Drama Team Sketchbook: 12 Scripts That Bring the Gospels to Life

By Alison Siewert and Alison Siewart

Book Overview

We need drama. Drama helps us see ourselves. It makes space for the parts of life that are ambiguous, thrilling, painful, uncertain. It says things to us that we desperately need to hear, and it says them intuitively, by pointing rather than by explaining. Drama helps us see God. The woman at the well comes to know God because she admits who she really is--and in the very next turn, she hears Jesus speak who he really is. Drama speaks prophetically. Theater can ask hard questions by pointing to them on the stage, and we can say things in the context of theatrical dialogue that we would struggle to speak in any other context. Drama shows in a world that tells. It makes big ideas concrete, helping us understand ideas like hypocrisy, forgiveness, sacrifice and love. We need drama in our ministries, in our churches and on our college campuses. We need drama that helps us tell the story of Jesus so that people can hear and respond. In this "sketchbook" Alison Siewert offers twelve scripts of Gospel stories, from the nativity to the resurrection, that will help those who have ears to hear the Word of God.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830832084
• ISBN13: 9780830832088
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: IVP Books
• Length: 111 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

A core resource for our team

I have relied on this handbook over the past 18 months as my husband and I started a drama team at our church. My knowledge of drama technique and skills is limited - but better than my knowledge about how to start a drama team! This handbook helped me to think through the purpose, mission, vision, logistics and other elements of forming a ministry. It also answered my first question, "where do I get good scripts?" Our ministry is off to a great start and I believe this handbook was a critical resource. I recommend it whole-heartedly. My one regret is that the book does not contain drama games or activities - but there are other resources for that. As a ministry handbook it is very thorough and addresses great theological/philosophical questions for Christian actors as well.

A solid resource

My wife and I direct our church's Drama Team, which puts on one 5-10 minute sketch every month, in support of the pastor's sermon. It's tough to find quality resources for Christian drama - sketches that raise key issues, but aren't preachy, advice on how to do quality drama with players of a wide variety of skill levels, and help in keeping the focus of the team on ministry rather than self-aggrandizement. The Drama Team Handbook is a key resource for us. We have read it through, and used parts of it with our team. Alison Siewert and her skilled team have put together a solid tool for anyone interested in quality drama, and especially for people producing Christian drama. And the handbook goes deeper still - probing the philosophy, theology, and theory behind drama. The only thing that keeps me from giving it five stars is Siewert's sometimes breathless and over-emotional writing style, which is sometimes tedious to read. Otherwise, it's a great piece of work, and is highly recommended from this Drama Team leader.