Activity Day Play. Daniel in the Lions Den

Okay, so we have quite a few girls, but it's a toss up to see if we will have tsunami or a trickle. I have the blessing of being an Activity Day Leader for our ward. Basically I do activities and work on goals for 8-11 year old girls. It's a blast. Last year I created my own script for Ammon and King Lamoni... so I thought we'd try another go!

We did a play this past week. Thought I'd post all the stuff we did so that others could benefit. My only request is you HAVE FUN! And don't forget to read Daniel 6 for yourself.

A.D. is only an hour long... So we had to do this FAST. I created the script, cue cards, and masks/crown beforehand. Amazing Nancy did strips of paper for headbands, brought a blanket and a few scarves for props. I also brought a tangelo for a prop, a LARGE blanket with some heavy textbooks (for the Lion's Den) and of course we had tape and a camera. I sent out an e-mail informing the parents we needed a full hour for the activity and to please get the girls there on time.


As soon as 7 came round I told the girls briefly what we were doing and how we really needed to focus to get it done in time. Then I started to run through the play with them, acting out the parts, putting on the key silly emotions that really make something pop. This gave the girls a quick idea as to the speaking parts and acting parts.

Then we assigned the parts. I had the girls volunteer for the parts. There are certain roles that don't overlap and so girls can have multiple parts if they want (Or even create one last minute. A girl wanted a speaking part and so I created a small part where she offers the king fruit while he's fasting for Daniel). For the girls who wanted a larger part but didn't get it, this is what I suggest. For the larger speaking parts (JC#1,2,3) we had 6 girls volunteer. I had them read a line from the script from where they stood and if they said it clearly and loud enough then they were a shoe in. You can alter the script if you need to allow for a 4th role or more.

 As soon as we were done with assignments we got the girls their props and made sure their masks/headbands fit. Then we immediately started on running through the play. Have a certain place for each role to wait until their part comes in and make sure they're listening and paying attention. I recommend one leader doing the cue cards and directing the girls while the other works the camera. Having a helpful mom is great as well.

After a run through record it! It doesn't have to be perfect, the girls will love it anyways. 

Here is a look at the cue cards I did. I chose different colors for each role so that the girls just had to look for their color. It worked out well. I managed to get the number of pages exactly correct! Whew! A helpful thing is to write in a light color what page number it is. 

I don't know how to have it where you download the whole thing with a click, so here's the play. Just copy and paste.

Daniel in the Lions Den Play
Parts:
Narrator                                      King Darius(known as King)              Ferocious Lions
Jealous Conspirator #1             Elderly Woman                                     Tame Lions
Jealous Conspirator #2             Merchant
Jealous Conspirator #3             Guards (2 or more)

(Enter Daniel, walking in place, smiling kindly and waving to people)
Narrator- In the Bible we have several examples of the servants of God putting their faith in Heavenly Father and awaiting the day that Jesus Christ would finally come. One of the most memorable examples is about a prophet of God who grew up surrounded by a different culture than his own, his name Daniel. This is the story of Daniel and his experience in the Lion’s Den.
(Enter jealous conspirators, walking behind Daniel, whispering to each other. Enter King walking beside Daniel)
Narrator- Daniel was in charge of many things, and favored by the king above all the others who were in charge.
(King and Daniel exit stage and camera focuses on Jealous Conspirators)
JC#1- The King is ALWAYS talking about Daniel
JC#2- Yeah, saying how good he is.
JC#1- And about how good his “Spirit” is
JC#3- I heard that he was thinking of putting Daniel in charge of the whole RELM!
JC#1&#2- *GASP* (JC#3 nods)
JC#2- That’s IT! We have to do something!
JC#3- MAYBE we can show the king how good Daniel isn’t!
JC#1- You mean, follow him and when he does something bad…
JC#2- We can have the guards arrest him for doing the wrong thing! Then the king will see him for who he really is!
JC#3- Let’s do it!
(JC#1,2,3 sneak off. Enter Elderly woman and Daniel, JC#1,2,3  look on from behind the podium)
Narrator- And so they set out to find fault in Daniel… Following him everywhere he went…
Elderly woman(hunched over and walking very slowly) – Oh dear, this bag is so heavy!
Daniel- Dear woman, let me help you! Here, I’ll carry your bag for you!
Elderly woman- Why thank you young man!
(Daniel takes Elderly Woman to the side, gives her back bag and she leaves)
(Enter Merchant)
Merchant- Fresh fruit for sale!
Daniel- I will take one. (Receives apple and “pays” merchant)
Merchant- Here is your change, sir!
Daniel(counts money and goes back to merchant)- I’m sorry! You gave me too much change! Here, that should do it!
(JC#1,2,3 all visibly roll eyes and smack their heads in disbelief. Exit Merchant and Daniel. JC#1,2,3 come to center)
Narrator- No matter how long they followed Daniel, they could not find fault in him.
JC#1- We have followed him for days, and he STILL hasn’t done anything wrong!
JC#2- We just have to get him for doing something RIGHT!
JC#3- What do you mean?
(JC#1,2,3 all gather together whispering, saying “Oooh”, and “Aha!” and rubbing their hands together with an evil grin on their face)
Narrator- Because they knew that Daniel was a great man who loved God, they knew of only one way to get rid of Daniel… and that was through his love for God. They decided to go to the King. (JC#1,2,3 walk up to King who is sitting down, pretending to talk to him). They told the King that they had a magnificent idea. They should have 30 complete days where everyone in the kingdom celebrated and revered him! And if anyone should pray to anyone or anything else then they should be thrown into the lions den.
King- So people want to do this? They love me that much?
JC#1- Oh CERTAINLY!
JC#2- They want to praise you every day!
JC#3-  So just sign here at the bottom….
King- What’s this?...
JC#2- Oh that’s just saying there’s no take backsies. For thirty days everyone will ADORE you, King Darius!
(King smiles and signs it. JC#1,2,3 give each other thumbs up behind the kings back, all exit. Enter Daniel)
Narrator- And so the decree went out to all the land. Daniel heard it, but knew that he still needed to pray to God. So every morning, noon and night (someone at lights turns off lights, we have candle in jar with Daniel still praying) Daniel still prayed to God. (lights back on) The men who conspired against Daniel had their proof and arrested Daniel
(Enter JC#1,2,3 and guards, guards grab Daniel and all walk to sitting king)
JC#1- Dear King….
King (looking at Daniel confused)- Yes?
JC#2- Didn’t you sign a decree saying that every person should love you, and no other?
King-… yes…..?
JC#3- And didn’t you sign it with no take backsies?
King(Firmly)- Why yes, I did.
JC#1- Well, we found Daniel praying to his God!
JC#2- Three times!
JC#3- In one day!
King- Oh no!
JC#1- Oh yes! And according to the decree he must be thrown into the lions den!
(Turn Camera towards Lions den which is just behind King, ANGRY lions snarl and roar)
King-What a fool I am! (to JC#1,2,3)We must wait until dusk! (Turns to Daniel) I will try my best to find a way around this!
Narrator- But as much as the King tried, he couldn’t do take backsies on his law. So Daniel had to go to the Lion’s Den.
King,( to Daniel)- Daniel, Your God, who you serve continually… he will deliver you.
Narrator- And so Daniel was put in the Den with the Ferocious Lions! (Lions roar and snarl) The way into the Den was blocked and sealed with the kings signet (place chair at front of Den with a paper attached that says, Don’t do what this guy did- King Darius)
(Everyone leave except the king)
Narrator- The king didn’t sleep or eat that night for the king was fasting for Daniel, that Daniel’s God may deliver him from the ferocious lions! When Morning came the king rose straight away and went to the lion’s den.
(Lions are now peaceful masks, enter JC#1,2,3 looking smug and happy, and guards. Guards move the Chair with the sign away, revealing the opening of the den.)
King (frantically)- Daniel! Oh Daniel, servant of the living God. Is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
Daniel- O King, live forever.
(JC#1,2,3 stare in disbelief, guards as well, King falls to knees in relief)
Daniel- An angel of my God came to me in the night and shut the lions mouths so they wouldn’t hurt me. God found me innocent, as I am innocent before you.  So don’t worry, I wasn’t hurt.
Narrator- And so the king commanded the guards to help Daniel out of the Lions Den. (guards do so, and then grab the JC#1,2,3) He commanded that the guards seize the conspirators and throw them into the Lion’s den!  Then the King sent out a decree to all the kingdom that all men should respect Daniel’s God for he was the true and living God. And so we see that God can deliver his servants if they have faith in him, fearing God before fearing men. The end.

In the beginning there was...

Trying out something new.
One of the awesome ladies in the ward asked if I would write out my New Years Resolutions....

Here's the deal...

I hate resolutions.

To me Resolutions is another way of saying, "Yeah, right, I'll be all gun-ho about it for about 3 hours and then I'm going to break all these things I made a goal of and then feel sorry for myself... woe is me, I'm a failure."

Of course that's not what I do when I fail to complete my resolutions, it's just what everyone says all over Facebook.

So I just renamed them to be my (cue megaphone)"GOALS OF THE YEAR". Meaning, if I can, then I'll accomplish some of them, if not, no biggie. They can easily be carried over to next year as well. (I didn't put an actual date on them. Convenient.)

Things that I have on my massive posterboard are things like... clean my room. (If you're my family then you're laughing, I know, because I can hear you. Yes, you're loud. No, it's not appreciated.) And technically, it's not just my room, but Chad's and Mikaela's as well. So I've been doing a decent job at keeping it mostly organized. I do still like to have my piles though... it gives me something to work on. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Others are things like, Explore woodburning, smile,  Go to the beach, write in the baby books, cook some stuff from Pinterest, and of course keep in better contact with the family.

So, this is the whole keeping in better contact with the family. That way when I fail to call you, or fail to Skype because of Ms. Crankypants, then I can resort to a little story here on the blog and call it good.

I know, it doesn't count. But I'm currently too far away to receive any kicks to the derriere.

So here we go. Hope it's something good, and I sure hope it lasts longer than a week.