Moody Blues This drama tells how King Saul enjoyed David’s company until David became very popular throughout the nation, then Saul became paranoid and jealous. Cast:
3 actors, any age or sex
Sound, lighting, sets: Costumes:
all standard
May be period or contemporary
Song: A short song has been written to be sung at various times through the drama, to the tune of “Ode To Joy”. There are two verses plus the chorus. Script: Paul is on stage, Lucy enters Lucy:
Hi there Paul, how are you?
Paul, annoyed): I beg your pardon? That, without question, has to be the all-time silliest question I have ever heard! Lucy:
It does?
Paul:
Yes, it most certainly does! It is totally beyond me how you could come up with such a silly question.
Lucy:
Actually not too hard really. I just thought for a minute and, bango, there it was.
Paul:
Bango?
Lucy:
Yep, bango. Yep, that was how it was alright.
Joey comes on stage Joey:
Hi Lucy, Paul. How are you guys today?
Paul:
Would you people mind telling me what gives with the ridiculous questions? I gotta tell you, I have never in my life . . .
Lucy:
Hi Joey, guess you got caught up in the same silly question as me.
Joey:
What do you mean, same silly question? All I asked was how are you guys today and . . . . . .
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 1
Paul:
Would you two give it a rest with the silly questions? First it was Lucy, now it’s you Joey! I simply can’t understand you guys and your questions!
Joey:
Paul, are you by any chance in a moody blue mood today?
Paul:
I beg your pardon? Me, in a moody blue mood, (screams), just exactly what might give you the silly idea that I am in a moody blue mood? Huh? I ask you?
Joey:
Well, it’s just that no matter what Lucy and I say to you, well, it just seems like you’re a bit out of sorts, seems like.
Paul:
OK, that does it! I do not have to stand here and listen to this silly talk about me being in a moody blue mood and out of sorts! I have never, and may I repeat never, been out of sorts in my whole life! Do I make myself very plain and clear?
Lucy:
Not sure about you Joey, but it’s comin’ through loud and clear to me, Paul is incredibly not out of sorts!
Paul:
Oh, so now I’m incredibly not of out sorts, am I? And just what would make you an expert in those who are, or are not, out of sorts? Tell, me, tell me that one will ya, Lucy with the . . the . . the long fingernails!
Lucy:
Gee, thanks, glad to hear that you like my fingernails. Just last night I went and I . . .
Paul:
I do not, repeat, do not, like your fingernails! They are much, much too long and . . .well, just long, that’s all I will say.
Joey:
I don’t understand. Paul, your fingernails are longer than Lucy’s, so I mean, doesn’t that . . .
Paul:
Oh, Mr. Fingernail expert here, huh? All of a sudden Joey can tell us all we don’t need to know about length of fingernails!
Joey:
Can I sing you a song, Paul?
Paul:
What gives with you people? Silly questions, and now Joey wants to sing a silly song!
Joey:
No, not a silly song. Nice song, I think. My guess is you will like it, soothe your nerves.
Paul:
So now you’re saying my nerves need to be soothed.
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 2
Joey:
Well we have been studying about King Saul and David in Sunday School. King Saul used to get David to come and sing and play his harp for him, and that made the king happy and not so grumpy.
Paul:
And you are saying that I am grumpy . . .
Lucy:
Not on your life Saul, er, Paul.
Joey:
Saul had a lotta things on his mind, being king and all. Quite a lot like you, Paul. You have a lot on your mind is my guess.
Paul:
Now I’m being compared to some grumpy old king in the Bible!
Lucy:
Strikes me, now might be a good time to start singing, Joey.
Joey starts singing, tune “Ode To Joy”, Lucy joins in Joey:
Night will fall while all around us, Calming breezes soothe our fears As we join in sweet surrender God will guide throughout the years.
Lucy:
What a pretty song Joey. Isn’t it pretty Paul?
Paul:
Wouldn’t say pretty, nice maybe, not pretty.
Joey:
Sorry, Paul, I kinda thought it was pretty.
Paul:
Mind tellin’ me what's all the chatter about? I was expecting some soothing singing here!
Lucy:
Can I sing with you please Joey?
Lucy joins in Song:
As we labor in our trials As our fears about us roll We can always be encouraged God’s the guardian of our soul.
as Joey and Lucy sing, Paul becomes more and more contented and sleepy, finally leaning over, and going to sleep Chorus:
With great joy we sing his praises With great love we speak His name.
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 3
All may crumble all around us Always Jesus He’s the same. Lucy:
Shhhhh, Joey! Paul is asleep. Let’s just lay him down here, cover him with this blanket.
Joey:
Paul looks so peaceful. I’m so sorry he gets so moody. Like I said, reminds me a lot of how King Saul acted with David.
Lucy:
Maybe best don’t mention the comparison to Paul; he’s not real crazy about it.
Joey:
OK, let’s go, sleep well Paul.
Lucy and Joey tiptoe out and all is quiet for a few seconds then Advisor, (Lucy), and Joey come back on stage, Joey becoming Joseph, Paul takes on the character of Saul Advisor:
Here you are Joseph ben Eli. There lies King Saul, it is your duty to make his day pleasant. Sing to him, play for him, now as he sleeps, and when he wakes up as well. The future of the nation of Israel hinges on you making King Saul happy. And remember to say not one word about the name, David.
Joseph:
Was David King Saul’s son?
Advisor:
No, not a son, but they might as well have been, so close they were. David once did your duties, singing and playing for the king. Now even that makes the king upset!
Joseph:
But why is King Saul unhappy? After all he is a king, he has possessions, power, everything a man could want. I don’t understand.
Advisor:
It isn’t easy you know, being the king of Israel, with all the demands of the job. Besides, those Philistines are bringing their armies to fight us again. Oh no, the king has very much on his mind. Now sing!
Advisor leaves stage Joseph sings: Night will fall while all around us, Calming breezes soothe our fears As we join in sweet surrender God will guide throughout the years. Paul stirs, looks around, Joseph continues the song Joseph sings: As we labor in our trials Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 4
As our fears about us roll We can always be encouraged God’s the guardian of our soul. Paul:
Who are you, what is happening?
Joseph:
My name is Joseph ben Eli, your highness. I am here to sing and play for you.
Paul:
And I am . . . .
Joseph:
You are King Saul your highness. Sorry, did I wake you too quickly? That sometimes happens to me when I am guarding my father’s flock and am awoken by a strange sound. I jump up quickly, then I have to remember where I am.
Paul:
You are a shepherd then? And as well as a fine singer and very skilled at your instrument, you are also a very handsome young man. Am I dreaming, are you David? It is you, is it not? How would you dare come here into my own bedroom? I will call the guards, have you arrested! Out of here, you traitor! I took you in, fed, you, clothed you, treated you as a son. And this is my repayment! Guards!
David:
Sir, I am not David, I am Joseph. Look closely at me.
Paul:
Why did he turn against me? I made David my armor bearer. I gave him responsibilities. I placed him in charge of my armies. I sent him in charge of dangerous missions.
Joseph:
And David was not successful?
Paul:
Successful? Like none other before or since! Each campaign brought greater success and glory for Israel!
Joseph:
Then I do not understand. Why would you dislike someone who brought you, the king, such glory?
Paul:
Because, fool, the more success David had in battle, the more the people of Israel began to worship David. They worship David! And I am the king! They must worship me! They shall worship me!
Joseph:
I don’t understand. David is under you. All he does makes you just that much more powerful. Why would you be jealous of him?
Paul:
How dare you? I am the king! I can have you thrown in prison for such insolence! Guards! Where are the guards! I am king. I have no need to
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 5
be jealous! That David person would take my throne! He shall not! Guards! Joseph:
May I sing for you King Saul?
Paul:
Oh yes, sing, you think I have not heard the song that everyone is singing behind my back? ”Saul has slain thousands, David tens of thousands” Such a foul song! Tens of thousands has he? Yes, well, with my armies he has!
Paul marches about the stage madly, pushing people out of his path Joseph:
Sir, be still! Let me play for you.
Saul grabs Joseph’s instrument, throws it off stage Joseph:
I can’t see how you can be so jealous of someone who is like a son to you.
Paul:
Like a son? Like a son you say? He is, was, a son. I gave him my very own daughter in marriage. I had promised my daughter Merab to David, but I later gave her to another man.
Joseph:
You promised your daughter to someone then later broke your word? How could you?
Paul:
Very easily. I am the king. Besides, when I heard that my other daughter Michal had fallen in love with David I saw an opportunity to have a member of my family as a spy within David’s house.
Joseph:
You would make your own daughter into a spy?
Paul:
You don’t understand! These are desperate times, requiring desperate measures!
Joseph:
No, you are right, I don’t understand.
Paul:
Don’t judge me, you have no right to judge me! I am the king! I will remain the king! But God through Samuel has chosen David to replace me. Do you realize the ramifications of this? The boy is only a . . . .boy! Whatever would he know about ruling this land?
Joseph:
But you said yourself, David was chosen by God. Seems to me that the matter is closed, yet you are seeking to put a question mark where God has placed a period. Do you not see, my king, if God has chosen David, surely He will also enable David to do his kingly duties.
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 6
scene goes to dark, Joey goes off stage Paul:
You are all against me! All of you! Even my own son, Jonathan has warned David and has helped him escape my justice! But David shall not escape! I shall kill him! I swore an oath that David would not be harmed, but that was then and this is now. He shall die! He shall die! He shall . . .. . ...
Lucy and Joey come back on stage. Lucy:
What is going on in here, why are you screaming Paul?
Joey:
Yeh, and just who is going to die?
Paul:
Joseph, you were here, you know very well that David was out to . . .
Lucy and Joey look at each other, confused Lucy:
Joseph? Who is Joseph?
Joey:
I have a better one. David? Who is David?
Paul:
You were here Joseph, you saw how David was trying to take my crown away from me!
Joey:
Hey, whoa, time out here! The name is Joey, I have no idea who David is, and your crown . . . . . . .?
Paul, shakes his head: It was all a dream, wasn’t it? I dreamed I was King Saul, and Lucy, you were my royal advisor, and Joey, you were Joseph, a person who was hired to make me happy. Joey:
I was hired to make you happy? I hope I was paid really good! . . . .Errr, ooops, sorry, what I meant was that . . . . .
Paul:
I know exactly what You mean Joey. I have been really miserable, haven’t I? Sorry.
Lucy:
Uhhh, Paul, sure you are feeling OK? I was almost sure I heard you say “sorry”.
Paul:
I’m feeling just fine, real great, matter of fact! For the first time in a long time I’m really feeling human.
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 7
Joey:
Should you maybe be sitting down, Paul? Maybe I should get you a glass of milk.
Lucy:
Milk? Why would Paul want a glass of milk?
Joey:
Well, whenever I am acting strange my mom gets me to slow down and have a glass of milk. . . . .Not that you are acting strange or anything, except . . . actually you are acting strange, not at all like your old self.
Paul:
I know what you guys call me behind my back. Moody Blue!
Lucy:
You know that? Hey, we really didn’t mean . . . .. that was mean of us wasn’t it?
Paul:
I deserved all of it and more! I was being a real pain, I wonder why you guys even bothered with me. But, guess what? I learned a lotta things from Old King Saul. Just like Saul, I was jealous. Saul was jealous of David, just like I was jealous of you too.
Joey:
Of us? Why would you be jealous of us? You are the smartest kid in class. You have everything going for you.
Paul:
Just like Saul I always felt inferior. But that’s behind me now! Through that dream I can see that God chose you two for doing certain things, just as he chose David. But God also chose me, just like Saul, and we have important things to do for Him.
Lucy:
So, you are saying that we can set the Moody Blue aside?
Paul:
Nope. Not set aside. Retire. Permanently.
Joey:
Hey, I like that idea. And you realize that we are gonna be watching to be sure Moody Blue doesn’t ever come back!
Joey starts to hum, then sings, Lucy and Paul join in Song:
Night will fall while all around us, Calming breezes soothe our fears As we join in sweet surrender God will guide throughout the years.
Paul puts his arms around Lucy and Joey’s shoulders As we labor in our trials As our fears about us roll We can always be encouraged Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 8
God’s the guardian of our soul. Chorus:
With great joy we sing his praises With great love we speak His name. All may crumble all around us Always Jesus He’s the same.
lights out
Moody Blues© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2001
Page 9
