BACK PARALYZE 5'3m0f Paralytic is lowered through a hole in the roof (scene: bottom half of a ladder protrudes from offstage) (light cue: dim to dark, dim up full) THUG -- (descends ladder, laughing) LEVI -- (enters, laughing) It worked. My plan worked! (hands pouch of coins to Thug) Well done. THUG -- (brooklyn accent) Thanks, Boss. (laughs, opens pouch, pours coins into hand, begins counting in whispers) LEVI -- (laughs) Jesus stopped talking in mid-sentence when he saw that nobody was listening. Everybody was looking up at you digging a hole in the roof. THUG -- It's amazing how much attention you can get when you drop a little debris on people's heads.(laughs, begins counting from one again) LEVI -- Then, just when Jesus began talking again, you distracted his audience again. Nice touch. THUG -- You liked my paralytic on the rope trick? (begins counting from one again) LEVI -- I had no idea you were going to try to lower ANYONE through the whole on a rope, let alone a paralytic. Where did you get him from? THUG -- I wasn't looking for a paralytic, Boss. I went down to the city gate and picked the beggar with the loudest mouth. I figured the louder the mouth the more the disruption. (begins counting from one again) LEVI -- Well, it worked. (laughs) ARNY -- (enters hurriedly) It didn't work, Boss. LEVI -- What do you mean it didn't work?! He didn't finished the parable, did he? ARNY -- No. But Jesus just offered to forgive the beggar. LEVI -- Forgive him! Quickly! (grabs coins and pouch from Thug) THUG -- Hey, what did you do that for?! LEVI -- Go back up on the roof and drop some more debris on the crowd! (pushes) Go! We need to stall for time. THUG -- (climbs ladder, mumbling) LEVI -- (to Arny) You go back in and ask Jesus who he thinks he is to forgive sins. Remind him that only God can forgive sins. ARNY -- (exiting) I'm right on it, Boss. LEVI -- (paces) Oh, that Jesus is a sly one. I give him lemons, he makes lemonade. Of all the things he could say in that situation, he chooses forgiveness. Why not try to shut the beggar up? Why not finish the parable? THUG -- (descends ladder) It worked boss. Everybody stopped listening and looked up at me. LEVI -- (hands pouch and money to Thug) Good. THUG -- (begins counting from one again in whispers) ARNY -- (enters hurriedly) Not Good, Boss. LEVI -- What do you mean? Didn't you shame him for claiming he could forgive sins? ARNY -- Yes, but now he's talking about healing the beggar's paralysis. LEVI -- Quickly! (grabs coins and pouch from Thug) THUG -- Hey, what did you do that for?! LEVI -- Go! Go back up on the roof and drop some more debris on the crowd! (pushes) Go! We need to confuse the crowd. THUG -- (climbs ladder, mumbling) LEVI -- You, go back in and remind Jesus that only God can heal the sick. Go! ARNY -- (exiting) I'm right on it, Boss. LEVI -- (paces) Imagine a carpenter and the son of a carpenter thinking he can forgive sins and heal people. It's bad enough this jerk preaches against us Pharisees and calls us hypocrits, now he's claiming to be God himself. THUG -- (descends ladder) It worked boss. Everybody stopped listening and looked up at me. LEVI -- (hands pouch and money to Thug) Good. THUG -- (begins counting from one again in whispers) Well, it worked for a while anyway. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- For a while? What do you mean for a while?! THUG -- Well, everybody stopped listening and looked up at me. But then Jesus healed the beggar. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- He what?! THUG -- Jesus healed the beggar. He's not crippled no more. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- That's impossible! THUG -- Impossible or not, Jesus said "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home". Then, the beggar got up, picked up his mat and walked out the front door. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- That's impossible! Nobody can heal a paralytic except God himself! THUG -- That's what the other guy said. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- What other guy? My assistant? THUG -- Yeah, after the beggar got up and walked, he said (shouts) "Who can heal the sick but God himself!" And then he bowed down and worshiped Jesus. (begins counting from one again in whispers) LEVI -- I send him in to ask a few questions and he ends up worshiping Jesus. Who does this Jesus think he is?! (exits) THUG -- (exiting) If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question. (light cue: dim to dark) ©2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK |