Script Author: Johnathan Kirsch

Description

It’s Valentine’s Day and Daniel is preparing to present a speech about love. Things are going well until Daniel sees Jacob Skull-crusher, an enemy from his past. Daniel struggles to forgive Jacob, and when he tries, not everything goes well.

Puppets Needed

• Boy Puppet: Jacob
• Girl Puppet: Martha
• Big Puppet: Daniel
• Little Puppet that looks like the Big Puppet: Young Daniel

Props

• Flowers that can hang on the edge of the stage.
• A bandaid.
• A long string (this string will be tied to Young Daniel’s leg in order to throw him off the edge of the stage and suspend him in the air).

Tips

• In the video version below, we started the puppet show by having the puppets dance to the Good News Club Memory Verse Song, “Ephesians 4:32.” You could do the same.

Video

We did this puppet show at our church’s Valentine’s Day celebration.

Script

Martha comes onto the stage, preparing for an event (setting up flowers around the podium…). After a few seconds, Daniel walks onto the stage from the side.

Daniel: Hey Martha! How are things coming along?

Martha: Wonderful, Daniel! Everything’s almost ready for the Valentine’s Day Celebration.

Daniel: That’s good to hear.

Martha: Have you prepared an excellent speech for us?

Daniel: Yes I have. I think everyone will love it.

Martha: You’re too funny, Daniel. I assume love is what you’ll be speaking about.

Daniel: Of course, Martha. I am a self-proclaimed love expert after all.

Martha: (laughs) Well, we sure enjoy it when you speak.

Jacob who is held by a person walks around the front of the stage. They are talking but nothing can be heard.

Daniel: (looks at Jacob and yells) Ah! It’s Jacob Skull-crusher!

Martha: Who?

Daniel: (whispering loudly) He was the school bully when I was in fifth grade! Ohhh… I need to hide!

Daniel ducks beneath the curtain. Jacob and the person walk behind the curtain.

Daniel: (whispering loudly) Is he gone??

Martha: (unsure) Yes.

Daniel pops above the curtain again.

Daniel: Ohhh… What was he doing here?

Martha: Why are you so scared of him, Daniel?

Daniel: It began many years ago.

(Dream music)

Daniel and Martha fall behind the curtain slowly.

Young Daniel appears above the curtain.

Daniel: I was on the playset at school during recess, minding my own business, when I heard someone yell…

Child’s Voice: Watch out! It’s Jacob Skull-crusher!

Martha: Was Skull-crusher really his last name?

Daniel: No. But soon you’ll know why we called him that. 

Martha: Ok. What happened?

Daniel: I looked behind me and saw Jacob walking up the playset’s stairs. (Jacob slowly comes above the curtain, pretending to walk up stairs.) Jacob was a giant! I looked around for an escape, but I was cornered.

Young Daniel: he-he-Hi, Jacob Sk-sk-skull-crusher…

Jacob: What did you just call me, squid?

Young Daniel: Nuh-nuh-nuh…

Jacob: Well whatever you said. You gonna regret it.

Daniel: He then took a rope…

Jacob lifts up a cord from behind the curtain and begins to tie it to Young Daniel’s ankle.

Martha: Where did he get a rope?

Daniel: Now that I think back on it, I don’t have a clue. But he had a rope. And he tied one end to my ankle, and the other end to the playset. Then Jacob Skull-crusher threw me off of the playset (Jacob throws Young Daniel over the curtain. Young Daniel begins yelling for help.) and I hung there in agony for the rest of recess.

Martha: Oh my! How did you get down?

Daniel: The teachers found me and pulled me back up.

Young Daniel is pulled back over the curtain. Martha and Daniel come back above the curtain.

Martha: No one went for help?

Daniel: All of the kids were too scared of Jacob to do anything.

Martha: And you’re still afraid of him?

Daniel: No… I guess I shouldn’t be. He’s not bigger than me anymore.

Martha: Well now you have the perfect opportunity to forgive him!

Daniel: (shaking violently) What! How could I do that?? He’s Jacob Skull-crusher!

Martha: Daniel, God’s Word tells us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”

Daniel: Ohhhh, I know. I know.

Martha: And what’s the second commandment Jesus gave us? 

Daniel: To love your neighbor.

Martha: And I’m sure you know what love is.

Daniel: Of course I know! After all, I am giving a speech on love. Love “does not keep a record of wrongs,” as it says in the love chapter of First Corinthians. That’s what you’re getting at I assume.

Martha: So what should you do???

Daniel: Walk up to him and say I forgive him, I guess. What if he’s still… mean, though?

Martha: How do you know he hasn’t changed since you last saw him in the fifth grade? There’s probably a reason why he’s here at this Valentine’s Day Celebration.

Daniel: You’re right. I should do it. (he turns to leave)

Martha: And Daniel.

Daniel: Yes?

Martha: God will provide strength.

Daniel: Thanks Martha.

Daniel turns and “walks” the other way. Martha disappears. Jacob comes onto the stage, looking away from Daniel.

Daniel: Hey… Jacob…

(The puppeteer should partially remove their hand from Daniel.) Jacob turns and looks at Daniel, and starts to run over to him.

Jacob: Oh! Daniel. I just wanted to say that I’m so sor— (Jacob trips on something) Ahhhh!

Jacob flies through the air and runs into Daniel, pushing him off of the stage. Daniel falls in front of the stage. Jacob looks down in shock. A hand comes out from beneath the curtain and grabs Daniel, pulling him behind the curtain. Jacob falls behind the curtain. Put a bandaid on Daniel’s head.

Daniel and Martha come above the curtain.

Daniel: (looking down) I knew he was still a baddie. How can I forgive him now?

Martha: Daniel, Daniel. When Christ forgave you, you were still a baddie. And Jesus said that you should even “Love your enemies.”

Daniel: I don’t know if I have it in me, Martha. Just look at this terrible wound he gave me! (points at bandaid)

Martha: Oh, Daniel. You have Christ in you. That’s why I know you can do it. And it was probably just an accident. But even if it wasn’t an accident, Jesus said “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Daniel: I can just… forgive him privately, right? Isn’t that fine?

Martha: But is that the most loving thing you could do?

Daniel: Probably not. (pause) Ok, Martha. You’ve done it again. Thanks for encouraging me.

Martha: No problem.

Jacob: (from behind the curtain) Daniel! Daniel! 

Jacob pops above the curtain. 

Jacob: (He’s talking fast and breathing heavy.) I’m so sorry. I’ve been looking for you. I’m sorry for hurting you when we were younger. I’m sorry for pushing you over the edge. Oh my! Are you ok? That looks like a terrible wound!

Daniel: I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m a puppet. I could probably fall from a skyscraper and still be ok.

Jacob: Oh, yeah. I knew that.

Daniel: Jacob, I wanted to say that I’m sorry.

Jacob: What are you sorry for?

Daniel: For being angry at you all these years.

Jacob: So you’re not mad at me anymore?

Daniel: No, Jacob. I forgive you.

Jacob: Thanks, man!

Jacob pats Daniel on the back.

Martha: Daniel, it’s time for you to give your speech!

Daniel: Oh, I better get on the stage. See you later Jacob!

Jacob: See yah!

Jacob and Martha leave the stage.

Daniel runs over to a spot decorated with flowers that Martha prepared for him.

Daniel: Ahem. Hello everyone. Today I would like to tell you about love: Love that’s even powerful enough to forgive people you might not like.

Daniel leaves the stage.

The End

---