Passover Play - a ten minute script for all ages

Haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning
Family

Here is a kid and adult friendly alternative to for the Maggid section (the Passover story section) of the Haggadah. This short play/skit is in the style of "sedra scenes" -- a contemporary take which makes the story current but stays true to the Exodus narrative. I've written it for large crowds -- so there are 13 parts, but if you have a smaller gathering you can easily double up.

LET MY PEOPLE GO!
A short play for the seder

CAST: NARRATOR, JOSEPH, BENJAMIN, PHAROAH, ADVISOR, HEBREW 1, HEBREW 2, HEBREW 3, BOSS, BAT PHAROAH, MOSES, GOD, AARON (13 parts)

NARRATOR: Our story begins in the land of Egypt where Joseph, once a prisoner, is now the Pharaoh’s chief advisor.

JOSEPH: So how are things back in Israel?

BENJAMIN: Oy! Terrible. Our gardens and crops are dying. There is no rain this year. That is why we had to come down to Egypt!

JOSEPH: Well, don’t worry..life in Egypt is fantastic. Playstation 3 in every house, High Definition Television, Lincoln Navigators in the driveway, This is the most powerful nation on the planet!

BENJAMIN: Did you have rain this year? Are the gardens and crops doing well?

JOSEPH: We don’t have to worry about that. I’ve stored away tons of food in giant warehouses. The Pharaoh will be able to feed the people for three years at least, even if we get no rain.

BENJAMIN: What does the Pharaoh think of us Hebrews?

JOSEPH: He loves me. He welcomes the Hebrews into his land. Bring the entire family, we’ll make a great life here.

Narrator: The Hebrews all moved to Egypt and had many children and lived a successful life. But after many years, after Joseph and his brothers had died, a new Pharaoh rose to power.

PHAROAH: Advisor, bring me the latest census report. I want to know all the people who I rule over!

ADVISOR: Yes, you’re Royal Highness. I have the numbers here.

PHAROAH: Let’s see..Nubians, Midians, yes, very good. Are there really that many Hebrews?

ADVISOR: Oh yes, your highness. They are growing in number. They are very strong workers.

PHAROAH: Do you think that might be a danger? Perhaps they will challenge my rule – make demands. You know how these workers are always complaining about the size of the rocks for the new Pyramids. I am worried that they will use their strength in numbers to rise up against me!

ADVISOR: Yes, you are right, we must do something to break their spirits.

PHAROAH: First, let us begin with something small. We’ll get them to make more bricks each day. If that doesn’t work, we’ll eliminate the fifteen-minute breaks. If that doesn’t break them, then maybe we’ll turn to harsher measures.

Narrator: The Hebrew workers struggled to keep up with Pharaoh’s demands.

HEBREW 1: My hands are killing me. And my back, oy! I can’t take this pace.

HEBREW 2: We can make a thousand bricks a day—but two thousand? No team can work that hard! We’ll fall over!

HEBREW 3: Get back to work, the boss is coming!

BOSS: Efficiency, people! We have got to make 900 more bricks by sundown! Come on, let’s work faster!

HEBREW 1: We are working as fast as we can, boss.

BOSS: Listen, smart aleck, I’ve got a lot of pressure on my shoulders. If Pharaoh doesn’t get his bricks, I’m out of a job. I got a family to feed, too, you know. So get back down in the pit and start working!

HEBREW 2: We haven’t had a break all day!

BOSS: And you are not going to get one! Work!

HEBREW 3: You know what, boss; you have become a real pain in the backside!

BOSS: What’d you say?

HEBREW 3: You heard me.

[The BOSS walks over and pushes Hebrew 3 to the ground]

BOSS: Now get back to work before I get really angry!

Narrator: Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted a young Hebrew child. The child, Moses, was raised with the finest Egypt had to offer.

BAT PHAROAH: Here, sweetheart, eat your honey cakes before your flute lesson.

MOSES: I’m so excited about the party this evening.

BAT PHAROAH: Your new robe looks lovely, dear. I just hope that the Pyramid is finished. Your grandfather has the workers working double time just to get the place finished before the great assembly.

MOSES: I heard that the Hebrews were complaining.

BAT PHAROAH: Complaining? Don’t worry about that. We take care of the needs of all our workers, dear. They are fed, given homes, and we give them a new pair of shoes each year. We are very generous. The only problem is that there are simply too many Hebrews. For that reason, we are cutting down their number. I know that it is sad that we have to kill off their baby boys, but we are really doing it for their own good.

MOSES: I know so little about the world. Someday I’d like to go out of the palace and see how they live.

BAT PHAROAH: They are not clean like us, dear. Especially the Hebrews. They throw garbage on the streets, and the smells are truly horrible.

Narrator: One day Moses decides to sneak out of the palace, and see for himself the plight of the Hebrews.

HEBREW 1: I can’t work, today, I’m sick! And I hurt my arm yesterday lifting stones!

BOSS: I don’t want to hear excuses. This pyramid has got to be finished by Thursday! Today is Wednesday! So get moving!

HEBREW 1: I can’t work. Please, listen to me, have some compassion!

HEBREW 2: Give him a break, boss!

BOSS: Shut up!

HEBREW 3: Don’t get involved!

HEBREW 2: I’m tired of this, boss! My cousin there is hurt. He can’t work today. And he’s not working. So go tell Pharaoh that he’ll have to hire some more workers or this isn’t getting done!

BOSS: Shut up!

[Boss pushes Hebrew 2 to the ground.]

HEBREW 1: Stop it!

BOSS: I’m going to hurt you bad, you whiny Hebrew!

HEBREW 3: Stop! One of Pharaoh’s princes is coming!

MOSES: What is happening?

BOSS: I am going to give this man the beating he deserves, your honor! Watch this!

MOSES: No!

[Moses hits the Boss, who falls to the ground]

HEBREW 3: Oh no! What did you do to the boss? We’ll be blamed for this! We’ll be punished!

MOSES: What have I done? What have I done?

Narrator: Moses ran away, far off into the wilderness. Where he is taken in by Yitro, and marries one of Yitro’s daughter’s Zipporah. One day, as Moses is taking care of yitro’s sheep, he stumbles across a burning bush.

GOD: Moses, Moses!

MOSES: Who is that? What is going on? What is happening?

GOD: It is me, the God of your ancestors, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

MOSES: You must have the wrong number.

GOD: This is no time for jokes. You must go back to Egypt and stand up to Pharaoh! Then you will lead the people back to their homeland!

MOSES: How will I do that? The people do not know me! I have no power now that I have run away!

GOD: I will be with you. Go to your sister, Miriam, and brother, Aaron, and stand up to Pharaoh!

Narrator: Moses returns to Egypt, with his wife and son, Gershom. Aaron and Moses approach Pharaoh.

PHAROAH: What do you want?

AARON: Our people need a three-day vacation. We need to go outside of the city so that we can pray to God in our own way.

PHAROAH: Why can’t you wait for the festival of the pyramids? Then your people will have a chance to celebrate with everyone.

MOSES: We do not wish to pray to your gods. We have one God, who is mightier than all of your gods.

PHAROAH: You must be joking. The gods have made Egypt a great nation. What has your God done for you?

MOSES: You’ll see what our God can do! And then you’ll give in to our demands!

PHAROAH: Don’t count on it, Hebrew!

Narrator: Pharaoh was a stubborn man. Even after plagues of blood, frogs, lice, disease, hail, and darkness, he would not let the Hebrews take a day off. It wasn’t until a disease struck and killed the first born of every Egyptian, that the Pharaoh changed his mind.

PHAROAH: Don’t you understand what is happening?

ADVISOR: No, your highness, I don’t know why our gods are not protecting us.

PHAROAH: Everything we did to the Hebrews is now happening to us!!!

ADVISOR: Maybe their God is powerful!

PHAROAH: Tell the police that are surrounding their neighborhood to let them go.

Narrator: That night, Moses, spoke to the people.

MOSES: Put on your sandals, we will not have time to bake the bread for tomorrow! Tonight we will leave Egypt, and set out for a new land! Our children, and our children’s children will remember this night! They will tell the story of how we stood up to Pharaoh, and how God helped us to be free!

AARON: Let all who are hungry come and eat!

Narrator: And thus ends our little play.

Source:  
Rabbi Daniel Brenner, www.rabbidanielbrenner.blogspot.com
Clip Featured in Haggadot'sOur Favorites For Families
Edit Clip
Our Favorites For Families
HA
Haggadot
Table of contents
    Introduction
  • Pesach
  • Opening Song
  • Ice Breaker
  • Matzah Show - Muppets Parody
  • The Passover Seder - A How-To Guide
  • No Seder Like Our Seder
  • Two Minute Haggadah
  • The Sorting Hat of Passover
  • Jokes
  • What is Hametz?
  • What is Kitniyot?
  • A Half-Baked Passover History Mystery
  • Quick Seder Plate Guide
  • Matzah
    • Five Fun Facts About Passover
    • Four Parents
    • Passover according to Lego
      • Kadesh
    • Kiddush
    • Take Us Out of Egypt
      • Urchatz
    • Hand Washing
      • Karpas
    • Karpas Drawing Activity
    • Ha'Adamah
      • Yachatz
    • Bread of Affliction
    • The Middle Matzah Horcrux
    • Visual Yachatz
      • Maggid - Beginning
    • Passover Play - a ten minute script for all ages
    • Maggid in Egypt (sephardi)
    • No Seder Like Our Seder - A Passover Song
      • -- Exodus Story
    • Star Wars / Sci-fi Seder Intro
    • Exodus Story - Drawing Activity
    • macabeats story
    • DAYENU: An Exercise in Gratitude
    • Let Us Go
    • Three Second Flip Book Haggadah
    • Moses Parts the Sea
    • Seda' Club
      • -- Four Questions
    • Four Funny Questions
    • Dr. Seuss' Four Questions
    • Ma Nishtana (The Four Questions) - Learn what they mean and how to sing them
      • -- Four Children
    • Four Children
    • Four Children - Drawing Activity (2)
    • Four Sons Song - to the tune of Clementine
    • Four sons
    • The Child Who Doesn't Know how to Ask a Question
    • The Simple Child
    • The Wicked Child
    • The Wise Child
    • Four Children
    • GBM Four Children Art Contest
      • -- Ten Plagues
    • Ten Plagues - Frog
    • Science explanation of the Plagues
    • Bible Raps Presents: Oregon Hillel Raps the Plagues
    • The Ten Plagues
      • -- Cup #2 & Dayenu
    • We are grateful ~ Dayenu
    • Dayenu (English - song)
    • Dayenu: Learn the words to the Passover Seder song
      • Rachtzah
    • Rachtzah
    • Step-By-Step Seder: Step 6, Rachtza
      • Songs
    • The Enchanted Matza
    • Eliana Light, “BaShanah HaZeh”
    • Chag Gad Ya Emoji Style
    • I'll Be There for You
      • Motzi-Matzah
    • Shmurah Matzah
      • Maror
    • Horseradish
    • Maror
    • Maror (Bitter Herbs) by Hanan Harchol
    • maror
      • Koreich
    • who invented the sandwhich
    • Visual Koreich
      • Shulchan Oreich
    • Let's Eat!
    • Matzah Ball Soup
    • Stump the Adults! (courtesy of Nancy Becker)
    • Just Joking: Shulchan Orech
      • Tzafun
    • Find the Afikomen!
    • Uncle Eli Afikoman
      • Bareich
    • Pouring Elijah's and Miriam's Cup (simplified for children)
    • Miriam's Cup
    • Opening the Door for Elijah
    • Barech
    • Uncle Eli - Opening the Door
    • Bareich
      • Hallel
    • Haggadah Haiku
    • Heschel on Kindness
    • Direct Contact
    • Hinei Ma Tov
    • Welcoming Others
      • Nirtzah
    • Nirtzah
    • Nirtzah
    • Chad Gadya
      • Commentary / Readings
    • Seder Table
    • Family Passover Scavanger Hunt
    • Jokes for Kids: The best clean Pesach jokes I've found
    • Inspired to create
      your own Haggadah?

      Make your own Haggadah and share with other Seder lovers around the world

      Have an idea
      for a clip?

      People like you bring their creativity to Haggadot.com when they share their ideas in a clip

      Support Us
      with your donation

      Help us build moments of meaning and connection through
      home-based Jewish rituals.

      OUR TOP CONTRIBUTORS

      contributor image
      Esther Kustanowitz
      4 Haggadahs44 Clips
      contributor image
      JQ International
      1 Haggadah40 Clips
      contributor image
      MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
      5 Haggadahs109 Clips
      contributor image
      18Doors
      1 Haggadah13 Clips
      contributor image
      JewishBoston
      1 Haggadah78 Clips
      contributor image
      Truah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
      1 Haggadah36 Clips
      contributor image
      American Jewish World Service
      1 Haggadah44 Clips
      contributor image
      JewBelong
      3 Haggadahs57 Clips
      contributor image
      Repair the World
      12 Clips
      contributor image
      HIAS
      5 Haggadahs48 Clips
      contributor image
      Be'chol Lashon
      2 Haggadahs27 Clips
      contributor image
      PJ Library
      1 Haggadah17 Clips
      contributor image
      Jewish World Watch
      3 Haggadahs42 Clips
      contributor image
      Secular Synagogue
      10 Clips
      contributor image
      SVIVAH
      1 Haggadah9 Clips
      contributor image
      The Blue Dove Foundation
      20 Clips
      contributor image
      ReformJudaism.org
      24 Clips
      contributor image
      Jewish Emergent Network
      1 Haggadah22 Clips

      Passover Guide

      Hosting your first Passover Seder? Not sure what food to serve? Curious to
      know more about the holiday? Explore our Passover 101 Guide for answers
      to all of your questions.

      Haggadot

      Haggadot.com by Recustom, is a free resource for all backgrounds and experiences. Consider making a donation to help support the continuation of this free platform.

      Copyright © 2024 Custom and Craft Jewish Rituals Inc, dba Recustom, dba Haggadot.com.
      All Rights Reserved. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. EIN: 82-4765805.