The First nowell, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.<
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far
To seek for a King was their intent
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
This star drew nigh to the northwest
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both pause and stay
Right o’er the place where Jesus lay.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell<
Born is the King of Israel!
Then entered in those Wise men three
Full reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
Then let us all with one accord<
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell
Born is the King of Israel!
North, East, South, West.
Use polite questions when asking directions. e.g. “Please can you tell me the way to the Tower of London?” Answer will be given using the imperative form in order to list the directions such as “take a left, go straight on” etc…
On the corner.
On the left.
On the right.
Straight on/straight ahead.
Opposite to…………….
Near to the traffic lights.
Go east/west/north/south on……………….
Please could you tell me how to get to the nearest bank?
Yes cross the road at the traffic lights. Do you see them?
Yes. Where do I go from there?
Turn left and you will find the bank a hundred meters on your right
Work in Pairs
Describe how to get from the museum to the post office
How do you get from the post office to the police station?
Turn right from the post office and go straight along Pine Street and turn left again at the second cross-roads
Divide into 4 Groups and create a conversation about meeting for supper.
Ask the students: There are many possible answers.
“What’s the weather like today?” “Is it rainy in the winter?” “What’s the weather like in the autumn?” (British English) “What’s the weather like in the fall? “(American English). “What is shining?” “What is blowing?” “What kind of a day is it?”. There can be many answers to the last question.
“Where does it snow?” “Why do you have an umbrella?” “When do you slip?” “Why did the shepherds go to Bethlehem?” “What did they follow?” “How will you travel to the USA?” “Who works in a hospital?” Get the students to make more questions using these words: who, what, why, where, when, how.
Which student can write the days of the week fastest? Divide the students into groups. Which group can recite or write the days of the week fastest? Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Which student can write the months of the year fastest? Divide the students into groups. Which group can recite or write on the whiteboard/blackboard the months of the year fastest? January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
| ACTORS | ACTORS |
COSTUMES |
PROPS SCENERY |
MUSIC SOUND EFFECTS |
| Narrator | Caspar | Mary, Joseph house owners have simple Arab dress. | House owners’ doors to knock on | Nowell carol |
| Angel Gabriel | Melchior | Gabriel has long white clothes and wings. | Straw for the stable. | |
| Mary | Balthasar | The shepherds can have sheep skins | Perhaps a manger for baby Jesus | Magical music effect for angel’s appearance |
| Joseph | Caesar | The Magi have crowns and rich garments | Gold | |
| House owner 1 | Herod | Cow costumes | Incense sticks for frankincense | |
| House owner 2 | Scribe | Donkey costumes | a bottle of perfume for myrrh | |
| House owner 3 | NON SPEAKING | Sheep costumes | ||
| House owner 4 | cows | |||
| Shepherd | donkeys | |||
| Shepherd 2 | sheep | |||
| Shepherd 3 | Caesar’s officials | |||
| Herod’s sodiers |
See how many artists have been inspired by the birth of Jesus. Encourage your students too to paint and draw pictures we can put on the website.
All great artists started as children.
Encourage the children to learn their parts but also to improvise and modify. This should give them confidence and spontaneity.
They can practise and try out characters by themselves or with their family. Later you can audition them. They may find it helpful to listen to the reading.
| Setting | COUNTRYSIDE |
| Characters | Narrator, Angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph. |
| Character | Script |
| THERE IS A BACKDROP OF PALESTINIAN COUNTRYSIDE | |
| NARRATOR | We present the story of Christmas as told by Christians for two thousand years. The word Christmas – Christ’s Mass -comes from the name of Jesus Christ. |
| (MARY ENTERS. SHE IS A BEAUTIFUL SIXTEEN YEAR OLD, SIMPLY DRESSED.) | |
| NARRATOR | Mary was an ordinary young woman. |
| (MAGICAL MUSIC. THE ANGEL APPEARS. THE ANGEL HAS WINGS. MARY IS SCARED.) | |
| NARRATOR | So she was surprised when an Angel appeared and spoke to her. |
| ANGEL GABRIEL | Don’t be frightened Mary. . God is very pleased with you. |
| MARY | What does He want with me? |
| ANGEL GABRIEL | You will give birth to a son. You will call him Jesus. |
| MARY | I don’t understand. I am not yet married – I am a virgin. How can I have a son? |
| ANGEL GABRIEL | The Holy Spirit will come. And his power will give you a baby. People will call him the Son of God. |
| MARY | I am a servant of God. I believe it will happen as you say. |
| (THE ANGEL LEAVES THE STAGE. JOSEPH ENTERS.) | |
| NARRATOR | Mary was very excited. She told Joseph – the man she was about to marry – all about it. |
| MARY | I saw an angel. He told me I will have a baby son. |
| JOSEPH | How can you have a son? |
| MARY | The angel told me it will be by the power of God. |
| JOSEPH | I love you and I believeyou. |
| MARY | Thank you Joseph. I love you too. |
| (AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS MARY AND JOSEPH LEAVE THE STAGE. OFF STAGE MARY CAN TIE A CUSHION BENEATH HER DRESS SO SHE LOOKS PREGNANT.) | |
| NARRATOR | So Mary became pregnant. |
| Scene 2 | |
| Setting | CAESAR’S PALACE |
| Characters | Narrator, Caesar, Officials. |
| (THE EMPEROR CAESAR AUGUSTUS AND HIS OFFICIALS ENTER) | |
| NARRATOR | At that time the country where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. Caesar Augustus was the Emperor. |
| CAESAR | I want to know how many provinces, cities, fortresses, villages, and men I possess. So I have decided that all the men in my Empire shall go to the town or village where their families came from. They will register their names there |
| (CAESAR AND HIS OFFICIALS LEAVE) | |
| Scene 3 | |
| Setting | A ROAD IN BETHLEHEM |
| Characters | Narrator, Joseph, 4 House owners, Mary |
| NARRATOR | So after nine months, just before she gave birth Joseph and Mary had to go on a journey to the town of Bethlehem. |
| MARY AND JOSEPH RE-ENTER THE STAGE. | |
| NARRATOR | They knocked on many doors asking for somewhere to stay. |
| (WE SEE THEM MIMING KNOCKING ON DOORS. THEY SAY “KNOCK” “KNOCK”) | |
| (A HOUSE OWNER ENTERS AND MIMES OPENING A DOOR. ) | |
| JOSEPH | Can we stay here? |
| HOUSE OWNER 1 | Sorry there’s no room here. |
| (MARY AND JOSEPH CROSS TO ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE. AND SAY “KNOCK” “KNOCK”, MIMING KNOCKING AT ANOTHER DOOR. ANOTHER HOUSE OWNER ENTERS AND MIMES OPENING THE DOOR.) | |
| MARY | Can we stay here, please? |
| HOUSE OWNER 2: | Sorry, we’re full. |
| (MARY AND JOSEPH CROSS TO ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE. AND SAY “KNOCK” “KNOCK”, MIMING KNOCKING AT ANOTHER DOOR. ANOTHER HOUSE OWNER ENTERS AND MIMES OPENING THE DOOR.) | |
| JOSEPH | Can we stay here? My wife is expecting a baby. |
| HOUSE OWNER 3 | I’m very sorry dear.. |
| Scene 4 | |
| Setting | STABLE |
| Characters | Narrator, Two donkeys, two cows, Joseph, 4th House owner, Mary, Joseph, Singing children |
| Sound Effects | Donkey sounds, Cow sounds, Children singing: “Away in a manger” |
| (FOUR CHILDREN AS TWO DONKEYS AND TWO COWS CRAWL ONTO THE STAGE AROUND THE STRAW. THEY MAKE COW AND DONKEY SOUNDS. MARY AND JOSEPH CROSS TO THAT PART OF THE STAGE. AND SAY “KNOCK” “KNOCK”, MIMING KNOCKING AT THAT DOOR. ANOTHER HOUSE OWNER ENTERS AND MIMES OPENING THE DOOR. SHE/HE NOTICES THAT MARY IS PREGNANT.) | |
| MARY | Can we stay here? |
| HOUSE OWNER 4 | I’m so sorry. All my rooms are full, but I can offer my stable, where we keep all the animals. |
| JOSEPH | Thank you so much, we’ll take it. |
| MARY | Thank you. At last we have somewhere! |
| (MARY JOINS THE ANIMALS, LIES DOWN AND GIVES BIRTH. SHE USES A BOBY DOLL AND MANAGES TO HIDE THE CUSHION AS THE ANIMALS CROWD ROUND TO SEE.) | |
| NARRATOR | Mary gave birth to Jesus, the son of God, in a stable. |
| (JOSEPH TAKES THE BABY FROM HER) | |
| JOSEPH | It’s a boy! |
| (HE HANDS IT BACK TO MARY.) | |
| MARY | Oh, the darling. |
| (SHE LAYS HIM IN A MANGER.) | |
| NARRATOR | There was a no bed in the stable, so she laid him in a manger among the straw that cattle feed from. |
| (A GROUP OF CHILDREN ENTER AND SING “AWAY IN A MANGER”) | |
| CHILDREN SING | Away
in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay, The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay. |
| The
cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes. I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky. And stay by my side until morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me for ever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care And take them to heaven, to live with thee there. |
|
| (THE CHILDREN LEAVE) | |
| Scene 5 | |
| Setting | SHEPHERD’S FIELD |
| Characters | Narrator, Three shepherds, two or more sheep, second angel, |
| Sound Effects | Magic music, baa baa from sheep |
| (ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE THREE SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP APPEAR) | |
| NARRATOR | Meanwhile, in some fields nearby, a group of shepherds were looking after their sheep. |
| (MAGICAL MUSIC. ANOTHER ANGEL APPEARS) | |
| NARRATOR | It was night-time, and they were surprised – to see an angel of the Lord appear in front of them. |
| (SHEPHERDS BACK AWAY FROM THE ANGEL, SCARED) | |
| ANGEL 2 | Do not be afraid. I bring you news of great joy. Good news for people across the world. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born. You will find a baby lying in a manger. God wants you to go and worship him. |
| SHEPHERD 1 | How shall we find him? |
| ANGEL 2 | Follow that star. |
| (A STAR HAS APPEARED ABOVE THE STAGE. IT IS PROBABLY ON A STRING SO THAT IT HAS BEEN MOVED THERE AND CAN BE PULLED TOWARDS THE STABLE), PERHAPS USING BLACK – UNSEEN – COTTON. | |
| (THE ANGEL LEAVES) | |
| SHEPHERD 2 | What shall we do? |
| SHEPHERD 3 | Let’s follow the star to Bethlehem. |
| SHEEP | Baa! |
| (THE STAR BEGINS TO MOVE. THE SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP BEGIN TO FOLLOW IT.) | |
| SHEPHERD 1 | Yes, then we can see what has happened. |
| SHEPHERD 2 | I want to see what the angel has told us. |
| SHEEP | Baa! Baa! |
| (FOLLOWED BY THE SHEEP CROSS THE STAGE) | |
| Scene 6 | |
| Setting | THE STABLE |
| Characters | Narrator, three shepherds, sheep, Mary, Joseph, two donkeys, two cows, Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar |
| Sound Effects | Magic music, baa baa from sheep |
| (THE SHEPHERDS KNEEL IN FRONT OF MARY AND THE BABY JESUS MARY HOLDS THE BABY OUT TO THEM) | |
| NARRATOR | They found the stable where the young couple were – and knelt in front of the baby in the manger. |
| (BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE STAGE THEY ANNOUNCE TO THE AUDIENCE) | |
| SHEPHERD 3 | Hooray. The King of Heaven is born. |
| SHEPHERD 1 | You will find him in a stable amid the animals. |
| SHEPHERD 2 | In the town of Bethlehem |
| (THE SHEPHERDS SHEEP, MARY, JOSEPH, TWO DONKEYS, TWO COWS LEAVE THE STAGE. THE MANGER, ETC IS ALSO REMOVED) | |
| NARRATOR | The shepherds told everybody that they heard the King of heaven had been born in a poor stable amid animals. |
| THE THREE KINGS APPEAR DURING THE NARRATOR’S NEXT SPEECH | |
| NARRATOR | Meanwhile several months earlier three wise kings from the East had also been told that the Son of God would be born in that country…They thought he would become the King of the Jews. They too followed a star. |
| (THE THREE KINGS LEAVE) | |
| Scene 7 | |
| Setting | KING HEROD’S PALACE |
| Characters | Narrator, Herod, Scribe, Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar |
| (KING HEROD WALKS ONTO THE STAGE WITH A SCRIBE) | |
| NARRATOR | When King Herod who was then King of the Jews heard about this he was worried. |
| HEROD | (ANGRY AND SARCASTIC) Where will this “Son of God” be born? |
| SCRIBE | It is written by the prophet: Out of you Bethlehem shall come the King of the Jews. |
| HEROD | Indeed!!? (PAUSE) Invite the three Kings from the East to come in. |
| SCRIBE | Very well your Majesty. |
| (HE LEAVES AND RETURNS WITH THE THREE KINGS. THEY BOW TO HEROD AND HE BOWS BACK.) | |
| HEROD | Welcome your Majesties |
| THREE KINGS | Thank you |
| HEROD | I understand that you followed a star here. |
| MELCHIOR | That’s right |
| HEROD | Where is it guiding you? |
| CASPAR | To see the child who will be a holy king. |
| HEROD | Where is that? |
| BALTHAZAR | We shall follow it and find out, your Majesty. |
| HEROD | Please return and tell me when you have seen the child, that I also may adore him. |
| (THEY BOW AND LEAVE. HEROD AND THE SCRIBE LEAVE TOO. THE NARRATOR ENTERS.) | |
| Scene 8 | |
| Setting | THE STABLE |
| Characters | Narrator, Mary, Joseph, two donkeys, two cows, Melchior, Caspar, Balthazar, Angel |
| Sound Effects | Magic music. |
| MARY, BABY JESUS DOLL ARE PRESENT, JOSEPH, TWO DONKEYS, TWO COWS, | |
| NARRATOR | Twelve days after Christmas on the feast day known as Epiphany they found the baby. They brought him presents. And they too worshipped Baby Jesus, the King of Heaven. |
| (THE THREE WISE KINGS ENTER THE STABLE AND KNEEL BEFORE MARY AND JESUS. THEY PLACE THEIR PRESENTS BEFORE THE BABY IN THE MANGER) | |
| MELCHIOR | Because you are the King of Kings, I bring you gold. |
| CASPAR | Because you are the Son of God, I bring you frankincense. |
| BALTHAZAR | Because you are the Saviour of the world, I bring you myrrh. |
| NARRATOR | After that the three wise kings also spread the good news. |
| (THE WISE KINGS LEAVE) | |
| NARRATOR | But they did not return to King Herod. |
| Scene 9 | |
| Setting | KING HEROD’S PALACE |
| Characters | Narrator, Herod, Soldiers |
| Sound Effects | Weeping and wailing of mothers |
| (KING HEROD ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE. HE IS FOLLOWED BY SOLDIERS WITH SPEARS. HE IS VERY ANGRY.) | |
| HEROD | Kill all the boys in the country who are two years old and under. |
| (THE SOLDIERS RUN OFF THE STAGE. HEROD ALSO LEAVES.) |
You can find the full script of The Birth of Jesus.
Encourage your students to submit their ideas and images of The Birth of Jesus. The best pictures will go on the website.
If they wish we shall add their names, school and / or country.
We have advice on the use of music in plays and particularly the music of the great classical composers and of film music. Have a listen !
