SCENE SIX: “BLASPHEMY”

PREACHER
LEVITICUS, Chapter 24: (SPEAKING PASSIONATELY) And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear us sin, and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him; as well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

And Moses spake to the children of Israel that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones; and the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses. (REPEATING) And the congregation shall surely stone them.

CAST SHOWS INCREASING APPREHENSION AS READING PROGRESSES; BY ITS CONCLUSION, THEY ARE COWERING. ON LAST LINE, PREACHER CASTS THE FIRST STYROFOAM STONE, FOLLOWED BY A SHOWER OF STONES FROM THE CONGREGATION. CAST MEMBERS FALL TO THE GROUND WITH CRIES OF AGONY. PREACHER LEAVES PULPIT AND WALKS AMONG THE FALLEN. ONE BLASPHEMER ATTEMPTS TO RISE; PREACHER MOTIONS TO HER, AND MEMBER OF CONGREGATION COMES FORWARD WITH A COUPLE OF STONES. BLASPHEMER IS DISPATCHED. PREACHER LOOKS AT THE SLAUGHTER, GIVES A SMILE OF SATISFACTION, RAISES HIS EYES TO HEAVEN, AND GIVES A “RIGHT-ON” GESTURE.

MUSIC

CAST RISES FOR CURTAIN CALL. PREACHER IS SHUT OUT OF FIRST BOW, BUT IS ALLOWED IN FOR SECOND BOW.

END

Cliff Ashby – Copyright 2004

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