BACK MARYNJOE 6'1m1f Mary announces her pregnancy to Joseph JOSEPH -- (enters wearing tunic, headdress and sandals with burlap sack over shoulder, crosses) MARY -- (follows wearing tunic, headdress and sandals, whispers loud) Joseph. JOSEPH -- (stops, looks upstage, downstage, tilts head) MARY -- (approaches, whispers) Joseph. JOSEPH -- (turns) Mary! (looks both ways) What are you doing here! Don't you know that it's against Jewish tradition for us to meet before the wedding?! MARY -- After what I have to tell you, you may not want to marry me. JOSEPH -- Mary! There is no way I am going to call off the wedding! Our parents have been planning this wedding for years! MARY -- I know. But things have changed. JOSEPH -- What things? MARY -- I'm... I'm pregnant. JOSEPH -- (drops bag, shouts) You're what!? MARY -- (puts finger to lips) JOSEPH -- (looks both ways, grabs Mary by the shoulders, looks both ways, calmly) Listen, Mary, I know you're a little young to get married. And you may not feel like you're quite ready. But you don't have to make up stories. (turns away, paces) MARY -- I'm not making up stories. JOSEPH -- (pacing) The wedding is still a couple of weeks away. Maybe we can tell them that your sick. Yes, that's it. They wouldn't want to have a wedding until you're well again. MARY -- I'm not making up stories. JOSEPH -- (pacing) On the other hand, maybe we could tell them that one of your relatives is sick. Yes, that's it. You have some relatives way up in Judea, don't you? We could delay the wedding until you're relatives can make it. MARY -- I'm not making up stories. JOSEPH -- (pacing) Yes, that's it. You're relatives in Judea are Levites, aren't they? We couldn't have a wedding without the Levites. MARY -- I'm not making up stories. JOSEPH -- (turns) Yes, that's it we'll just delay the wedding a few weeks. You'll come around, I know you will. MARY -- I'm not making up stories. JOSEPH -- You can't be serious. MARY -- I'm pregnant. JOSEPH -- Mary, there is no way you could be pregnant! Your parents never let you out of their site. No way! MARY -- Joseph, I'm pregnant. JOSEPH -- Mary, do you know what this means?! MARY -- It means you'll probably want to call off the wedding. JOSEPH -- I'm not worried about the stupid wedding! If people find out that you are pregnant out of wedlock, they'll stone you to death! MARY -- I'm not worried about that. JOSEPH -- You mean, the father of the baby has agreed to marry you? MARY -- That's not what I mean. JOSEPH -- (paces) Well, whoever he is, he better step forward and take some responsibility! MARY -- There is no father. JOSEPH -- (pacing) I am not going to allow my betrothed to be stoned to death. MARY -- There is no father. JOSEPH -- (pacing) On the other hand, maybe you could go away... to your relatives in Judea. Yes, that's it. You could go away and have the baby and give it up for adoption. And we could tell my relatives and the townsfolk that you were called out of town. Yes, that's it. And when you don't come back to town, I could quietly cancel the betrothal. (turns) Tell me again, why this guy won't step forward and marry you? MARY -- There is no father. JOSEPH -- There is no father. MARY -- That's right. I'm still a virgin. JOSEPH -- That's impossible! How could you be pregnant and still be a virgin? That's impossible. MARY -- Except when God does it. JOSEPH -- Wait a minute! You're blaming this on God?! MARY -- Do you remember your scriptures? JOSEPH -- Of course. But what does that... MARY -- The prophet Isaiah? JOSEPH -- Of course. But you can't really think... MARY -- Didn't the prophet Isaiah mention a virgin? JOSEPH -- Well, yes, but that was about the coming messiah. (recites) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. MARY -- Immanuel. JOSEPH -- Immanuel means "God with us". (straightens, eyes wide) MARY -- (holds abdomen) "God with us." JOSEPH -- You mean, God himself conceived this baby?! MARY -- God himself. JOSEPH -- So, you're going to give birth to the messiah of Israel, the long awaited messiah?! MARY -- Listen, I wouldn't blame you for calling off the wedding.... but.... JOSEPH -- Calling off the wedding?! (shouts) I'm going to be the father of the messiah! MARY -- (touches finger to lips) JOSEPH -- (calmly) Mary, you and I get to be a part of history! We get to be the parents of the God-man! There is no way I'm calling off this wedding! MARY -- Are you sure? JOSEPH -- (paces) Wait a minute. You're right. We have to be sure about this. How do YOU know this is from God? MARY -- An angel of the Lord appeared to me and told me that I was chosen to be the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through the Holy Spirit of God. JOSEPH -- (pacing) That's it then. If an angel appeared to you, then, there is no way that God could let this happen by chance. (stops pacing) God will undoubtedly send his angel to me too. (turns Mary by the shoulders) Go now. Go. MARY -- But... JOSEPH -- Go. I have to be alone when the angel appears to me. Besides, we wouldn't want anyone to see us together before the wedding. MARY -- So, the wedding is definitely ON? JOSEPH -- Of course. (flicks back of hand) Go now. Go. You and I are going to be part of history. MARY -- (backing toward exit) I'll see you at the wedding. Oh, wait! JOSEPH -- (picks up bag, slings it over shoulder) What is it? MARY -- According to the prophet Michah, the baby will be born in Bethlehem. That's a long way away. How will that happen? JOSEPH -- (backing to exit) Don't worry about it. If God can find a way to be born of a virgin, he can make anything happen. (both exit) ©2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. 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