The Keys

                              THE KEYS   
                     
                                   


CAST:
JESUS                                                      GOD                                     
SOLDIERS                                              MESSENGER ANGEL
4 DEMON                                                MARY
LUCIFER(SATAN)                                MARY MAGDALENE
CROWD(CRUCIFIXION)                    DEMON CROWD
HOST OF ANGELS                                DISCIPLES


MUSIC:





















ACT ONE : JESUS IS CRUCIFIED
SCENE ONE:  OPENS WITH THE SOUND OF A BEATING DRUM, SOLDIERS MARCHING AND PEOPLE WEEPING AND SHOUTING.
LIGHTS COME UP ON THE SCENE AS SOLDIERS ARE MARCHING JESUS DOWN THE ROAD .

JESUS IS SEEN CARRYING HIS CROSS AS THE CROWDS SHOUT THINGS AT HIM AND OTHERS ARE WEEPING.



PERSON 1: WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS!
PERSON 2:  BLASPHEMER, TROUBLE MAKER THAT’S ALL HE IS!
PERSON 3: YEA CRUCIFY HIM! CROWD: (SHOUTING)


PERSON 4(WEEPING): MY LORD WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU, YOU PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND. HE IS THE MESSIAH!
PERSON 5 (WEEPING): PLEASE DON’T DO THIS, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING, OH MY GOD, MY GOD!
PERSON 6 (WEEPING): MY LORD, MY LORD WHY? I DON’T UNDERSTAND
WHY!

THE REST OF THE CROWD CONTINUES TO SHOUT WHILE OTHERS WEEP AND REACH OUT TO TOUCH JESUS.

JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS.  AS THE SOLDIERS DRIVE THE NAILS INTO HIS HANDS AND FEET JESUS TURNS HIS HEAD TO THE SKY.

JESUS:  FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.

THE SOLDIER AT JESUS’ FEET DROPS HIS HAMMER AND FALLS TO HIS KNEES IN BEWILDERMENT AND THEN BEGINS TO WEEP.

SOLDIER: OH MY LORD, WHAT HAVE WE DONE. GOD PLEASE FORGIVE ME I DID NOT KNOW.

THE LIGHTS BEGIN TO FADE THE SOUND OF THUNDER ROARS. A SPOT LIGHT SLOWLY COMES UP ON TO JESUS ONLY.

JESUS: (LOOKS TO THE SKY) FATHER WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?                              IT IS FINISHED. (JESUS THEN DROPS HIS HEAD AND DIES.)

THE LIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY.

SCENE TWO:
OPENS WITH THE LIGHTS COMING UP (LIKE THE SUN RISING).
JESUS HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND IS NOW BEING WRAPPED IN BURIAL CLOTHING.

JESUS IS CARRIED TO THE TOMB AND PLACED INSIDE  THE TOMB IS SEALED SHUT.
SOLDIERS ARE STANDING BY TO MAKE SURE NO ONE TAKES JESUS FROM THE TOMB.

      MUSIC


ACT TWO: JESUS TAKES THE KEYS
SCENE ONE:  OPENS WITH THE SOUNDS OF MOANING AND SCREECHING. THE LIGHTS ARE DIM AS THEY COME UP .

A CROWD OF DEMONS ARE SEEN LAUGHING AND CELEBRATING.

DEMON 1:  JESUS IS DEAD! JESUS IS DEAD! WE SHOWED THEM !

DEMON 2:  YEA RIGHT SON OF MAN IF HE WAS TRULY WHO HE SAID HE WAS WHY DIDN’T HE JUST COME DOWN OFF THE CROSS AND PROVE IT!

DEMON 3:  DID YOU SEE ALL THOSE PEOPLE CRYING (Laugh) I BET THEY’RE STILL CRYING (SARCASTICALLY) O BOO HOO JESUS IS DEAD WELL YOU KNOW WHAT? I’M GLAD HE’S DEAD.

DEMON 4: YEA! HE MADE TROUBLE FOR US WHILE HE WAS ALIVE, MADE US LOOK IGNORANT, WELL I’M GLAD HE’S DEAD TOO.

DEMON 5: (JUMPING UP AND DOWN) CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! WE DID IT! WE KILLED THE SO CALLED MESSIAH!

SMOKE RISES AND THE SOUND OF THUNDER BOOMS WHILE THE DEMONS ARE STILL CHEERING AND CELEBRATING

LUCIFER ENTERS WITH LOUD (LIKE THUNDER)FOOTSTEPS, PUSHING DEMONS OUT OF HIS WAY
WITH ANGER IN HIS VOICE

SATAN: WHY ARE YOU CELEBRATING? WE HAVE DONE NOTHING YET!

DEMON 1: BUT MASTER HE IS DEAD. DIDN’T YOU SEE HIM HANGING THERE ON THE CROSS? DIDN’T YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE WEEPING? DIDN’T WE SEE THEM WRAP HIM AND PUT HIM INSIDE THE TOMB?

SATAN: (WITH EXASPERATION IN HIS VOICE) YES I SAW AND I HEARD ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT ALL THAT MEANS NOTHING! DON’T YOU KNOW ANYTHING? IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT HE WILL RAISE UP FROM THE DEAD IN THREE DAYS, SO WE NEED TO WAIT AND ON THE FOURTH DAY WHEN WE ARE SURE HE IS DEAD THEN AND ONLY THEN WE WILL CELEBRATE! NOW GO AND WATCH FOR SIGNS OF HIM. (WAVES HIS HAND )  LEAVE ME!!

DEMONS: (IN UNISON AND BOWING) YES MASTER.


AS THE DEMONS BEGING TO MOVE AWAY SATAN SITS IN A CHAIR HE IS NERVOUS AS HE WATCHES ALL AROUND HIM.

SCENE TWO:

LIGHT APPEARS AT THE OTHER END OF THE STAGE AS JESUS BEGINS TO SLOWLY MAKE HIS WAY INTO THE DEPTHS OF HELL.

AS JESUS WALKS THROUGH DEMONS BEGIN TO BACK AWAY WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT WHY HE IS THERE.

DEMON 6:  WHO’S THAT? (WITH SURPRISE) WHAT’S HE DOING HERE?

DEMON 7: HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! WHY IS HE HERE?

DEMON 8: LOOK EVERYBODY! LOOK AT MASTER! HE LOOKS TERRIFIED. THAT CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR US.

DEMON 4:  DO YOU THINK HE HAS COME TO DESTROY US? (SHRINKS BACK IN FEAR).

DEMON 2: NO WAY HE COULD DO THAT. THERE IS ONLY ONE OF HIM AND LOOK AT ALL OF US!

DEMON 7: YEA! BUT LOOK AT HIM. THE POWER THAT RADIATES OFF OF HIM IS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME WANT TO RUN.


UPON JESUS’ APPROACH SATAN RISES FROM HIS CHAIR AND STARES UNBELIEVEINGLY.

SATAN: (WITH FEAR IN HIS VOICE) WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHY HAVE YOU COME?

JESUS STANDS BEFORE SATAN AND LOOKS HIM IN THE EYES. HE HOLDS OUT HIS HAND.

SATAN: NO! NO! YOU CAN’T HAVE THEM! THEY BELONG TO ME!

JESUS: (VERY STONGLY) LUCIFER GIVE ME WHAT I HAVE COME FOR! THEY ARE NO LONGER YOURS. YOU KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME!

SATAN: NO I SAID YOU CAN’T HAVE THEM!

JESUS: LUCIFER GIVE ME THE KEYS!!

SATAN DROPS HEAD IN DEFEAT REACHES AROUND HIS CHAIR AND BRINGS OUT A LARGE KEY RING WITH 3 KEYS ON IT. HE HOLDS THE KEYS BY HIS SIDE AND LOOKS BACK AT JESUS.

JESUS: (REACHES OUT HIS HAND FOR THE THIRD TIME) NOW SATAN!

SATAN PLACES THE KEYS IN HIS HAND AND SINKS BACK INTO HIS CHAIR DEFEATED.
JESUS PLACES A CHAIN THROUGH THE KEY RING AND HANGS THEM AROUND HIS NECK. HE THEN TURNS AND WALKS OUT OF HELL AS THE LIGHTS FADE TO COMPLETE DARKNESS.

ACT THREE: JESUS TALKS WITH GOD
SCENE ONE:

SCENE OPENS WITH A SOFT GLOW OF LIGHT GRADUALLY BECOMING BRIGHTER. JESUS MAKES HIS WAY DOWN AN AISLE WITH ANGELS ON BOTH SIDES TO A THRONE THAT IS SURROUNDED BY A HOST OF ANGELS AND SEATED ON THE THRONE IS GOD.

GOD STANDS AND MEETS JESUS ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE AISLE AND THE TWO EMBRACE.

GOD: MY SON, MY SON! COME SIT AND TALK WITH ME.

JESUS: FATHER, I HAVE DONE AS YOU ASKED, I HAVE BEEN TO HELL AND COME BACK THE VICTOR, I HAVE RETRIEVED THE KEYS OF DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE FROM LUCIFER.

JESUS REACHES AROUND HIS NECK AND REMOVES THE CHAIN THEN HANDS THEM TO GOD.

GOD:  (TAKES THE KEYS, THEN REACHES OUT HIS HAND AND TAKES JESUS BY HIS HAND.) THANK YOU SON. I KNOW IT WASN’T EASY AND I AM SORRY YOU HAD TO SUFFER.

JESUS: FATHER, DO NOT APOLOGIZE. IT WAS A PRIVILAGE TO GO AND SERVE YOU IN THIS WAY. I KNEW BEFORE I WENT WHAT HAD TO HAPPEN AND I WENT WILLINGLY. NOW ALL WHO WANT TO KNOW YOU CAN, BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR THEM, EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO SERVE YOU CAN DO SO.

GOD: THE JOURNEY YOU HAVE TRAVELED HAS BEEN A LONG ONE AND IT IS NOT YET COMPLETE.  I AM SO PROUD OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR. I AM SO HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN JEW AND GENTILE, MAN AND WOMAN, THE WEAK AND POOR, MY LOVE FOR THEM. AND NOW BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND THE LIFE YOU LED WHILE YOU WERE AMONG THEM THEY CAN COME BEFORE ME SPOTLESS.

JESUS: YES FATHER THEY CAN. THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME.

QUIET FILLS THE AIR AS THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN COME AND TEND TO JESUS CLOTHING HIM IN NEW GARMENTS. SOFTLY MUSIC BEGINS TO FILL THE AIR.

GOD STANDS UP WITH THE KEYS IN HIS HAND AND WALKS OVER TO WHERE JESUS IS.

  GOD: SON, TAKE THESE KEYS AND HOLD ON TO THEM UNTIL THE TIME
COMES WHEN WE WILL LOCK LUCIFER AND HIS FOLLOWERS AWAY FOREVER.

JESUS: YES FATHER.

GOD:  THE TIME HAS COME, YOU MUST NOW GO BACK AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT IT WAS I WHO SENT YOU, THAT YOU ARE MY SON AND THEIR SAVIOR.

THE TWO EMBRACE

GOD:IN 40 DAYS YOU WILL RETURN TO ME AND SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND UNTIL THE DAY I SEND YOU TO BRING ME MY PEOPLE.

JESUS TAKES THE KEYS AND HANGS THEM AROUND HIS NECK ONCE MORE HE THEN TURNS AND WALKS BACK DOWN THE AISLE .

THE LIGHTS BEGIN FADING OUT AS JESUS IS WALKING.

ACT FOUR: JESUS RAISES FROM THE DEAD
SCENE ONE:  ( MATTHEW 28: 1-10)

SCENE OPENS WITH MARY MAGDALENE AND THE OTHER MARY WALKING TOWARDS THE TOMB. THE TOMB IS OPEN AND THE GUARDS ARE STANDING THERE FROZEN IN FEAR.

AS THE WOMEN APPROACH THE TOMB AN ANGEL APPEARS TO THEM.

ANGEL: DO NOT BE AFRAID, FOR I KNOW YOU SEEK JESUS. HE IS NOT HERE. ! HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD! COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES THAT THE TOMB IS EMPTY. THE GO QUICKLY AND TELL HIS DICIPLES THAT HE IS ALIVE AND IS GOING BEFORE INTO GALILEE, THERE YOU WILL SEE HIM.

THE WOMEN TURN QUICKLY TO LEAVE, AS THEY ARE MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE DICIPLES THEY MEET JESUS ON THE ROAD. THE WOMEN FALL TO THEIR KNEES WITH TEARS OF JOY IN THEIR EYES AND BEGIN TO WORSHIP HIM.

JESUS: (REACHES DOWN AND LIFTS THEIR HEADS UP) REJOICE AND DO NOT FEAR. GO AND TELL MY BROTHERS TO GO TO GALILEE AND THERE THEY WILL SEE ME.

THE TWO WOMEN EMBRACE JESUS ANDGO OFF TO TELL THE DICIPLES WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN.

SCENE TWO:

GALILEE: THE DICIPLES ARE WHERE JESUS TOLD THEM TO GO, THEY ARE TALKING AMONGST THEMSELVES IN FEAR AND DISBELIEF AS THEY WAIT FOR JESUS TO ARRIVE.

DISCIPLE 1: COULD IT REALLY BE HIM?

DISCIPLE 2: I DON’T KNOW, BUT I HOPE SO.

DISCIPLE 3: HE SAID HE WOULD RETURN TO US, AND I BELIEVE HE IS COMING.

DISCIPLE 4:  LOOK! LOOK! THERE HE IS ! COMING DOWN THE ROAD!

OTHER DISCIPLES: WHERE? WHERE? WE SEE HIM!
MY LORD MY LORD! YOU ARE ALIVE!

AS JESUS APPROACHES THE DICIPLES THEY SEE HIM COMING AND FALL TO THEIR KNEES WORSHIPPING HIM.

MUSIC