Bellwether Father Characters Jack - middle age Tom - early 30's Male Singer Song Bellwether by Eddie Carswell, Paul Smith, Oliver Wells and Niles Borop from Living Proof Album 1990 Dayspring Music (a division of Word Inc.) Special Instructions The major part of the impact of this drama comes not from the drama itself but from the song and the non-verbal acting by the actors. The non-verbal acting is key to the success of the drama and must be very well rehearsed in order that they are able to put across to the audience the message without the benefit of words. Conduct of Characters Jack is a quiet spoken, smiling, friendly, confident person who seems to radiate support for others. Tom is a very quiet person who must project the uncertainty and concern in his personal life. Male Singer - it is critical that the singer be very expressive and that the song be delivered with great feeling. Props Park bench with backdrop of trees, park behind actors, this will be set up at Centerstage. There will be a spotlight on this scene, the light just large enough to cover the immediate area. The singer will be on stage only during the singing of the song. The singer will perform on a raised stage just behind the actors, (the stage from which Abraham performs). A spotlight will be needed for the singer. Play Lights slowly come up showing park bench. After 30 seconds Tom walks slowly on stage from Downstage Right. He looks around, paces very slowly back and forth twice in front of park bench, being very careful never to go beyond the spotlight. He looks into the distance right, into the distance left, then looks at the ground, kicks at an imaginary something, stretches, yawns. He looks around again, looks over his shoulder at the park bench as though seeing it for the first time. He brushes imaginary dust off the bench and carefully sits down. He crosses and uncrosses his legs three times, moves as if to try to Bellwether Father Copyright DramaShare 1994
Page 1
find a comfortable position. He holds his hands in front of him, examining them, then cups his chin in his hands, elbows on knees, stares blankly at the ground. Jack strolls on stage from Downstage Right, sees Tom, smiles and waves. Jack:
Hi Tom, how ya doing. Mind if I come sit with you?
Tom:
Uh, sure Jack. Come and sit down.
Jack sits down: Just sitting here enjoying the beautiful weather? Tom:
Uh, yeh, I guess so.
Jack:
What's wrong Tom? You are acting like you've lost your best friend.
Tom laughs: I think you may be closer to the truth than you realize. Jack:
Want to talk about it?
Tom:
I'm not sure what you can do. But I do trust you as a friend, Jack. You see I'm really mixed up. When I became a Christian about a year ago, everything seemed to be answers and solutions. God seemed to be providing guidance in my family. But recently my family situation seems more like problems and confrontations. This being a father is a tougher job than I had expected.
Jack:
I'm sorry to hear that things aren't going well for you right now, Tom. But you know, we shouldn't be all that surprised. As a new creation in Christ you will be under attack by the enemy. And one of the first areas which Satan will attack is the family.
Tom:
Well I guess I knew that this would happen. But it seems like my son and I are having more and mnore trouble communicating. Don't get me wrong, I know that it is my fault as much as Brian's. My wife says that Brian and I are too much alike, and maybe she's right. Brian tells me that he's getting tired of my lectures. And I don't want my instructions to turn into lectures but I'm at my wit's end to know what to do.
Jack:
Tom, maybe you need to be less of a lecturer and more of a bellwether.
Tom:
A bellwether? I'm afraid you've lost me.
Jack:
Well, as I recall one of your favorite portions of scripture is Psalm 23. This psalm is all about being a shepherd, and in my experience, a big part of fathering is shepherding.
Bellwether Father Copyright DramaShare 1994
Page 2
Tom:
That's just the point. I always thought that the Lord, being my Shepherd, would be there to shepherd me and to guide me, especially in family matters. But lately He doesn't seem to be there. I try to tell Brian about things he needs to know. But it ends up as a lecture.
Jack:
Tom, I think you have a lot to learn about being a shepherd. Sure a shepherd guides through force when necessary, that's why he has a guide dog who chases the sheep and nips at their heels and guides in that way. But a shepherd knows that it is better to guide by example. That's why the shepherd has a bellwether.
Tom:
A bellwether, what's that?
Jack:
A bellwether is a special, trusted sheep. The other sheep in the flock tend to follow the bellwether. Many times the bellwether will bring the other sheep back to safety, not by force as the dog would, but by example and leadership. Tom, I believe that God sent Jesus to be a bellwether in our lives. Jesus came as an example, not as an enforcer. He came to seek and save those who were lost, to be our bellwether and to bring us back to His safety. In fathering we often ignore the importance of the time we spend as a bellwether. This is where we, as examples, show our children the proper course in life. As fathers we tend to emphasize instruction through lecturing rather than instruction through example. A father needs to be a bellwether to his children.
Tom:
A bellwether to my children! It sounds so simple. Will it make a difference in my family and in my relationship with Brian?
Jack:
Well, Tom, whether we like it or not, and whether for good or for bad, the fact is that we as fathers are the bellwether in our children's life. Our children will learn much more from what they see us do than they will from what they hear us say. They will follow our example and they will, in most cases, react in troubling situations in the same way they have seen us react.
Tom:
"In the same way they have seen us react". Man, that's a scary thought. Can any man be that kind of example?
Jack:
Not in our own knowledge, Tom. But you are forgetting that we fathers also have a bellwether. God sent Jesus Christ to earth to provide us with that example. And although we can't hope to duplicate His efforts, certainly with His help we can emulate Him. Jesus Christ is our bellwether.
Tom:
Jesus Christ, a father's bellwether! What a comforting thought! So rather than being a lecturer, I should be a bellwether to my son. As a father, I
Bellwether Father Copyright DramaShare 1994
Page 3
guess I've gotten off the track rather badly, haven't I? Jack, can you help me come back under the leadership of the bellwether? Jack:
Tom, why don't we spend just a moment in prayer?
Lights fade down slightly on main stage as actors bow in prayer, Jack's hand on Tom's shoulder. Music up, lights up on singer. Song, "The Bellwether". As song ends lights down on singer, up on lower stage. Jack:
Tom let's go have a cup of coffee and talk some more about being a bellwether father!
Two actors exit stage right.
Bellwether Father Copyright DramaShare 1994
Page 4
