THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

based on Luke 15:11-32

This is a simple skit and easy for a group to brainstorm ways of acting out the words, different props to use, etc.

CHARACTERS

NARRATOR

HELOISE (THE WILD CHILD)

MOTHERS

GERTRUDE (THE HARD WORKING CHILD)

Narrator: Here’s a story about families. This is a family much like our own church family. Once there was a family with two mothers and two daughters. Gertrude, the older daughter, was hard working, always polite, and volunteered for everything. Heloise, the younger daughter, was more interested in parties and wild times. Anyway, one day the younger daughter, Heloise, came to her mothers and said…

Heloise: Hey Moms, I think you should divide up my sister’s and my inheritance now and give me half. What are you waiting for? I could do all kinds of great things with the money.

Narrator: So the Mothers talked it over and decided to do just that. They divided up the land and money between their two daughters, gave most of the money to Heloise, and the house and the land to Gertrude. Heloise took all her inheritance and took off in search of adventure, which she found in plenty. She went to the big city and, as long as she was throwing lots of wild parties, she had lots of friends.

But soon all her money ran out and she couldn’t throw any more wild parties. When the parties stopped, her new friends deserted her to hang out with other people who still had money. Poor Heloise found herself in bad shape with no place to live and nothing to eat. Finally she got a job working on a farm and feeding pigs. She didn’t make much money to buy food for herself. One day she realized that she was so hungry that the pigs’ food was starting to look pretty yummy. She knew that she had sunk about as low as she could go.

About this time she remembered that her Mothers’ always treated their servants very well and always had enough to eat. So Heloise decided to return home and beg to be taken back as a servant. She was smart enough to know she had blown it as a daughter.

As she came close to her house (which now belonged of course to her sister Gurtrude) both of her Mothers saw her out the window and came running to greet her. Her Mothers saw what a mess Heloise was, and gave her big hugs and kisses. Heloise said to her Mothers:

Heloise: Mom, and Mom, I have screwed up royally. I have sinned against you and God, I’m really sorry. Could I come back and be a servant?

Narrator: But her Moms were so glad that Heloise was back that instead of giving her the maid’s job, they ordered the other servants to bring some of Gurtrude’s best clothes and jewelry to put on Heloise, and they ordered the servants to prepare a big party in honor of Heloise.

Now Gurtrude had been out working, as usual, and when she realized what was going on, she was not a happy camper. In fact, she was furious! She refused to go into the party and stormed around outside until her Mothers came out to ask what was wrong. Gurtrude said…

Gurtrude: What’s wrong? Look, I’ve been a good kid. I never got into trouble. I’ve worked hard. I didn’t go spending all my money on wild times. And now Heloise comes back and you give her a big party! Using cash from my half of the inheritance, I might add. And you ask me what’s wrong?!

Narrator: Her Mothers understood, but they said to Gurtrude…

Mother 1: Honey, you are always with us, and we have given you everything you ever needed.

Mother 2: But your sister was dead to us and now she’s alive, she was lost and now she’s found.

Mothers: We were so happy, that we wanted to have a party to celebrate.

Narrator: Gurtrude still wasn’t a happy camper, but, on the other hand, what could she do? So they celebrated and went on to live, if not happily ever after, at least doing the best they all could. The End.

Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press