RotationPlays.com
25 New Plays for the Workshop Rotation Classroom,
Sunday School or Performance
Learn more:
Read a Play
Look Inside
About the Author
Read the Blog
Order Now
The plays are for:
• Workshop Rotation
• Sunday School
• Vacation Bible school
• Church day camp
• Bible study groups
• Performance
or any time you want to connect Bible
stories to children's daily lives!
Connecting to the Bible
"Laura is able to seamlessly weave scripture with situations relative to today's children so that the children see the correlation between the two. With each play our students are not only immersed into the biblical essence of the lesson, but also experience through acting how scripture touches them in today's world."
Touching the Hearts
"I have seen younger children roll with laughter as they portrayed favorite Old Testament characters, and I have seen older ones moved to tears as they begin to grasp the reality of Jesus' sacrifice through "The Gift is Given." Laura clearly writes with children in mind, but her unique sense of humor transcends generations and her deep spirituality touches the hearts of children and adults alike."
Enjoy a sample
Here's one of the kids' favorite plays. In the book, Acts of the Apostles, you'll also get casting tips to help you find the right part for each child, instructions for props, costumes, and sets (including an easy way to stage the belly of the fish). Don't forget the sound effects (the kids always want to hear the fish throw up again). Plus tips to help with staging and directing, and most importantly, teaching the valuable Bible lesson in each play.
Jonah:
In the Belly of the Big FishJonah gets in trouble when he tries to ignore God’s instructions to go to Ninevah and warn its people to repent or be destroyed. He takes a boat for Tarshish, forgetting that God is everywhere, including the seas. In the belly of the Big Fish, Jonah meets Aqua, a wisecracking fish who helps Jonah figure out what to do and understand God’s purpose. Jonah learns a lesson not just about God’s power, but also about His infinite love and mercy.
Aqua: So you ARE alive.
Jonah: Ugh. Where am I and what smells so bad?
Aqua: Sure you want to know? You might pass out again.
Jonah: Hey, you're a fish!
Aqua: Same as last time I checked. Got a problem with that?
Jonah: But fish aren't supposed to be able to talk!
Aqua: Sue me.
Jonah: (clutching his head) This is crazy! I must be dreaming. . . or. . . or. . . am I dead?
Aqua: Nah, it always smells like that in here.
Jonah: In where?
Aqua: In the belly of the Great Fish. He'll eat anything, obviously, even—yuck—humans.
Jonah: Oh, no, this is my doom, and I brought it on myself!
Aqua: Yeah, and I was just on vacation. How did you get swallowed?
Jonah: It's a long story.
Aqua: Well, we got nothing but time.
Jonah:Okay. I'm sort of a prophet, a servant of the Most High God, the all powerful God of Israel. So. . . one day He told me to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people He was going to destroy them because they were so wicked. WICKED! They're downright evil! Nineveh takes three days just to walk across, and on every corner you meet people you wouldn't be caught dead in a ditch with! If He wanted to destroy them, fine, but I wasn't going to go warn them and give them the chance to destroy me first!
Aqua: So what did you do?
Jonah: Well, I made a plan: I found a ship going to Tarshish, AWAY from Nineveh, and I paid my fare and ran away.
Aqua: Excuse me—you worship the all powerful, Most High God and your plan was to RUN AWAY?
Jonah: I didn't say it was a good plan.
Captain: All aboard for Tarshish!
First Mate: Everything ship-shape and ready, sir.
Captain: Good work. Well, Jonah, I hope you enjoy your trip to Tarshish. Business or pleasure?
Jonah: Um. . . I just thought I'd like to travel, see some of the world.
Captain: It's nice this time of the year. Have any friends there?
Jonah: No, I'm on my own. I'm rather tired from packing, so I think I'll go lie down if you don't mind.
Captain: Certainly, one of the crew will be glad to show you your bunk.
First Mate, up anchor and cast off!
Captain: Row, men, row for your lives!
First Mate: They're giving it all they have, sir! The wind is too strong for us!
Captain: We have to lighten the ship! Toss the cargo overboard!
First Mate staggers to the boxes and tosses them over the side.
Captain: It's no use. Pray to whatever gods you believe in!
First Mate: The only one not praying already is Jonah. He's still asleep.
Captain: Get him up here!
Jonah: Oh, Captain, this is all my fault! I am a prophet of the almighty God, creator of the skies and seas. He wanted me to go to Nineveh, but I tried to run away to Tarshish instead!
Captain: Your God created the skies and seas and you thought you could run away from Him on a boat to Tarshish?
Jonah: Okay, okay, it wasn't a great idea! But I know how to save you and your crew. You have to throw me overboard and then the storm will stop.
Captain: Hmm. This isn't going to look good on my record, but on the other hand neither is drowning.
First Mate: I'll do it, sir. Look the other way. (grabs Jonah) Almighty God, witness that I am innocent of this man's blood.
First Mate: Wow! I know which God I'm going to pray to from now on.
Captain: So do I. Is Jonah. . . is he drowned?
First Mate: Well, not exactly. As soon as I threw him in, a great fish appeared and swallowed him whole.
Captain: Eeow. First Mate, prepare a sacrifice to the almighty God. I want Him to know we're thankful for our deliverance.
Jonah: That's all I remember till I woke up in here. I still can't believe I'm alive.
Aqua: Well, since you are, God must have something He wants you to do.
Jonah: You're right. (kneels to pray) Dear God, please forgive me for thinking I could run away. I know You are great and merciful and will save me if I trust You. I'm ready to do whatever You want me to now. Amen.
Jonah: Aaugh! What's that horrible sound?
Aqua: It's a Great Fish with a huge case of indigestion! Hold on to my fins, Jonah. (Jonah jumps up and grabs Aqua's fins) It's not going to be pretty, but God is getting us out of here!
Jonah: You mean. . . eeow! Aaugh! This is SO GROSS!
Aqua: Yo, Jonah! You da man! It's all over the ocean how you laid down the law to the Ninevites, and they've been wearing sackcloth and ashes and begging God for mercy!
Jonah: Yeah, yeah, great big hairy deal.
Aqua: What's the matter with you? You look like a shark with a toothache.
Jonah: I knew this would happen. I come all the way over here, walk all over the city yelling doom and destruction till I'm hoarse. I even went to the king and told him to get ready to be burned in the fire of his wickedness. Scared him so bad he was calling for sacrifices before I got out the door. Then I found a nice place to sit and watch the fireworks. And what happens? Nothing! God decides to FORGIVE them.
Aqua: But Jonah, isn't that why you came?
Jonah: No! I came because I wanted God to destroy those evil fools! I had a nice little camp; this great shady bush sprang up to keep off the sun. . . (crying) then of course a worm has to come during the night and the bush wilted to the ground. Why didn't God just kill me?
Jonah sits on the ground and covers his head. Aqua squirts water at him.
Jonah: Hey! What are you doing that for?
Aqua: To wake you up! The Ninevites aren't the only fools around here. You get all upset over a bush dying—a bush you had one day and did nothing to get. But you don't understand why God wanted to save a city full of 120,000 people who don't know right from wrong? I thought humans were supposed to be an intelligent life form!
Jonah: Hmm. . . I guess I never thought of it that way. The Ninevites are people just like me. . . and God saved me when I prayed for mercy. How could I forget that?
Aqua: I don't know—the smell alone should be enough to remind you. Phew!
Jonah: I could use a bath. (stands up) I wonder how I'm going to get home?
Aqua: Follow me along the shore and I'll show you a boat that's going straight back to where you started.(begins swimming offstage)
Jonah: (following Aqua) Really? You know, you're a pretty smart fish. What kind of fish are you, anyway?
Aqua: An angel fish, of course.
What You Get
The Book
The 289-page book
includes sections on costumes, staging, props and teaching tips on
everything from non-reading first graders to preparing for class. Each
play includes a lesson description, casting guide, props, costumes and
special notes and instructions.
CD Sound Effects
Every sound effect you'll need for each play is included on the CD. Just go to the track with the title of the play you are using for the lesson. The sound effects are separated by three second pauses. Assign a sound engineer to press “Play” at the marked places in the script and then "Pause" when the sound is finished
Printable PDF scripts on the CD
The same CD works in your computer and has a printable scripts in pdf form for each play. You'll probably find this easier than photocopying actor copies of scripts from the book.
Order Now
OR
OR
send a check or money order for $35 to:
Laura Still
5111 Green Valley Rd
Knoxville TN 37914