Had to be There

A Nativity play by James Cary (BBC comedy writer etc)

Main message of the Play:

This version of the Christmas story is about the Shepherds and Magi deciding to go to Bethlehem to worship Jesus. Did they need to do that? They could have stayed where they were, sent good wishes and gifts and stayed home. After all, the birth of a child is a ‘family moment’, right?

At Christmas, we become family. Not only does God come to be with us, membership of God’s family is opened up to all: lowly shepherds and Magi from the East, united with Mary and Joseph in worship of the newborn king.

After Christmas, we can still have that! It’s called ‘church’! It’s open to all. Come along! People from all over the world can gather as brothers and sisters, church family, around the throne of Jesus in worship! Join us. Christmas gives us a family. And you have to be there!

The Cast: Speaking Parts: 4-9+

You could perform this with 9 speaking parts. Or more.

Or you could double up Shepherds and Magi, reducing your speaking cast to 6.

You could double up narrator with reader and angel and reduce it to 4!

There are lots of options of involve younger or older ones with non speaking parts.

Download the play and have a look and see if it's right for you.

It's pay-what-you-like. Feel free to pay nothing now (or ever) but do consider chipping in afterwards if you use it.

(You might need to put in credit card details, even to pay nothing. Sorry about that.)