Rhyming Christmas Nativity Play

Cast
This play can be fully narrated or children can have some speaking parts if required.
Speaking parts recommended for age 6+
- Narrator
- God (part can be taken by the narrator, otherwise a voice off stage
- Angel Gabriel (can be a speaking part)
- Angel Seraphina (can be a one line speaking part)
- Mary (can be a speaking part)
- Joseph
- Shepherds -at least 2 (can be a one line speaking part for 1)
- Angels (At least 2, one can have a speaking part)
- 3 kings
Props / set
- Bench
- White fleece / fur fabric/ wadding that will cover the bench to represent cloud
- Hessian to cover the bench for the stable (not necessary if it’s a simple wooden bench)
- Stool
- Piece of wood
- Toy hammer
- Folding Screen (high enough for children standing behind it not to be seen and wide enough when
opened to be a bit wider than the bench) covered in black or navy fabric and decorated with stars
a garden parasol stand/ holder.
- Star: a broom handle / dowelling with a large silver star on the top and ribbon or tinsel streamers
attached to the pole under the star.
- Gifts for the king to present (3 different shaped boxed / plastic jars covered in different coloured foil
and decorated with ‘jewels’)
- Wind chimes or wind chime sound effect (you tube)
- Songs- you can introduce your own songs or popular Christmas carols. The songs included here are a
few verses from songs found on https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk
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Stage directions are in italics. Words in bold by narrator. Alternatively, the whole play could be narrated.

Seated Left of stage (off stage but visible)

God, Gabriel, Seraphina, Mary
Seated Right of stage (off stage but visible)
Joseph,
Other angels
Kings
Bench covered in white fleece fabric, centre stage

‘The time has come’ said God ‘to send

My Son to visit earth
He will save the souls of everyone
It will be a momentous birth.’

Sound effects: Angel chimes- two Angels enter and sit on the bench playing hand games.

‘First I need an angel, to start my plan in motion

I need someone calm and bright that won’t cause a commotion.’

‘Gabriel (Gabriel stands up) I’ve a job for you... it’s a very special one
You must visit Mary and tell her she’s to have a son’

‘Of course’ said Gabriel ‘I will go, but what makes the job so great?’
‘It’s because her son will be my son too,
So hurry, don’t be late!’

Gabriel exits left to the sound of angel chimes.

Seraphina stands up.

‘What about me?’ Seraphina said,

‘Can I do something too?’
‘Oh yes,’ said God, ‘I’ve got a tricky job for you.’

‘You must do your best to help Mary’s fiancé Joseph see that he needs to marry Mary,
and rather than go running away, be the baby’s earthly father.’

‘Ok,wish me luck!,’ Seraphina said

As she sped off on her task,
Let’s hope Joseph stays with Mary. It is a lot to ask.

Angel chimes as Seraphina exits left 2 angels dance an from the rightand take the fleece fabric away, holding
an end each.

Mary enters and sits on the bench sewing.

Now we are in Nazareth to see how Mary copes

With the news that comes from Gabriel....
On her acceptance hangs God’s hopes!

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Gabriel enters and stands stage left. Mary throws her sewing onto the floor.

‘Who are you?’ Mary said, ‘and how did you get in?
All the doors are locked and bolted!
Oh! my head is in a spin!’

‘Don’t be alarmed!’ Gabriel said, ‘I have great news for you.

It comes from God and as you know,
All He says is true.
You will have a baby and he will be God’s son
He will be our saviour a blessing for everyone’

‘Bbbbut what about Joseph?’ Mary cried

‘What is he going to say?
He’ll know it’s not his baby, he’ll want to run away’

‘Don’t worry about Joseph’ Gabriel said,

‘my angel friend will sort him out.
‘Then I’ll do whatever God wants’, Mary said,
‘I love and trust him without doubt ‘

So Mary, though she was afraid, gave her answer, yes,

And that ‘Yes’ was for you and me so we too must do our best.

Mary kneels in prayer.

All the angels and other cast members stand in a line in front of the bench to sing
Mynard’s Grrovy Tunes I’m an Angel OOH chorus, verse1, chorus
https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk/jukebox/imanangel

I’m an Angel- OOH! I’m an Angel- OOH!

God’s Messenger to you God’s Messenger to you
And I’m scary BOO! And I’m scary BOO!
But what I say is true: But what I say is true:
Don’t be afraid, It’s happening- Don’t be afraid, It’s happening-
That baby is God’s promised king That baby is God’s promised king

Hey- Mary! You’re

Gonna have a baby ( x3)
And he’s God’s son

While the song is being sung a stool, hammer and a piece of wood is placed to the right of the bench. Joseph
moves to stand behind the stool and begins hammering as the rest of the cast return to their places.

Joseph hammered furiously while he tried to work out what was best
He decided to divorce her quietly and then he lay down to rest.

Joseph shakes his head sadly and lies down on the bench. Seraphina enters from the left.

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 Seraphina entered into his dream and told him what was what.
So when he woke he’d changed his mind and entered in God’s plot!

Joseph’s jumps up with energy, smiles broadly and puts both thumbs up in agreement.

Enter the whole cast, standing in a line in front of the bench to sing Mynard’s Grrovy Tunes I’m an Angel OOH
chorus, verse2, chorus
https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk/jukebox/imanangel

I’m an Angel- OOH! I’m an Angel- OOH!

God’s Messenger to you God’s Messenger to you
And I’m scary BOO! And I’m scary BOO!
But what I say is true: But what I say is true:
Don’t be afraid, It’s happening- Don’t be afraid, It’s happening
That baby is God’s promised king That baby is God’s promised king

Hey – Joseph! You’re

Gonna call him Jesus ( x3)
It means “God saves”

While the children are singing helpers place a screen with a black backdrop and stars on it, in front of the
bench and move the bench backwards. After the song all leave the stage except the shepherds.
The shepherds sit on the ground warming their hands by an imaginary fire.

God was pleased with the angels’ work but there were more jobs to be done.
A message to some shepherds to learn the good news of His son

The angels appear from the left and, the shepherds get up and shield their eyes with their arms.

‘Don’t be afraid’, the angel said, ‘we bring news of great joy,
You must go to Bethlehem to welcome God’s baby boy’

All cast come forward to sing Glory to God : chorus, verse 3, chorus
https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk/jukebox/glorytogod

Glory to God in the highest! You gave the Shepherds

Lord you're so totally cool! good news of great joy:
Awesome and brilliant, your angel told them
magnificent, wonderful, about Bethlehem's boy.
You're great, All wrapped up in cloth
you rock in a manger he lay:
and you rule! their Saviour was born:
it's the first Christmas day,
Their Saviour was born:
it's the first Christmas day!

While the song is being sung the bench is covered with hessian and the parasol holder is put in
place a short distance away from the back of the bench in the centre.
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 ‘Well let’s go then!’ One shepherd shouted out
‘We must go to Bethlehem to see what it’s all about.’

Shepherds go behind the screen and assemble around the bench. Mary and Joseph sit on the bench behind
the manger with the older Angels behind them.
Angel chimes with angels dancing and twirling entering from the right.

God called some other angels and told his plan to them
They were to guide the star for the 3 wise men to go to Bethlehem,

King seekers music starts and all children sing

https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk/jukebox/kingseekers

King Seekers, travelling, A warning came while dreaming,

Miles and Miles, adventuring, Beware King Herod's scheming,
Just to find God's new King We went back home another way
We know he has been born. so Jesus would be safe

King Seekers, travelling, King Seekers, travelling,

We're the Magi, following Miles and Miles, adventuring,
One bright star, wondering: Just to find God's new King
Where has he been born? We know he has been born.

We visited the palace, King Seekers, travelling,

With Herod, breathing malice, We're the Magi, following
The Scripture men said Bethlehem One bright star, now we sing:
was where the King would be. Jesus has been born.

The star shone up above us,

It led us straight to Jesus
with gifts of gold and frankincense
and myrrh we worshipped him.

While the song is being sung by everyone, one of the angels gets the star on a pole from the right hand side of
the stage and the kings waiting by the star follow her. The other angels hold a streamer each. They move to
the left of the stage, go behind the screen across the back and then to the front of the stage again and back
behind eventually stopping on the right of the stage behind the screen. The star is placed in the holder behind
the older angels and the other angels sit on the floor next to the manger and the screen is moved away.

They followed the star by night and by day

until they came to the place where the Christ Child lay
They were welcomed with awe into that stable so dim.
They brought royal gifts for the baby and presented to him
Frankincense King kneels down to present gift then stands to the side
Myrrh King kneels down to present gift then stands to the side
And Gold King kneels down to present gift then stands to the side
An event that will be forever retold
It started with the shepherds who couldn’t wait to tell their friends
of the great gift from God whose love never ends!

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All sing
Hush there’s a baby https://www.maynardsgroovytunes.co.uk/jukebox/hush

Hush! SHHH!! There's a baby, Ooh! Aaah! In the manger...

Hush! Shhhh!!! Baby Jesus,
Ooo! Aaah! There's a danger...
That we're going to wake him up,
(or: That we'll wake this sleepy boy)
He's such Good News
we can't shut up,
(or: we jump with joy!)

We want to...Sing! With the Angels: Heavenly sound

Shout! With the Shepherds: Tell what we've found.
Worship! With the Wise Men:Bow right down!
Jesus is born,and he'ssuch Good News...

We want to Shout and Sing and Worship the King!

(We want to) Shout and Sing and Worship the King!
(We want to) Shout and Sing and Worship the King!
Jesus is born, and he's such Good News, we want to... SHHHH!!!!