH THE KNOCK ON THE IMAGINARY DOOR.

Voice from inside the door:  Who is it?

Shirley:  Shirley.

Sally:  Sally.

Shirley and Sally together:  Shirley and Sally.

Voice from inside the door:  Don’t know you.

Shirley:  Sure you do.  We waited for hours with our lamps.

Sally:  Yeah, and we even went to get oil.

Voice from inside the door:  Don’t know you.

Both girls collapse and cry themselves to sleep.

[Voice from inside the door reads the scripture]

Matthew 24:36-44

New Century Version (NCV)

³⁶ "No one knows when that day or time will be, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. ³⁷When the Son of Man comes, it will be like what happened during Noah's time.³⁸ In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving their children to be married, until the day Noah entered the boat.³⁹ They knew nothing about what was happening until the flood came and destroyed them. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes.⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field. One will be taken, and the other will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a mill. One will be taken, and the other will be left.

    ⁴² "So always be ready, because you don't know the day your Lord will come. ⁴³ Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time of night a thief was coming, the owner would watch and not let the thief break in.⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time you don't expect him.

Act III

LIGHTS COME UP

[Meg and Mattie enter stage right and see Sally and Shirley asleep]

Meg:  Are they OK?

Mattie:  I think they are just sleeping.

Meg [gently touching Sally]:  Are you OK?

Sally [Awakening]:  What?

Shirley [Awakening and rubbing her eyes]:  What’s happening?

Mattie:  You girls, really.  I don’t know what to think of you.

Meg:  It’s only the biggest day of the year.  The wedding?  Remember?

Shirley and Sally [together]:  It’s today???

Meg and Mattie [together]:  Yeah!

Shirley and Sally [together]:  Really?  We didn't miss it?

Meg:  No, silly, let’s go.

Shirley:  Not so fast.

[Shirley and Sally look at each other and shake their heads in agreement]

Sally:  Yeah, not so fast.  We need to get some oil for our lamps first.

Shirley and Sally [together]:  We’ll meet you there.

[Shirley and Sally run off stage left]

Meg and Mattie [together]:  Good call.

[Meg and Mattie walk off stage right]

Meg:  Nothing like being always ready.

Mattie:  Well, you never know…

[Meg and Mattie pantomime their conversation until off stage]

[Voice from inside the door reads the scripture]

Revelation 11:15  The Message (MSG)

The Last Trumpet Sounds

^15-18 The seventh Angel trumpeted. A crescendo of voices in Heaven sang out,

The kingdom of the world is now
    the Kingdom of our God and his Messiah!
He will rule forever and ever!

The End

Copyright Notice

Use of this work without the express written consent of the author is authorized, encouraged, and may be done with or without giving credit to the author.  Use this to bring glory to God.  Use it to lead people to Christ.  Use it to be a light in this often dark world and the God-seasoning of the earth.  Use it to help people laugh, learn, and love.  Put it to work so that people will respond with the faith God has given them and proclaim Jesus to be Lord.