Summary

A crowd has gathered around a man who is putting boxes on top of each other. The boxes have words written on them, appropriate to the self-made man. He starts in possession of the first smallish box which has the word, SELF, on each side (so that it is visible to the crowd).

Each of the other boxes has a different word and is presented one-by-one by different passers-by who appear from the crowd. The passers-by, who are from different walks of life, approach the self-made man, stop and offer mimed counsel to him. The man takes each box (usually with some eagerness) and places it on top of the previous box. As he builds, he often walks round the tower he has built and admires his handiwork, perhaps even drawing someone from the crowd to highlight what he has achieved.

After the tower of boxes is quite tall and looking a little shaky, an annoyed passer-by (who is in a bit of a hurry) squeezes through the crowd, and inadvertently knocks it over. He stops momentarily, offers his apologies to the self-made man, and then continues on his way. The man is disheartened and drops his head in his hands. One by one the boxes are taken away by interested passers-by. After a few moments, with one knee on the ground, he slowly lifts a fist into the air...

A Man dressed in a white robe appears; his face barely visible, his hands marked with blood. He is carrying a large wrapped box effortlessly. The robed Man touches the clenched fist and opens it. The broken man half-turns but continues to hold his head. The Man puts an arm round his shoulder and gently lifts him to his feet. He presents the man with the box, who proceeds to remove the wrapping with growing excitement. The words on the box are: ROCK. A little puzzled, he looks more closely at the Man and is persuaded to swap his SELF box for the larger ROCK box. The robed Man opens the ROCK box and carefully places the SELF box inside.

Christian friends appear with new boxes. (Practically these are the same boxes, but with different words written on them). They offer them to the new man, who is well-advised to build the temple in the right order of size. The group of friends remain. The robed Man returns, his face shining and fully visible, and His appearance is celebrated by the Christians.

Angelic dancers join in the celebration and encourage the crowd to join in.

Part I - DIY

This part takes about eight minutes for the man to build a tower of boxes representing phases in his life. The focus of the self-made man is to attract the attention of the crowd and show-off to them. The objective in building the tower of boxes (somewhat haphazardly) is to identify with everyone - at least at some stage in their life. From being coy at the beginning through to grabbing what he can at the end, his mood and outlook changes frequently with the music. Gestures are used to provoke humour, and are adapted to suit the crowd and the music. Four girl dancers kneel/lie at the four outside corners near the crowd in preparation for the dance in Part 3.

A youngish-looking man (wearing a baseball cap and slightly hunched) enters the hall/circle carrying a B&QÓ bag with a box inside. He walks round the circle and perhaps introduces himself. He proceeds to the centre (back to the music player) and teases the crowd with what is in the bag.

He takes the square box named SELF, _DI_Y, ME, _SI_N (cue: oh-hoh) out of the bag like a baby who first recognises that he is naked.

He admires each side of the box as he turns it round, an then places it in the centre (cue: you’re so...).

A young athletic girl (dressed in mini-skirt or shorts with a walkman and headphones) walks in (cue: walk right in...) carrying another square box named GO FOR IT!, JUST DO IT!, GET IT!, See the World! and begins to jog around the man and his box. The man notices her and begins to follow her.

As the jog turns to a dance (cue: gotta get up...), he reverses his baseball cap. He flirts with the girl and gets excited at achieving a score. The girl turns and dances with the man and she plays hard to get.

He eagerly takes the box offered by her (cue: ...ride on time), places it on top of his own, and pays increasing attention to the crowd and what he has accomplished with his tower, turning the box full circle - a quarter turn at a time. The annoyed girl, dismayed at his disinterest in her and having lost something, shrugs her shoulders and fades away.

A tall business man moves into the scene carrying a light briefcase, a mobile telephone and another tall box named BEEN THERE!, DONE IT (ALL)!, SEEN THAT!, MADE IT!. The man opens his briefcase and shows his wares to the first man (still moving to the beat).

The self-made man soon sheds his cool image by discarding the baseball cap (cue: I’m goin’ to be the ruler). He stops dancing and combs his hair.

As the dialogue continues, he adopts a smoothie look by removing his tartan shirt to reveal a smart plain-coloured shirt and a bright tie which he tightens (cue: ...can’t wait to be king). He straightens his posture alongside the tall business man and shakes hands on the deal with him.

Then he takes the briefcase and accepts the second box which he places on top of his pile, turning it definitely, full circle. The man also receives a mobile phone (cue: ...can’t wait to be king) before the business man strides off.

He shows off to the crowd his achievements (cue: no-one said do this, no-one...). He circles the crowd like a yuppie salesman, trying to sell the crowd his wares.

A man with a black robe arrives with an award to give to the man. He shows the crowd and presents the man with the small flat award box named [me] 1ST, [look after] No. 1, I did it MY WAY .

Before accepting the award, the man lays down the briefcase and mobile telephone on top of the tower. Both holding the award and shaking hands, they pose together for a photograph taken by someone from the crowd (cue: life is too short...). The crowd claps as the self-made man eagerly takes the award from the man (cue: it’s got to be perfect) . Again, they shake hands. The man walks off with the award and punches the air while the robed man lifts the briefcase and mobile, and walks off.

The self-made man takes the award over to a few people in the crowd to show them his prize more closely. With great pride, he places it on top of his others (cue: ...but I won’t take anything less). He turns it carefully full circle (cue: it’s got to be perfect) , aligning it four times with the box underneath.

A dependent girl in a long dress appears carrying a heavy burden and circles the crowd. She is carrying a wide heavy box named HANG IN!, Broad Shoulders, Keep It Up!, PUSH IT!, The man, facing a mid-life crisis, approaches the girl slowly from behind in fits and starts as the girl turns the box round, full circle (4 cues: ...turn around...).

She finally stops, wipes her brow and notices the man (cue: ...see the look in your eyes). He offers comfort (cue: ...turn around, bright eyes) and she smiles as he tries to hold the box with a bit of a struggle (cue: fall apart). She lets go, but quickly stoops to help him instead (cue: fall apart). He is persuaded by the girl that he can cope (cue: ...together...forever) and eventually she leaves, giving him a wave (cue: ...forever is going to start tonight). .

The man manages to lift the box higher (cue: once upon a time...) , but he seems to be drifting aimlessly back and forth. He is finally relieved to lay the box on top of the others.

While he is still trying to steady the boxes (cue: ...pieces of his life) , guiltily, the man notices his wife strolling by, pushing a pram/buggy with a large cover. The now older-looking man hugs her (cue: ...becomes a wife). As they proceed to encircle the tower (cue: ...another cup of coffee) , the woman removes the cover on the buggy (cue: ...space on the wall) and they both goo! gah! at the large box underneath, named What a LOT I got!, No Turnin’ Back (NO WAY!), Win the LOTTERY (I hope), I don’t need ANYONE.

As she discards the pram, he lifts the awkward (but not heavy) box (cue: ...leaving and the loving), and he turns the box, looking at what he has achieved (cue: ...looking back), and fumbling to hold it carefully (cue: ...hardest part of all). While they continue to encircle the area (cue: ...where are your friends?), he places the box on top of the others (cue: ...where are your children?).

They both pause a moment to admire (cue: ...is this your house?) before continuing round hand-in-hand, waving to the boxes (cue: ...is this your home?). After continuing round, he let’s go of her hand and she fades away (cue: ..does nothing ever last forever?). Disturbed, he pauses and glances back, then shrugs his shoulders (cue: ..does nothing ever last forever?), before continuing round (cue: ..does everybody sleep alone?). At the same time, a young boy passes by and, looking elsewhere, he accidentally knocks into the boxes (cue: ...alone?), and they all fall down. The man rushes to try and stop them falling (cue: ...alone!), but he is too late...

The music stops suddenly...

Part 2 - All Fall Down!

This part takes about three minutes. The objective is to give time for the audience to stop and think while all the boxes are cleared away. The face, hand and body movements emphasise the words of the music. This may be exaggerated in slow motion to retain expectancy in the crowd that there is something more to come!

As the man suddenly realises that his world has fallen in on him. He looks one way. He looks the other way. He looks back at the crowd.

One by one (for five boxes), he watches the boxes being vultured by passers-by from the audience.

There are 5 cues:

He attempts to chase each passer-by (who are intent on kicking the man while he is down). But he is too disheartened to follow through, and he stops to look at the remaining scattered boxes.

After the first two boxes, there is a period of reflection as he walks round the remaining boxes.

After the No. 1 box has been robbed, he quickly grabs his last remaining SELF box (cue: square 1st box ...but how can life ever be the same? (1:40) ).

He looks around in despair (cue: Oh the flowers of indulgence...). He looks again at his SELF box (cue: ...and the weeds of yesteryear...).

Ashamed, he tries to hide his pitiful SELF (cue: ...like criminals they had choked the bread of conscience and good cheer).

He sinks his head in his hands and walks around backing away from the crowd (cue: As the sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way...memory of decay).

He looks again at his SELF box (cue: I gaze into the doorway...) and slowly places it on the floor (cue: ...of temptations angry fate...).

He then continues to walk round the box (cue: and every time I pass that way...) staring at his SELF box in shock, shaking his head in disbelief (cue: ...I always hear my name).

Ultimately, he drops slowly to kneel on the floor (cue: Then, onward in my journey, I come to understand...) with his back to the music player.

Placing his left elbow carefully on the corner of his box, he pulls his hair with his left hand (cue: ...that every hair is numbered...).; the other hand, he thrusts and shakes in the air like a cry for help (cue: ...like every grain of sand).

His raised hand turns to a fist! He freezes...

There is silence for about five seconds.

Part 3 - Rise Up!

This part takes two minutes. The objective is to retain the crowd’s attention in a celebratory dance. The dance enhances a battle of the Spirit, as the man decides to surrender himself to the Man, Jesus.

Representing the wind of the Spirit, four girl dancers begin arm movements slowly on the floor at each corner. A Man appears majestically in a white robe, slowly but effortlessly carrying a very large wrapped box. After laying the box to one side, He moves towards the kneeling man from behind.

From behind, the robed Man reaches out his blood-covered right hand to touch the man’s clenched right fist. The broken man turns his head slightly but continues to hold his head. The robed Man opens the man’s fist.

As the mood of the music quickly changes (0:20), the dancers have arisen, and the robed Man puts an arm round his shoulder and gently lifts him to his feet. After the man stands up, he lifts his small SELF box and hides it shamefully behind his back. The robed Man gestures to trade his large box for the small one. As the music intensifies, the dancers with swirling dresses sway back and forth (like waves of the wind) beckoning towards the broken man.

The robed Man gathers the large box into the centre (at a convenient point in the dance). The dancers continue to swirl back and forth, as the man proceeds to remove the wrapping with growing excitement. The words on the large box are: ROCK (Corner Stone).

The broken man looks at the large ROCK box and contorts his face in puzzlement. He looks at the robed Man and scratches his head. The broken man looks more closely at the Man and is eventually persuaded to swap his small box for the larger one.

As the music climaxes, the new man opens the large ROCK box to find that it is empty.

As the dancers rejoice in the victory, the new man watches with amazement as the robed Man concludes the trade by carefully placing the smaller SELF box inside the large ROCK one.

The four dancers drift backwards quickly at the end of the song and kneel/lie down again on the floor (in readiness for the Finalé).

Part 4 - His Way

This part takes three minutes for the man to rebuild a new temple of boxes. The focus of the new man is to become more involved with the people who appear with new boxes. Throughout this part, the new man looks to Jesus standing at the side. The objective in building the temple is to promote a new way of living to the audience. The music begins thoughtfully as the man begins to rebuild his life. The music changes after the first two foundation boxes which expresses greater confidence. Hugging is used to provoke a sense of belonging to something bigger.

Before the robed Man moves back from the scene, a Christian girl appears with a box (cue: If you build your house...) named FAITH, He did it!, TRUST, Believe Him!.

The Christian girl lays the box to one side and greets the new man with a hug (cue: ...wash you away). The new man looks towards the robed Man who nods towards the ROCK box (cue: If you build your house solid...). The Christian girl offers the box and the man graciously accepts the box, and places the FAITH box carefully on the ROCK box, aligning it in each direction (cue: ...lasts forever). The Christian girl remains and takes an interest in what happens next.

Another Christian man appears, bible in hand (cue: Come to him a living Word...), and carrying a box named TRUTH, ^BRead for Life, GOOD NEWS, The Word of God. The Christian man lays the box to one side and opens the bible and shows a few scriptures (Psalm 127) to the new man (cue: ...precious in God’s sight). As the both of them turn to face the robed Man (cue: ...Jesus as the Cornerstone), the Christian man lifts the TRUTH box and presents this to the new man. The new man takes the TRUTH box, and awaiting approval from the robed Man (cue: Unless the Lord build the house...), he carefully aligns it on top of the FAITH box.

Two more Christians approach the new man (cue: Hear the bells ringing...) with a box each, which they lay to one side:

1. LOVE (always), Forgive others, LOVE is... Kind, Be Patient;
2. PEACE (like a river), Move in His Spirit, PEACE (whatever happens), Praise Him!.

The Christians all greet each other with a hug (cue: Christ is risen from the dead) before offering the boxes to him. The new man looks to the robed Man He puts LOVE first, then PEACE (cue: <instrumental>), ensuring that they are aligned with the Corner Stone box, turning each of them full circle.

As the chorus begins (cue: Joy to the world), they all turn and worship the robed Man. The robed Man steps forward with a smaller box named JOY, Sacrifice, HIS WAY, Obedience, Crown of Life Forever, Crown of Life Everlasting.

The new man humbly drops to his knees as well as everyone else. The new man graciously accepts the box. The robed Man lifts the new man up again (cue: He is risen - 3rd time) gives him a hug and also hugs everyone else.

The new man looks at the words, letting the crowd see as well. The robed Man then helps the new man by placing the JOY box on top of the others (cue: He is risen, risen, risen from the dead). Then everyone follows the robed Man off the scene (before the celebration dance begins).

Finalé - Celebrate

This dance celebrates the rebuilding of the new man’s life, focusing outwards towards the crowd and pointing them upwards to Jesus as the True Way.

The four girl dancers rise up during the instrumental phase and circle the inside of the audience in an outreaching manner.

At times during the dance, the dancers move into the centre and lift upwards to the heavens.

At the end, the dancers follow the lead in a figure of eight, before exiting the hall/centre.

The music fades after 20:00 minutes (in total, on the tape). An alternative is to have the Finalé at the beginning as a crowd-puller.

Players (street cast)

Music

If your school, CU, church or Christian outreach group is interested in using this drama (or aspects of it), please email me