O Come Emmanuel!
written by Elizabeth Clare Rozycki
a meaningful and simple Nativity play script that works for any age and any size group!
Tailoring the Speaking Roles for your Group's Size
The great thing about this nativity play script is that you can have as little as 6 speaking
roles or as many as 29! Here are a few easy steps to making this script work for you!
Step 1
The first step in tailoring this script to your group is figuring how many speaking parts
you will need and assigning those roles to your cast members. Below you will find a list of
characters in the nativity play. Beside each particular part you will see a number range that
corresponds with the range of people who can play this role (for example: #1-21 next to the
narrator means that as little as one person or as many as 21 can speak the narrator's role).
Some of the roles are optional if you have a small cast (barnyard animals, the star, extra
angels, and extra shepherds). Consider penciling in names after each part in this list as you
plan your cast.
Nativity Play Speaking Roles:
Narrator (#1-21):
Gabriel (#1):
Mary (#1):
Joseph (#1):
Angel Chorus (#1-2):
Wise Men (#1-#3) traditionally, this is played by 3 boys:
Non-Speaking Roles:
Barnyard Animals (#0-as many as desired)
Star (#1, can “lead” the wise men to the stable)
Extra Angels for Chorus (#0-as many as desired)
Extra Shepherds (#0-as many as desired)
To make this play work for various size groups, play lines have been blocked in grey
that may be spoken by one person only or broken down into multiple speaking roles to allow
for a larger group. Following is an example:
Narrator (stands at either the right or left of the center stage):
God sent prophets to His people, Israel, to foretell the coming of a savior. The world was waiting.
Isaiah the prophet said,“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”
In the above example, the lines are in a block of gray, so the entire group of lines can be
spoken by one person. However, there are two different paragraphs, so two different speakers
can be assigned to this part. As you assign lines, consider penciling in the names of speakers
next to their part.
Also consider assigning narrator lines to shepherds, wise men, or angels as it occurs
around their parts of action.
PAGE 1- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
Deleting Lines:
Extra lines have been included in this script to accommodate larger groups, but feel
free to delete unnecessary lines to make part memorization simpler. When deleting, you will
need to make sure the flow of the play still works.
If you have a particularly small or young group, consider allowing an adult to narrate.
PAGE 2- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
Helpful Hints for Nativity P lay Success!
1. Unless your church (or group) has an established “nativity play wardrobe,” I would
encourage you to have each family involved be responsible for their own
costumes. This alleviates any stress to the play coordinator in attempting to provide
costumes for all involved.
2. Check out Pinterest for costume inspiration. We have made angel costumes out of
sheets and wings out of paper plates. Spray painted cardboard easily becomes a wise
man's crown or gift for the Child Jesus. Bathrobes and staffs made from fallen
branches make perfect shepherds' costumes!
3. If small children will be performing, having older children serve as leaders of
each group (angels, shepherds, and wise men) will help the play flow more smoothly.
4. Practice blocking. This means practicing where each person will stand when and
also their movements around the stage at various points during the performance. If
possible, you may want to use masking tape to mark places on stage for easier
navigation.
5. Coach lines. Encourage each speaker to speak clearly, slowly, and audibly. Make
them say it over until it is acceptable.
6. Coach performers to always face out toward the audience.
7. Help children to find “levels.” This means encouraging some to sit, some to kneel,
and some to stand so everyone's face can be seen.
8. Feel free to edit/replace/add/delete songs and lines to suit your group!
9. Distribute copies of the song lyrics to the audience so they can participate in the play.
10. Consider bringing a few extra costumes so children in the audience can participate in
non-speaking roles.
11. Practice, practice, practice!
PAGE 3- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
Nativity P lay Script
(All performers should be “off stage” or at the far sides of the room until their time to perform.)
(Narrator) (stands at either the right or left of the center stage):
God sent prophets to His people, Israel, to foretell the coming of a savior. The world
was waiting.
Isaiah the prophet said,“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call
his name Emmanuel.”
O, Come Emmanuel (1st verse only)
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
(Narrator):
And in the fullness of time God would send his son.
God sent the angel Gabriel to a young virgin named Mary. He came to her and said:
(the following dialogue is center stage)
(Gabriel): “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Behold, you will conceive in your womb
and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”
(Mary): “How can this be?”
(Gabriel): “With God nothing will be impossible.”
(Mary): “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your
word.”
(Gabriel exits and joins angel chorus. Mary walks to side of stage to meet Joseph and they walk together to the
center of the stage, Joseph speaks his line, and then they walk to the manger and tuck Baby Jesus in.)
(Narrator): In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should
be enrolled.
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(Joseph): And Joseph went up to Bethlehem to be enrolled with Mary, who was with child.
(Narrator):
And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Silent Night (as many verses as desired)
Silent night, Holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.
(Narrator):
And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were filled with fear.
(Angel Chorus Speakers):
Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
for to you is born this day a savior who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a
manger.
(Narrator): And suddenly with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host appeared praising
God and saying:
(Entire Angel Chorus): Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good
will!
PAGE 5- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
Joy to the World! (as many verses as desired)
Joy to the World the Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room.
And heav'n and nature sing, and heav'n and nature sing.
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.
(Narrator): When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another:
(Shepherd): Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.
(Narrator): And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a
manger.
Away in a Manger (as many verses as desired - a nice song for the littlest children to sing
independently)
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
(Narrator):
And when they saw it, they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this
child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it
had been told them.
Go Tell it on the Mountain (as many verses as desired)
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!
Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
While shepherds kept their watching o'er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light.
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!
Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
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(Narrator): And wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying,
(Wise Man):
“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?
For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.”
Narrator:
Behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the
place where the child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and
worshiped him.
Then, opening their treasures they offered him gifts.
(Wise Men):(kneeling to Jesus and placing gifts at the manger)
Gold!
Frankincense!
Myrrh!
Once in Royal David's City (as many verses as desired)
Once in royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby, in a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild; Jesus Christ her little child.
Narrator: Even now we wait in joyful hope of our Lord's second coming.
O, Come Emmanuel (Repeat First Verse)
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
PAGE 7- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
(Entire cast gathers to sing “We Wish you a Merry Christmas!” to the audience.)
We Wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring, to you and your kin,
Good tidings of Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Group Bow!
Consider thanking the audience for their attendance!
PAGE 8- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
I'm a homeschooling mother of 4 who created this nativity play script for our
homeschool co-op group after searching in vain for a simple and affordable script. I pray it
will become a part of your Christmas traditions for years to come!
Raised a farm girl, I now find myself growing my 4 sweet blessings for the glory of Him.
I blog about homeschooling, faith, family, homemaking, and my conversion to the Catholic
faith. You can find me in the following places.
Blog: www.elizabethclareblog.com Email:
[email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/ElizabethClareBlog Etsy: Elizabeth Clare Shop
PAGE 9- Copyright Elizabeth Clare
