A puppet skit by Jesse Gardner
You can also download this as a Word document.
Characters:
– Doctor Mad – zany mad scientist in a white lab coat; over the top acting
– Dan – Christian teenager constantly picked on in school
– Tony – Tony has a tender heart and a lot of problems at home, but follows Bully 1 out of peer pressure
– Bully 1 – The ‘leader’ of the pack; pushes everyone around, even Tony
Props:
– Strobe Light/Whoopee Whistle
– Bottle of Potion (Empty Tang Container)
– Red and Blue Lens 3D Glasses
NARRATOR: Wouldn’t it be great to just disappear—invisible to all of our problems, never being made fun of, hidden from hard times? But as our friend Dan is about to learn, running away from problems is never a way to solve them, and hiding at every chance to share the good news of Jesus Christ will always end with sadness. Now join us as Dan makes the most important discovery of all time.
DOCTOR: (Disheveled old man in white lab coat runs onto the upper stage – decorated with a table full of test tubes, etc. – with a bottle of potion in his hands) EUREKA! I HAVE DONE IT! My genius (pronounced jeen-ee-us) will be known by all and soon I will be the most powerful man on earth! MWUHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! (Stops short and looks at the audience) Oh – Ahem – hello there. Didn’t see you there. Ah yes – well, you’re probably wondering two things… who I am and why I am a genius. To answer the first, my name is Doctor Mad; not angry, just mad, good to meet you. Now for question 2, you’ll have to lean in close, because this is TOP SECRET… (Yells) I HAVE INVENTED INVISIBILITY POTION! MWUHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Ahem. Sorry. Got carried away. Where was I? Oh yes – the potion in this vial will make whoever drinks it unseen and unheard. Now, if I could just find someone to test it one… Hm… (Rubs chin)
(Dan up front left. Bullies up front right. Dan comes up looking away from Bullies.)
BULLY 1: Well, will you look who’s here. It’s Dan, Dan the Bible Man, bows his head and folds his hands. (to Dan) Hey DAN, where’s your CHARIOT? (Laughs with Tony)
DAN: (To crowd and self) Oh no – maybe if I ignore them they’ll go away.
TONY: Yeah. Why aren’t you in SUNDAY SCHOOL?
DAN: Look, guys, just leave me alone.
BULLY 1: What’s the matter Dan? We’re not gonna hurt you, we just want to PRAY with you. Heh heh heh.
TONY: Yeah… we wanna PRAY with you.
DAN: Just… just… LEAVE ME ALONE!
BULLY 1: Oh no! Let’s get outta here Tony – he’s might hit us with his BIBLE! See ya later, Dan, Dan, the Bible Man…
TONY: (Exiting) Bows his head and folds his hands. Heh heh.
DAN: (Sighs) Those guys make me so MAD! (Doctor Mad, still rubbing his chin and looking into space, whips around and stares at Dan) It’s so hard being a Christian when everyone makes fun of you. Sometimes I wish I could just disappear… (Doctor Mad looks shocked and exits top stage quickly) Life would be so much better that way. (Doctor Mad enters lower stage hurriedly)
DOCTOR: SAY NO MORE, MY DEAR BOY!
DAN: Who are you?
DOCTOR: Who am I?
DAN: Yes, who are you?
DOCTOR: Who am I?
DAN: YES! Who are…
DOCTOR: (Cutting off Dan) I… am Doctor Mad; not angry, just mad, and have I got a solution for you! With my amazing genius I have developed a never-before-seen Invisibility Potion, which, if I’m not mistaken, is JUST the thing you’re looking for, am I right?
DAN: Well…
DOCTOR: Of course I am! You’re tired of being made fun of, aren’t you?
DAN: (Hesitating) Yes, but…
DOCTOR: And you’d love to walk by those bullies without even a glance, right?
DAN: (Now thoughtful) Yes…
DOCTOR: Then invisibility is for you, my boy! What’s in this bottle will keep people from seeing you, hearing you, but most importantly, making fun of you. One gulp of this potion and your problems will DISAPPEAR! Whad’ya say?
DAN: Well – being invisible would be better than what I’ve been through. (Thinks) Ok – I’ll do it.
DOCTOR: FANTASTIC! Alright – here’s the potion – don’t take it on an empty stomach, don’t operate heavy machinery, and – oh – don’t worry – if you need something, my XJ4000 CU headset (holds up 3D glasses) lets me see and hear you anytime you call…
DAN: Ok, I guess I’ll…
DOCTOR: TA TA, my boy! I’ll… SEE you later! (Doctor Mad laughs crazily and exits)
DAN: Hm… Well – here goes nothing. (Drinks potion)
(At this point, a strange sound effect should start to play (the whistle), the strobe light should be turned on, and Dan begins to move back and forth rapidly, mouth open, yelling. Then, the puppet should be pulled beneath the stage just long enough for the puppet to be slipped off to reveal the puppeteers hand. Dan from this point on is played as just the puppeteer’s hand.)
DAN: Now THAT felt weird. Kinda like a roller coaster and dentist’s drill all in… (Trails off as Bullies enter, talking)
BULLY 1: (Should enter talking as Dan says “roller coaster…”) Look, Tony, you’re scarin’ me! (Turns and looks at Tony) Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about all that God stuff Bible Boy preached at us!
TONY: I dunno. It’s just that he seems so happy all the time.
BULLY 1: He ain’t happy!
DAN: Yes, I am!
BULLY 1: He believes in fairy tales!
DAN: (Louder) I DO NOT!
BULLY 1: We got the good stuff – stealing lunch money, black eyes… and besides, how could you NOT be happy when ya’ got a friend like me?
TONY: (Very sober) I guess…
BULLY 1: (Looks off stage) OH! There goes Susy Derkins… I gotta go collect nerd tax. I’ll be right back. Now THIS is what I call happiness! (Bully 1 exits)
TONY: (To himself) Easy for you to say. Your dad isn’t sick all the time like mine. And I hardly ever get to see my mom ‘cause she works all day. (Sighs) I just wish I could ask Dan what makes him so happy.
DAN: Well, Tony, I’m happy because Jesus is my Savior and I know I’m going to Heaven…
TONY: (Interrupting Dan) But after what I’ve said to him, there’s no chance he’ll ever even talk to me.
DAN: NO! Tony, I do want to talk to you! I want to tell you why I’m so…
BULLY 1: (From offstage) Come on, Tony! Hurry up! I need help with the nerd tax!
DAN: But Tony!
TONY: (To offstage) I’m coming… (Exits)
DAN: WAIT! I want to tell you about Jesus! (Looks around franticly) Doctor Mad? Doctor Mad! (Shouting) Where ARE you?
DOCTOR: (Doctor Mad pops up instantly wearing his ‘headset’) Doctor Mad, here in a jiffy!
DAN: Doctor Mad! I want to change back. I want to be visible again.
DOCTOR: What?! So soon?
DAN: Yes, it’s REALLY important.
DOCTOR: Hm… (Pauses) You’re going to have to consume a special serum made from rehydrated orange crystals.
DAN: What?!
DOCTOR: Tang… (Dan still looks confused) FAKE ORANGE JUICE!
DAN: Oh, right.
DOCTOR: And it just so happens I have some right here. (Doctor Mad whips it up, and Dan reaches for it) But be careful, the change back might make you feel woozy.
DAN: It’s just TANG! (Gulps down the whole bottle then lets it fall.) How bad could it… (Dan giggles a bit, teeters, then falls straight back. At this time, the puppeteer will have time put the Dan puppet back on)
DOCTOR: Oh no! What have I done?! I’ve killed my first patient! (Stops suddenly and rubs head) They’ll come after me and throw me in jail. I’ll spend the rest of my life behind bars! I DON’T WANT TO GO TO JAIL! (Turns frantically, as if looking on the ground for something) Ahhh! Where’s my invisibility potion!? Ahhh! (Exits screaming and running)
DAN: (Dan sits up and moans) Ughhhh…
(Both bullies enter and immediately notice Dan.)
BULLY 1: Uh-oh. (Very sarcastic) Did we interrupt your prayer time Dan?
DAN: Actually, I’m glad you guys are here. There’s something I want to tell you.
BULLY 1: Oh no. I’m not sticking around for one of your sermons. (Turns to leave) Come on, Tony, let’s get out of here before he starts singing hymns. (Tony hesitates) I SAID, come on!
TONY: You go on. I really want to hear what he has to say.
BULLY 1: Oh yippee, now you’re the new Bible Boy. (Very sarcastic) I’ll leave you two to play church. (Exits angrily)
TONY: (Pauses and looks down) Hey Dan, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for…
DAN: I know. Don’t worry about it. And I want to tell you something that I should have told you a long time ago.
TONY: What’s that?
DAN: There is a happiness you can have that doesn’t depend on things going on around you.
TONY: Really? How do I get it?
DAN: Well, you get happiness when you get Jesus. He was sent by God to die on a cross for my sins and for yours; and if you trust Him, He will help you see things you’ve never seen, and He will make you happier than any nerd tax you’ve ever collected.
TONY: I want that, but what do I do?
DAN: Just tell Jesus you want that. We can pray right here and now if you’d like.
TONY: I’d like that a lot.
(Both puppets bow heads; Dan puts his arm on Tony’s shoulder. Salvation invitation should follow this skit. Puppets exit after invitation.)
CLOSING: Doctor Mad had discovered invisibility, but the discovery that Dan and Tony made was so much more important. They discovered that trusting Christ and doing what is right brings true happiness. You too can discover God’s love and happiness just like Tony did by accepting Him as Savior. Tell Jesus what is in your heart. Tell Him you’re a sinner, and ask Him to save you. If you do this and mean it, you too will become a child of God and finally know what true happiness is.
