Interview at Emmaus

TV Interview Show

The following script uses a Drama Workshop theme sometimes called "Newsroom."  You can read more about the Newsroom approach and see photos here. The "show" or interviews are recorded using a video camera or cellphone. Below you'll find our full script.

Notes:

There are many ways you can do this "interview at Emmaus." One is to simply use the following script where the characters are in a "studio."  The set up is minimal.

Another is to have the teacher be "the reporter" asking questions "ON THE EMMAUS SCENE" with the characters when you find them at various points along the journey.

Since the story only has 3 characters, you can include more students in the action by making them part of the crowd along the road or "people in the studio audience" -- and interview them about the story too.

Making a prepared adult be the reporter helps direct the story, prompt dialog, and keep it moving. It also allows the reporter to use a script (their "interview notes), and the actors to come up with their own answers in rehearsal so they don't need a script. Helps to have the reporter ask "leading" questions too.

For example, the first time the reporter shows up they can find just the two disciples walking by themselves, then Jesus can suddenly walk up and join them -- making the reporter ask several other questions. Then the reporter can do an "on the scene" report  while Jesus and the two disciples are beginning to eat, then one final scene interviewing the two disciples as they excitedly return to Jerusalem -- asking them what they are going to say, etc.

To turn this into a lesson plan:

• Add and opening and conclusion.
• The script below functions as a version of scripture. The story is long, so you might not have time to read the scriptural version.
• If you want to include a reading, consider using a storybook version.
• Conclude the lesson by viewing the recording of the "show" and asking some follow up questions.

Cast:

• Anchor person on the Israel Nightly News
• Reporter
• Mr. amd Mrs. Cleopas

Scene: "TV JERUSALEM studios", switching to "A Home in Emmaus"

Script

ANCHOR PERSON: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this beautiful evening in April. We have heard strange news indeed! Word has gone out that a recently crucified man named Jesus of Nazareth, put to death for rebellion against the government of Rome, has somehow got out of his tomb and is not dead at all. In fact, his friends claim that he was, in fact, dead, but has miraculously come to life and that they have seen him. Can this be true? Our roving reporter, Hannah Peterson, has an interview with a couple who have agreed to tell their story.

Camera on Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas

REPORTER: Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas. I understand that you have had a fantastic experience.

MR. CLEOPAS: Yes, indeed, we have, and we’re ready to tell the world!

MRS. CLEOPAS: It was different from anything we’ ve ever known before!

REPORTER: Suppose you begin at the beginning, then.

MR. CLEOPAS: Well, we were in Jerusalem several days for the Passover, and we heard and saw the awful things that happened. We saw our beloved Master taken by soldiers, tried and found guilty. It was shocking, dreadful!

MRS. CLEOPAS: We saw our dear Master nailed to a cross between two robbers!

REPORTER: Back up a minute. If your Master was so good, why was he tried like a criminal and sentenced to death?

MR. CLEOPAS: The High Priest and the rulers didn’t like him.

REPORTER: Now, didn’t they say he went around healing the sick and giving sight to the blind? How did that get him in trouble?

MRS. CLEOPAS: He said God was his Father, and he pointed out the greed and selfishness of the leaders. And when he said he was the Son of God, they were so mad they had to get rid of him.

REPORTER: How could they do that? Israel is under Rome’s power, and the High Priest did not have power to kill Jesus of Nazareth.

MR. CLEOPAS: They made it look like a plot against Rome, so Pilate the Roman Governor had to pronounce the sentence. He didn’t think Jesus a plotter at all.

REPORTER: That’s not proper Roman justice! Rome has good laws!

MRS. CLEOPAS: The crowd yelled “Crucify him!” so loud that Pilate decided to give in. Silly man, he got a pan of water and washed his hands, as if that took the blame away from him.
We women followed Jesus in tears, but he told us not to weep for him but for ourselves and our children. Jesus was always thinking of others first.

REPORTER: All right, so did Jesus really die on the cross?

MR. CLEOPAS: Yes, indeed, he did -- we saw him dead, and some of us watched Joseph of Arimathea take down his body and put it in a tomb.There was a double guard there to make sure nobody took the body.

REPORTER: What day was he buried?

MR. CLEOPAS: Friday evening. We were so sad, we stayed with friends another day, to mourn him.

REPORTER: When did you leave Jerusalem to come back home to Emmaus?

MRS. CLEOPAS: Sunday, the first day of the week. We had to get home after the Sabbath and tend to things, take up our lives again.

REPORTER: Then, what happened on the way? This is the story I’m looking for.

MR. CLEOPAS: We were walking the seven miles home, gloomy and sad, and a stranger came to walk beside us. We didn’t know him, but he seemed interested in what we’d been talking about -- the wonderful Master Jesus was, and how awful the things that happened to him. He asked questions as if he’d not heard anything about it! So we told him the whole gruesome tale, how our dear Master was captured, tried late at night, condemned to death, and crucified. We told him that some women claimed they’d seen an angel in the empty tomb, but we didn’t believe it. He listened carefully, and then he scolded us!

REPORTER: Scolded you! For what?

MRS. CLEOPAS: For not believing him when he told us beforehand what was going to happen. He DID say he was going to be killed and rise again, but we couldn’t take it in. Whoever rose from the dead before?

MR. CLEOPAS: Well. you remember, dear, Jesus’ friend Lazarus was made alive again.

REPORTER: I heard that story once, too -- is it true?

MR. CLEOPAS: Yes, indeed. To get back to Jesus, after he called us foolish for not believing the prophets, he went through the whole Scripture, pointing out that Moses told Israel to look for another prophet to take his place. He went through the Psalms and showed how David called him “Lord”, and he talked about the Suffering Servant that Isaiah foretold. He was so wonderful in explaining Jesus’ death and resurrection to us, that we invited him in to supper when we got home.

MRS. CLEOPAS: When we sat down and he broke the bread in blessing, we recognized him all at once! Nobody else broke bread quite that way! We were amazed!

REPORTER: You mean, it really was Jesus?

MR. CLEOPAS: Indeed it was! In a new body, or we’d have noticed. But then, he disappeared without going out the door. We were so excited, we got up and walked all the seven miles back to Jerusalem!

REPORTER:  For goodness’ sake, why?

MR. CLEOPAS: Don’t you see, that meant new life for us, too! Then we remembered odd things he’d told us, like waiting in Jerusalem till we got Heavenly power. Told us about the Holy Spirit, about being his witnesses and everything. We had to get with the other disciples and make sure everybody got the word.

REPORTER: And did others have the same experience?

MRS. CLEOPAS: In different ways. Mary Magdalene saw him in the garden and thought he was the gardener till he spoke to her.Then she was too happy for words.

MR. CLEOPAS: Simon saw him and was telling us about the experience, when all of a sudden, jesus stood there and said”Peace!” To assure us that he was real and not a ghost, he showed his scars, and then he ate a snack to convince us. It was glorious!

REPORTER: So, where is Jesus now?

MR. and MRS. CLEOPAS together: Gone back to Heaven. We saw that too!

REPORTER: And what will your group do now?

MR. and MRS. CLEOPAS together:  Tell the whole world, our Lord is risen!

Switch to Israel Nightly News

ANCHOR PERSON: There are rumors that some of the disciples are being jailed for their loyalty to Jesus of Nazareth. We will hear more of that, later on.

END

Interview at Emmaus TV Program written by Evelyn Tower from Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church,
Richmond, VA, USA.