Caution: If you are using this play with youth carefully go over the scene with the muggers making sure the youth understand how to appear to do injury without taking any chance of actually hurting each other. Go over this again making sure they all understand this before the each practice and before the play is performed. Be careful of furnishings, etc., in the area to avoid injury and/or breakage.
Scene: An alley stacked with trash cans and boxes. As the scene opens, the muggers are hidden behind the boxes and trash cans.
Actors:
Jesus enters the scene from the right and walks across to a microphone on the left side of the scene or central and above the action. He should remain very prominant in the scene but out of the way of the action.
As Jesus speaks, the business man walks across the stage. As he goes past the muggers, they leap out and begin the attack. Pretend to knock the man down and kick and/or punch him. Then grab coat, shirt, shoes, cash, watch, credit cards, etc.
Jesus: A certain business man took a shortcut back to the office and fell among theives who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him and ran away leaving him half dead.
Mugger 1: Hurry, get the pockets. Any cash?
Mugger 2: Dude's loaded. Credit cards, too. Get the coat and shoes.
Mugger 3: Get the watch.
Mugger 1: Run! Somebody's coming!
Muggers run off stage (either direction is ok) leaving the man groaning in the alley.
As Jesus speaks, the religious leader walks on stage from the right, notices the man, goes out of his way to avoid getting close to him.
Jesus: Now by chance a certain religious leader came down that alley. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Religious Leader: Probably drunk! There should be a law against people like that! (Looks at his watch, looks back at the man, shakes his head). There's no way I'm going to touch him. (He continues offstage to the left.)
As Jesus speaks, the judge walks on stage from the right. He notices the man and goes out of his way to keep clear of him.
Jesus: Likewise, a judge, when he had arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
Jesus: Likewise, a judge, when he had arrived at the place, came and
Judge: What a sorry sight that is. He's passed out on drugs or alcohol right in plain sight. He ought to be in jail but I'm not going to get involved. (Continues off stage to the left)
As Jesus speaks, the laborer walks on stage from the right. He sees the man, goes to him and gently helps him sit up. He takes a water bottle out or canteen of his back pack and gives the man a drink.
Jesus: But a certain laborer, an illegal alien, as he came through the alley, saw the man and had pity on him.
Laborer: Aw, man! You are a mess! Here, we'll use my shirt to cover up that blood and I'll help you get to that clinic at the end of the alley. I'd call an ambulance but I'd get arrested and sent back home. I've got a sick kid back there and I need to make some more money before I can leave.
Businessman: I can't go to the clinic. The muggers took all my money and credit cards. I'm from out of town.
Laborer: Don't worry. I can pay them enough to get them to take care of you and call someone to help you. Here, let me help you up.
As Jesus speaks, laborer gently helps businessman up and they walk off with the businessman leaning on the laborer.
Jesus: So he brought him to where he could be taken care of and paid the clinic fee and made sure that his family knew he needed help.
Jesus stops and looks searchingly at the audience.
Jesus: So which one of these three do you think was neighbor to him?
Person in audience: (stands and answers) The one who showed mercy and helped him.
Jesus: Go and do likewise.
If there are curtains, close them at this point. If there are no curtains, try to preserve the mood while you clear the scene for the next part of the service. For example, have a choir sing or play a tape of a song that goes with the theme of the play. Consider something like Ray Boltz's "One Single Flame" or an old stand by like "Let Others See Jesus In You". During the music let one or two workers quickly and quietly clear away the props and get all actors to the area where they will be for the rest of the service.