Tell the Good News!

This is a very short simple Nativity pageant that includes traditional Christmas carols and several suggestions
to make it even simpler!

Preparation: minimal

Cast/Characters: 4 adults plus children for angels, shepherds and sheep

• John (a young man) angels (any number)
• Mary (a young woman, she looks pregnant) shepherds (any number)
• Elizabeth (an older woman, she looks pregnant) sheep (any number – no speaking parts)
• Joseph

Scenes: 5 (3pp)

Main Props: Costumes, Nativity scene

Staging: If possible, darken the area where the pageant will take place. Two simple spotlights – one on the narrator,
John, and the other on the action, will help set the transition between scenes. If this is not possible, a curtain could be
drawn, or John could simply step forward to speak, and step aside when not speaking, to provide transition.

Scene 1
(John enters, stands in a spotlight.)
John: Hello, my name is John, and I come from the Bible. Some called me the Baptist, some called me the
Baptizer, some called me a prophet. King Herod called me some nasty names that I can’t repeat
here. But my friends just called me John.
Oh yeah, and some people thought I was the Messiah, too – you know, God’s chosen one. But I
wasn’t. I came to tell people about him.
I came to tell people to turn their lives around. I invited them to wash away all the bad things they
had done, and get ready to change their lives. I knew that when Jesus began his ministry, great
things would happen. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Long, long, long ago – way before my time – things were not good for many people. They wondered
if maybe God had forgotten them. But God hadn’t forgotten, and God sent many prophets
– young, old, men, women – to tell the people that they were not forgotten.
Then one day, God decided to do something different. God decided to come to earth, and live as
a human being.
An angel came to a young girl called Mary, and told her that she would have a baby, God’s Messiah.
Mary was pretty confused by all of this, but she said yes. And then she went off to visit my
mother, who was also going to have a baby (me!). People thought my mother was too old to have
a baby, and that Mary was too young. But nothing is impossible with God!

Scene 2
(John’s spotlight fades; light comes up on Elizabeth, seated; Mary enters.)
Mary: Elizabeth!
Elizabeth: Oh, Mary! How good to see you! (They embrace. Elizabeth puts her hand to her abdomen.) I think
my baby is glad you are here, too! (The two women sit down.)
Mary: Oh, Elizabeth – something amazing has happened.
Elizabeth: I know!