Consider These Things

OVERVIEW:

Commitment to ministry should be an element of each Christian’s personal walk. However, effective Christian ministry requires that we become involved in the lives of those around us. There are risks attached to such a commitment. In this drama, a Christian counselor has devoted so much of himself to mending the lives of troubled families that he does not realize that his own family’s needs are being neglected. Will Dr. Silvers recognize the problem under his own roof before it is too late? Is it possible you are making the same mistake? This does not mean you need to abandon your ministry, but you may need to stop long enough to Consider These Things.

 CAST Of CHARACTERS

v DR. SILVERS.…………….. Counselor
v DOROTHY SILVERS…….. Wife of Dr. Silvers
v DEBBIE SILVERS………... Daughter of Dr. Silvers
v ALEX SILVERS…………… Younger brother of Debbie
v MRS. ANITA NEWSOME.. Secretary of Dr. Silvers
v LARRY DEVANE…………. Counseling candidate
v SHEILA DEVANE………… Counseling candidate
v TABITHA DEVANE………. Daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Devane
v DALTON DEVANE……….. Son of Mr.& Mrs. Devane
v ROBERT ADELMAN……... Counseling candidate
v SALLY ADELMAN………... Counseling candidate
v DANNY BECKER………… Counseling candidate
v LORI BECKER……………. Counseling candidate
v CHUCK BILLINGS……….. Counseling candidate
v MARY BILLINGS…………. Counseling candidate
v LEANNE BILLINGS………. Daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Billings
v TRAVIS BILLINGS……….. Son of Mr.& Mrs. Billings
v TWO ADULT FEMALES…. Friends of Dorothy Silvers
v SEVERAL PEOPLE……… In the auditorium

SCENE 1 – Dr. Silverman’s office & Reception area (stage split with lighting)
SCENE 2 – Dr. Silverman’s office & Middle school auditorium (stage split with lighting)
SCENE 3 – Dr. Silverman’s office & Reception area (stage split with lighting)

PROPS:
*Two desks
*Two desk phones
*Two desk chairs
*Two patient chairs
*Four waiting room chairs
*Large wall clock (can be 3 props showing 10:05 ;5:55; 7:00)
*Appointment book
*Fedora (hat)
*Trench coat
*Reading glasses
*File folder
*Wristwatch
*Two rows of folding chairs
*Cell Phone
*Purse
*Honors ribbon
*Briefcase

*************************************************************************************************

Excerpts from the play “Consider These Things”

    SCENE I

SETTING: At stage left is the office of Dr. Silvers. On each side of Dr. Silvers’ desk are two patient chairs. The office is dark and unoccupied. At stage right is the reception area and the desk of the Mrs. Anita Newsome, who is Dr. Silvers’ secretary. There is a large clock on the wall that reads 8:40 and below the clock are four waiting room chairs. As the lights come up, Mrs. Newsome is seated at her desk busily working.

(Dr. Silvers hurriedly enters from stage right).

Dr. Silvers: Good morning, Mrs. Newsome.

(Mrs. Newsome pops up from her desk with the appointment book and follows Dr. Silvers into his office, knowing that he will not stop).

Mrs. Newsome: Good morning, Dr. Silvers.

(Dr. Silvers stops and hands his fedora to Mrs. Newsome and then begins to shed his trench coat as he enters his office. Lights come up in Dr. Silvers’ office as enters)

Dr. Silvers: What exciting things have we got going on today?

Mrs. Newsome: (As she adjusts her reading glasses and opens her appointment book). We have quite a full schedule today, sir. (Looking to her book). First appointment is Mr. and Mrs. Devane.

~~~~~~~~~another excerpt

Dr. Silvers: Robert, why do you work?

Robert: What do you mean, why do I work? I just told you. If I don’t do it, it does not get done.

Dr. Silvers: No, I mean what is the objective? What is the ultimate goal? What do you want to achieve? What is your purpose?

Robert: (Hesitates as he thinks for a short while). Security, for one thing. Financial security. Maybe some of the nice things in life, you know, for Sally and the kids. It takes money to operate a family.

Sally: You don’t OPERATE a family.

Dr. Silvers: (Wanting to maintain control). Sally, what is your desire, your ultimate goal? What do you hope to achieve?

Sally: I want a healthy family life. I want a home where both parents are involved in their children’s lives (pause) where daddy reads bible stories and bed time stories too. Robert, I know you have a business to run. You have worked hard and done a good job. You SHOULD be proud of the business you have built. I am proud of you, but the business is large enough to support us now. We don’t need more business. Don’t miss out on the one chance you will have to raise your children, for the sake of more business…or even for nice things. We don’t need them.

Dr. Silvers: You both have some good goals. Robert you want to provide for your family and Sally you want a more mutual involvement in home life. These are excellent goals for your family and somewhere in between these two is a reasonable, secure and Godly balance. What we need to do in these sessions is to work…I repeat, work to achieve that balance.