Two months ago, my school put on a short play which taught the history and evolution of Easter. I wrote about it last month but I didn't post the script of it. Here's the script if you would like to read it. Most of the parents and teachers enjoyed it, especially the middle and end scene as they involved small Easter egg hunts. Our final performance didn't mirror the script 100% as we made some minor changes. Still, the script remained about 95% accurate.
We incorporated some instrumental music into the play, namely:
- Appalachian Spring/Simple Gifts
- Dragon Age by Lindsey Stirling
- Amazing Grace from the soundtrack of the film Memphis Belle
Scene 1 – Pagan Times
The narrator goes on stage.
Narrator: Good evening, everyone. Next month, on April 5th, Christians around the world will celebrate Easter. Easter is a special religious holiday for Christians, but many people who don’t believe in Christ celebrate Easter. One major Easter tradition is the Easter Bunny, few people have seen the Easter Bunny and know who, or what, he is. That is why today we will tell you about the Easter bunny and the tradition of Easter.
The narrator leaves the stage.
Easter Bunny Dad sits at a table and paint eggs. His sons, LB1 and LB2 sit next to him.
LB 1: Father, when I grow up, will I be the Easter Bunny like you?
EB Dad: Of course you will! You’ll go around and give people beautiful Easter eggs.
LB 2: And me!? I want to give eggs and make children happy too!
EB Dad: You too! The both of you can make children around the world happy!
LB 2: Awesome! By the way, Dad, I’ve always wanted to ask you something.
EB Dad: I bet you’re going to ask why we’re called Easter Bunnies?
LB 2: That’s right! How did you know?
LB 1: Why Easter? What does it mean? It’s such a strange word. It looks like a name from some strange place.
EB Dad: Well, my sons. I think it’s time to tell you about our history. Our family started during pre-Christian Germany when people followed pagan gods. During the spring, people worshipped the goddess of spring and fertility and her name was Ostara, or Eostre. *pronounced “YO-ster”*
Children walk out carrying lit candles. Child 1 follows carrying a basket. They walk in a slow circle three times as "Dragon Age" music plays.
All children stop and kneel.
Children: Goddess Ostara... Goddess Ostara...
The tree goddess Ostara slowly emerges from behind a barrier.
Child 1 walks to Ostara with baskets filled with eggs and grass.
Child 1 – Goddess Ostara, we give you these eggs as a symbol of our love and belief. We hope you will be kind to us!
Ostara accepts the basket.
Ostara – Thank you, my dears. For your nice gifts, I shall make sure you have a wonderful spring filled with great harvests!
Ostara and children leave.
Scene 2 – Middle Ages
Narrator enters.
Narrator – The people of England also offered baskets of eggs to Ostara. The Egg is a symbol of new life. Many ancient cultures believed that the world began with a single egg.
Narrator exits.
LB 1: But Daaaaad! Where do the Bunnies come in?
EB Dad: Well, here’s what happened…
Two children and mother enter. Music of "Appalachian Spring" plays.
Mother is sitting at a table and children walk to her.
Child 1: Mom, Easter is near!
Child 2: What will we receive?
Child 1: I want candy!
Child 2: I want toys!
Mother: Children, please, don’t be loud. I’ve got a surprise for you! Now go wash your hands for dinner.
The children leave. Mom looks tired and stressed.
Mother: What shall I do? I have no money for candy and toys. Oh, I know, I’ll send them to the forest to find eggs. To make it better, I’ll paint them with pretty pictures!
The children enter.
Child 1: My hands are washed.
Child 2: And so are mine.
Mother: Very good. Now eat your dinner. And when Easter arrives, go to the forest. There, you must look for rare, painted eggs that no one knows about.
Child 1: Really?
Child 2: Wow!
Mother and children exit.
LB 2: So where do the bunnies come in?
EB Dad: Just wait a second…
Mother and children enter carrying baskets and looking for Easter eggs.
Little Bunny 1 hops past mother and children.
Child 1: Mom, look! A bunny!
Child 1, Child 2 and Mother follow Little Bunny 1. Little Bunny 1 disappears but eggs are left behind.
Child 2: Eggs!
Child 1: Bunny?
Child 2: Eggs?
Child 1 and Child 2: Bunny's eggs!
Child 1 and Child 2 pick up the eggs and show Mother.
Child 1: Wow, Mom! That was so cool.
Child 2: I’ve got so many beautiful eggs!
Mother: I’m glad you’re happy.
Child 1: To think, I never knew bunnies laid eggs before but these came from a Bunny's nest.
Mother: But bunnies don’t lay eggs.
Child 2: These ones do! Wait until I tell all my friends at school that bunnies lay Easter eggs.
Mother and children exit.
EB Dad: Our tradition of painting eggs for people comes from England. During the Middle Ages, people from noble families gave each other gold-covered eggs as Easter presents.
LB 1: Wouldn’t that be expensive?
EB Dad: It was.
LB 2: So how did it change?
EB Dad: Well, the act of giving eggs became very popular but instead of gold eggs, people gave normal, hard-boiled eggs which had been painted or dyed. We still do this today, and the people of Britain hang eggs with ribbons or strings on trees, just like Christmas.
Scene 3 – Modern Times
LB: Dad, this history is so cool! But it seems that the way we celebrate Easter hasn’t changed TOO much. I mean, we still do Easter egg hunts, we paint Easter eggs and we eat lots of candy!
EB Dad: That’s correct. These days, families do go to church, have a very nice meal and place simple games like the Easter Egg hunt. But for kids, the best part of Easter is the very beginning. When children wake up, the first thing they do is run around the house.
Child 1 and Child 2 run around the theatre hall music of "Amazing Grace" plays.
EB Dad: They start looking for a big basket of candy that their parents hid for them to find.
Child 1 and Child 2 start looking in various spots around the room. They pick up eggs from hidden spots.
EB Dad: Once they find the basket, they eat some of the candy in it, and they save the rest of it for after church.
Child 1 and Child 2 walk to the front of the theatre hall.
Narrator steps out.
Narrator: Thank you for watching our play about Easter. We hoped you enjoyed it. As a small gift of appreciation, please grab a piece of candy or a cookie from the Easter basket.
Everyone stands at the front, bows.
THE END
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