Readers Theater: Resurrection

by Anne in Providence

based on John 20:1-18

(Readers do not look at each other. When they are not reading, they keep their eyes lowered to their black folders. Dialogue is spoken with eyes fixed on a single spot over the audience¹s heads. Narration is spoken with eyes slowly roaming the audience.)

1 = Narrator A, Angels 2 = Mary Magdalene 3 = Narrator B 4 = Jesus

Narrator A: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,

Mary Magdalene: They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.

Narrator A: Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.

Narrator B: Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.

Narrator A: The other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Narrator B: But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her,

Narrator A (Angels): Woman, why are you weeping?

Narrator B: She said to them,

Mary Magdalene: They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

Narrator B: When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. He said to her,

Jesus: Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?

Narrator B: Supposing him to be the gardener, she said,

Mary Magdalene: Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.

Narrator B: Jesus said to her

Jesus: Mary!

Narrator B: She turned and said to him in Hebrew,

Mary Magdalene: Rabbouni!

Narrator B: Which means Teacher. Jesus said to her,

Jesus: Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

Narrator B: Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples

Mary Magdalene: I have seen the Lord!

Narrator B: And she told them what he had said to her.

Followed by praise chorus: Jesus! What a wonder you are! You are so gentle, so pure and so kind! You shine like the morning star! Jesus! What a wonder you are!