ESTHER’S INTRIGUES
(or, Esther: Trading Beauty for Bravery)
Cast (in order of appearance):
Queen Esther:
Bev
Mordecai:
Jeff
Haman:
Graham
King Ahasuerus:
Dataman
Major Domo:
Michael
Servant Girl:
Katherine
Esther: Oh! It’s you! Come in quickly. But be quiet! No one must hear us!
(kids come in and huddle near door)
Esther: My name is Esther, queen of the Persians. My husband, King Ahasuerus, chose
me to be his queen from among all the beautiful young women of the land. He is a good
and just man who loves me and has always taken care of me. But there’s something I’ve
never told the king about myself: I’m Jewish! Long ago my people were brought here
by the Babylonians after they captured Jerusalem, but when the Persians conquered them
we became their subjects in the land. My people have been here for more than a hundred
years! But even though we are far away from our homeland, we have always sought to
obey our God and to keep his commandments, even if that caused trouble for us here.
(looks around to see if anyone has seen them)
We Jews are all in great danger here because my cousin Mordecai over there refused to
disobey God. You see, soon after I became queen Mordecai had learned of a plot to kill
my husband the king and had told him about it. The plotters were arrested and an
account of Mordecai’s loyalty was written in the royal archives. Mordecai never sought
any reward for his good deed; he was happy to have served the king as a good citizen.
But now my husband the king has promoted a proud, petty man named Haman to be
above all the officials of the land. All Haman seems to care about is his own power and
position in the kingdom. The king commanded all the other officials to bow before
Haman because he is the chief official. But my cousin Mordecai is a Jew! He knows not
to bow down before anyone or anything other than the Lord our God. So when Haman
walked before Mordecai…
Haman: Mordecai! Bow down before me as the king has commanded!
Mordecai: No!
Haman: And why not?
Mordecai: I am a Jew. I and my people will bow before no one besides the Lord our
God.
Esther: This infuriated Haman.
Haman: This infuriates me! It makes me feel embarrassed and socially inadequate!
Mordecai, I’m telling on you!
Esther: Haman became so angry that he hatched a plot to kill not only Mordecai but also
every single Jew in the land, all because my brave cousin Mordecai wouldn’t disobey
God! He went and told the king of his plan, being careful to tell the king only what he
wanted him to know.
Haman: King Ahasuerus!
King: (holding out scepter) Come forward, Haman.
Esther: Did you see that? The law says that no one may enter the king’s inner court
without being called by the king. The penalty is death! Only if the king holds out his
golden scepter, as he did just now, may that person live.
Haman: O king, there is a certain people scattered throughout our land who are different
from us. They follow their own customs and obey their own laws, even if that means
disobeying our laws! I propose that you sign a royal decree which cannot be revoked
calling for their utter destruction. I’ll see that it is carried out myself. You won’t even
have to pay me for doing it; in fact, I’ll pay you for letting me have the privilege of doing
it!
King: Very well, Haman. I will sign the decree.
Haman: Thank you, King Ahasuerus. I won’t… I mean, you won’t regret it. Ah-ha-ha!
Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha! (laughed in “Mandark” style)
Esther: So my husband the king signed the royal decree, which cannot be revoked,
condemning my people the Jews to death! And because of Haman’s treachery the king
doesn’t even know what’s going to happen! He doesn’t know that he has condemned
Mordecai, who saved him from the plot on his life, and me, his own queen, to die. All
because of Haman’s pride and selfishness! What do you think I should do? If I say or do
nothing, I and my people will die! But I can’t just walk into the king’s inner court
without being called – the penalty is death! Talk among your groups for a few minutes
about what you think I should do as queen and as a Jew.
(kids talk in groups)
Esther: What do you think, kids? Should I go before the king without being called, even
though it could mean my death?
(let kids make suggestions)
Mordecai: You know what you have to do, Esther. The king’s decree against our people
cannot be reversed. As things stand, you are doomed even as the queen. You must put
your people before your own fear and go before the king without being called, even if it
means your own death. Who knows? Perhaps you became queen at this time for the sake
of saving our people.
Esther: You’re right, Mordecai. You have always taken care of me like a father, and you
have taught me to do the right thing. I must go before the king without being called, even
though it is against the law. And if I die, I die. (walks before king) Greetings, O king.
King: (pauses dramatically, then holds out scepter) Come forward, Queen Esther.
Esther: (to kids) Praise God, kids! The king held out his golden scepter, sparing my
life!
King: What do you wish, my queen? I will give you anything you want, even half my
kingdom!
Esther: I wish to invite you and Haman to attend a banquet that I have prepared for the
two of you. There I will tell you what I want.
King: A banquet? Why certainly I’ll come. Haman! Come here!
Haman: Yes, O king?
King: Clear your schedule, Haman. The queen has invited you and me to a banquet.
Haman: A banquet? With you and the queen? (to kids) A private banquet! They must
want to honor me! At last they must see how important I am! (to king and Esther) Sure,
I’ll come!
(King and Haman sit down at Esther’s banquet. A servant girl brings in the food. Much
passing of food as Esther briefly lectures king and Haman about table manners.)
King: (speaking with mouth full) This is really good food, Esther.
Haman: Yes, very good.
Esther: Thank you.
King: Now, Esther, what was it that you wanted?
Esther: Well, I don’t mean to toy with you, but if you and Haman will come to another
banquet that I will prepare for you tomorrow, then I will tell you.
King: Even more free food? Sure, we’ll be there!
Haman: Yes, we will.
Esther: Thank you, O king.
Haman: (to kids) Did you hear that? The queen has invited only the king and myself to
another private banquet! Surely they think well of me and intend to honor me! (looks
toward Mordecai, who sticks his tongue out at Haman) But even being invited to two
private banquets with the king and queen means nothing as long as Mordecai still won’t
bow down before me! Oh, I can’t wait until I can carry out the king’s decree to kill him
and all his people! Then I can feel important! Ah-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha!
(goes away)
King: (sitting down on throne) Boy, that was a good meal! I should go to bed now. But
I’m not sleepy. I know! I’ll have my major domo, Major Domo, read me a bedtime
story. Oh, Major Domo! Major Domo Arigato!
Major Domo: (speaking with a tone of extreme boredom) Yes, your majesty?
King: Major Domo, would you please… (to kids) He’s a major domo, like Zazu, that
gooney-bird assistant to Mufasa in The Lion King. Major Domo, tell the kids you’re like
that gooney bird in The Lion King.
Major Domo: Yes, your majesty. (to kids) I’m like that gooney bird in The Lion King.
King: And not only is he a major domo, but his name really is Major Domo! Isn’t that a
riot, Major Domo?
Major Domo: Yes, your majesty. What was it that you wanted me for, your majesty?
King: Hmm? Oh, yes. I can’t sleep. Would you read me a bedtime story?
Major Domo: Would your majesty prefer Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie or The
Disembodied Hand That Strangled People?
King: Hmm. No, I’ve heard those enough times already.
Major Domo: Thank heaven.
King: Read me something else, something I haven’t read before.
Major Domo: Might I suggest the royal archives, with which your majesty is already
supposed to be familiar anyway?
King: Yes! That’ll do! (to kids) That ought to put me right to sleep.
Major Domo: Ahem… From the royal archives: “A plot to kill King Ahasuerus was
thwarted today by Mordecai the Jew.”
King: I remember that! Mordecai the Jew overheard a plot by some of my officials to
kill me and came and told me about it. What sort of reward did I give him?
Major Domo: Nothing, your majesty.
King: Nothing? How could I have forgotten to reward him?
Major Domo: I have no idea, your majesty.
King: Well, we can’t have that! Haman, come here!
Haman: (to kids) Oh, boy! I’ve been called into the king’s inner court! I’ll bet the king
sees how important I am and is ready to honor me at last!
King: Haman, my friend, I wish to honor someone who has done a great good for me.
How shall I honor him?
Haman: (to kids) Oh, boy! I was right! He wants to honor me! (to king) Well, your
majesty, the man whom you wish to honor should be dressed in royal robes that the king
himself has worn and a royal crown that the king has worn should be put on his head.
Then that man should be led through the city and have it proclaimed before him, “This is
how the king honors the man whom he wishes to honor!”
King: A royal robe, a royal crown, and a public proclamation! Great idea, Haman!
Here, take my robe…
(King takes off purple royal outer robe and gives it to Haman. Unfortunately, the king
has managed to remove not only his purple royal outer robe but also his pink royal under
robe, leaving himself “naked” before the kids.)
Major Domo: (still bored) You’re naked, your majesty.
King: Hmm? What? AAGH! (scrambles to cover himself)
Major Domo: We’re not in Paris, your majesty.
King: ACK! EEK! (runs behind throne and puts back on pink under robe, which still
isn’t quite long enough.)
Major Domo: There’s quite a full moon tonight, your majesty.
King: (finally recovering himself) Ahem. Um, as I was saying, Haman, take my outer
robe (Haman puts on robe) and my crown (Haman puts on crown) and put them on
Mordecai!
Haman: Mordecai?!
King: Yes! And lead him through the city and proclaim to everyone, “This is how the
king honors the man whom he wishes to honor!”
Haman: But… I… um… I mean… don’t you think…
King: Do it now, Haman! Mordecai’s honor is way overdue!
Haman: (walking out and speaking dejectedly to Mordecai) Here. Put these on.
Mordecai: (putting on robe and crown) But what is all this?
Haman: Just do it. (leading Mordecai around by the hand and speaking dejectedly)
“This is how the king honors the man whom he wishes to honor. This is how the king
honors the man whom he wishes to honor.”
Mordecai: You don’t sound very excited.
Haman: (grumbles) Okay, we’re finished. Give me back the robe and crown.
Mordecai: Okay.
something?
(gives robe and crown back to Haman)
(to kids)
Did I miss
Haman: (indignant) Here are your robe and crown, your majesty!
King: Thank you, Haman. Don’t forget about our banquet with Queen Esther.
Haman: (to kids) What a revolting development! I thought that the king wanted to honor
me, and he uses me to honor Mordecai instead! Mordecai, who refused to bow down
before me! Now I really can’t wait to carry out the king’s decree to kill Mordecai and all
his people! Then at last I can feel important! Ah-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha!
(King and Esther sit down at banquet)
King: Haman! Time for our second private banquet with the queen!
Haman: (to kids) The banquet! That’s right! Maybe the king and queen still want to
honor me after all. (sits down)
(More passing of food. Esther lectures briefly on table manners again.)
King: Now, Esther, you said yesterday that you would tell me today what it was that you
wanted.
Esther: O king, my request is for my life and the life of my people! I hate to be the
bearer of bad news, but I must tell you that… there’s evil afoot!
King: (standing up suddenly) EVIL!!! (yelled in a “Mermaid-Man” voice) Evil-evilevil-evil-evil-evil-EVIL!!!! (looks around) Where is it? (Haman slips out of his chair
and tries to crawl away)
Esther: It’s Haman, O king! He has conspired to kill all the Jews in the land!
King: All the Jews in the land? But Mordecai, whom I just had Haman honor, is a Jew!
Esther: Yes, O king, and so am I!
King: You are?
Esther: Yes! Haman tricked you into signing an irrevocable royal decree allowing him
to kill all the Jews in the land, including Mordecai and myself!
King: Haman! How could you do such a thing?
Haman: (in a high, whiny voice) Mordecai wouldn’t… bow down before me.
King: Oh, waah. You’ve used your position in the kingdom and in my court solely for
your own personal gain and your own petty jealousies. What do you have to say for
yourself?
Haman: Um… Rosebud?
King: Major Domo, take him away!
Major Domo: (bored) With pleasure, your majesty.
Haman:
Wait!
No!
You were supposed to honor me!
Not Mordecai!
Me! I want my honor! (stumbles into prison) I’ll settle for some fries…
Esther: My husband! Haman may be gone, but the irrevocable decree you signed is still
in effect! How can we stop the destruction of my people?
King: There’s no way to revoke the first decree, but we can make it pointless. Have
Mordecai write a new decree telling all the Jews in the land to defend themselves against
their enemies. Put my seal on it so everyone will know that it’s real. That way your
people won’t be wiped out when the first decree takes effect.
Esther: (to kids) So that’s just what happened. On the day when Haman’s evil plan…
King: EVIL!!! Evil-evil-evil-evil-evil-evil-EVIL!!!! (looks around) Where is it?
Esther: (to kids) As I was saying, on the day when Haman’s… plan… was to take effect,
my people rose up all over the kingdom to defend themselves. Not a single Jew died!
All the other people in the kingdom were so impressed with the my people’s bravery
before their enemies that many of them became Jews on the spot. My cousin Mordecai
sent letters to all the Jews of the land telling them to make this day be a national holiday
of feasting and happiness, because our people were saved from their enemies. And the
king promoted Mordecai to be second in command of all his kingdom, but unlike Haman,
Mordecai used his position of honor to take care of the people of the land and to provide
for them. He hadn’t sought honor for himself, but honor is what he received. So
remember, kids, don’t think that being better than others and putting them down is what
makes you important; what makes you important is trusting in God and putting others
first.
Thank you all so much for coming tonight! Come back tomorrow for another fun Bible
Adventure story!