User:SchnitzelMannGreek/The Bible In 30 Minutes ... Or Less!
Play Overview[edit]
GENRE: Comedy
LENGTH Short:, 25-35 minutes
CAST: 15 either (7-50 actors possible: 0-25 females, 0-25 males)
SET: Flexible
Summary[edit]
Written by Anton Bucher, The Bible In 30 Minutes ... Or Less! is an energetic and high spirited play that manages to tell the story of the Bible around thirty minutes. It starts from the Book of Genesis and pushes through Revelations. The audience meets over 100 Bible characters which are presented in a comical way. Starting from creation...to the story of the Israelites, to Jesus and Paul, this play has most of the major points presented in the Bible. [1]. Most groups that preform this play do it not only because it gives knowledge about the Bible, but because it is appropriate for all ages and offers clean humor. The point of the Bible-that Jesus sent his son to die for our sins and he later rose again, is clearly protrayed. In fact, Anton Bucher, who was a youth pastor, wrote it to connect with the youth and spread the message. [1].
Major Characters[edit]
The story revolves around three main people who are present on stage at all times-the Narrarator, God, and the Timekeeper. The Narrarator is responsible for laying out the Bible's plot and presenting the characters. She/He is placed on a ladder surrounded by books,usually stage right(the audience's left).
God is the central figure of the play and is placed on a ladder covered with clouds. Because the play revolves around him, the actor/actress is located on center-back stage. Last but not least, the time keeper keeps track of how long it takes and wears a stopwatch on her/his neck.[2].
The rest of the characters are most of those in the Bible like Moses, Joshua, Joseph, and Mary. Many other characters are there as a play on stuff. For example, when Abraham tries to sacrifice Issac, God provides a ram at the last minute. An actor as Trent Green(or other St. Louis Rams player) comes out saying..."anybody looking for me?...I'm Trent Green(example).".[2].
The characters are presented at break-neck speed-but comedy and truth-making this a popular play among christian schools and others as well.