Skit Questions

[kimbak]

Although we have decided to do SonHarvest this year, this question is more general and there is much more activity on this board.

Is anyone planning on doing the skits? We have never done the skits before, we had made the opening assembly time more about music and usually added another small element such as for SonTreasure we had a very short thing each day where a pirate would lurk around trying to steal my treasure, and last year we used the stunts that came in the SonForce materials.

I was trying to decide if we wanted to attempt to do skits this year, or come up with another variation as we have in the past.
About how long do the skits typically take? Have they been something that your kids really enjoy?

[flutist14_99]

Our kids love the skits and look forward to them each year. This year they've constantly come up to me wanting information on characters and plot since I made the announcement for volunteers a couple of Sundays ago. The skits for us vary depending on your actors. The shortest time we ever had was 5 min. and the longest was 10 min. but, something went wrong that day. I always have extra activities planned in that I can cut and several to add-in to add time as needed for the opening assembly.

I say go for it!:)

[Eyaluth]

A kid had to leave halfway through on Friday to go on vacation so they wouldn't be able to see the final ending of the skit, the child wanted to cancel their vacation so they could see the end of the skit. The volunteers that did skits last year want to do it again and started asking in January if they could start practicing yet.

So its been very popular with the kids and volunteers and we would never think of getting rid of it. Although I have never done just playing the DVD; but, from what I have heard for smaller churches it has worked almost as well.

[kimbak]

Thanks for both of your inputs. We are having our first meeting next week with our core team members, so I'll throw it out there and see what everyone thinks.
Thanks again!

[Josh1]

Our church has done it both ways and I think it works out better in the live format because it's right in front of the kids and they can relate to it better. The video seems far off to them. We'll be doing SonHarvest County Fair too this summer and hopefully we'll do the skits live. The video does work too because of kids and the technology age but it's not as effective.
God Bless,
Josh Trommer:rolleyes:

[Sherri in GA]

We love doing the live skits, and the SonHarvest ones were great! I highly recommend them. I wrote an introductory skit that year that we used the Sunday before VBS started to introduce the characters and get the children excited - and give the adults a glimpse of VBS - I'll send it to you *if* I can find it!

[kimbak]

I would love to see it if you can locate it. Thanks so much!!

[Sherri in GA]

I found it! I used this to introduce the characters in the skits and set up the opening day skit. If you wonder about the emphasis on chickens, it's because we have a good many chicken farmers in our church, and so those lines got big laughs coming from two of them!

If you need this in some other format, let me know and I will try to help.

SonHarvest County Fair introductory skit

T.C.: (Enters stage left, playing gameboy, but dejected.) Man, I can’t believe my parents have “farmed” me out for the whole summer! What are they thinking? I don’t even know Uncle Zeke and Auntie Opal! Or Cousin Annie - I bet she doesn’t know how to skateboard or do anything cool like that. They’d just better call me “TC” and not Terrence Clarence. At least I can still be “Too Cool” even on a farm. (Shakes his head in disbelief.) A farm? For two whole months? They are totally crazy! This is totally crummy! (Presses buttons on video game for emphasis.) Mom and Dad said I might learn something on the farm. Yeah, boy. What in the world am I going to learn from a bunch of cows and pigs? They probably even have a whole bunch of smelly chickens! This is going to be one long, boring summer! (Exits stage left.)

(Zeke and Annie enter stage right. Zeke has a potato that they are studying.)

Annie: I’m sorry Uncle Zeke. I just don’t see it.

Zeke: Not even a little bit?

Annie: No, sir. That potato just doesn’t look anything like Elvis.

Zeke: I reckon you’re right. I guess I’ll have to keep looking to find my entry for the Potato Look-alike Contest at the County Fair.

Annie: Don’t worry Uncle Zeke, you’ll come up with something. Besides, you’ve helped me grow my watermelon, and I’m sure it’s gonna be a blue ribbon winner. It’s the biggest one I think we’ve ever grown on this farm!

(Opal hurries in from back of room, waving letter and calling out to Zeke and Annie.)

Opal: Yoo hoo! Annie! Zeke! Yoo hoo! Great news! Great news!

Annie: What’s happened, Auntie Opal? Did the hen lay another double yolked egg?

Opal: No, nothing like that!

Zeke: Did the cow give extra creamy milk?

Opal: No! Even better! I got a letter from my sister Pearl in the city. Annie, they’ve agreed to send your cousin Terrence Clarence to spend some time with us this summer.

Annie: Terrence Clarence? Do I know Cousin Terrence Clarence?

Opal: No, I don’t guess you’ve ever met him. He’s lived his whole life in the city. But he’s about your age, and I know you two will have loads of fun this summer.

Zeke: Poor Terrence Clarence! Living his whole life in the city and all. Well, we’ll just have to show him what good farm living is like. Get him some fresh air, let him do some farm chores, get his hands a little dirty.

Annie: And he could even have his own project for the fair. Maybe he’d like to raise a lamb, or a pig.

Zeke: Or even a chicken! Now wouldn’t that be something!

Opal: And I’ll have someone else to give me an opinion about my new recipes to enter in the fair. Why, I have a batch of parsley rhubarb salsa cooking up right now!

Annie: Um, yeah, Auntie Opal, I’m sure he’ll be glad to help you out. (Annie and Zeke look at each other behind Opal’s back, grimace and shrug shoulders.)

Zeke: Yep, Terrence Clarence is just gonna love living on the farm this summer, learning all about how God’s world grows. I might even have to teach him my special hog call: SUU-EE, SUU-EEE. PIG, PIG, PIG, PIG!”

(CD sound effect of all animals stampeding. Opal, Zeke and Annie look anxiously off stage right.)

Opal: Oh, Zeke, you’ve caused a stampede again! That call of yours needs some more work!

Annie: We’d better go round them up before they head for the garden and my watermelon!

Zeke: Why don’t I try to call them again. Maybe I’ll get it right this time. (Starts to call again.)

Opal and Annie: NO!

Annie: Come on! Let’s head them off at the corner of the barn.

Zeke: Yep, Terrence Clarence sure won’t have any chance to get bored this summer.

(They grab him by the arms and hurry off stage right.)

[kimbak]

Thanks Sherri!!!

I think we're going to give the skits a try this year, provided we get the volunteers.

[sbf]

We love to do the skits. We have done the live skits for the last 5 years in VBS and the kids love them.:)

[WendyR]

The skits were my favorite part of VBS growing up. I've been a part of the skits at my church the last 4 years. The kids really like it, especially if you have your actor or characters join in other parts of VBS. Have your actors stay in character all day, or change out of costume and don't admit to be the character, kids love that. The skits in the past have taken about 5 minutes during the opening ceremony. This years are a little bit shorter. It does take a bit of rehearsal ahead of time really be fully prepared and it can be hard to find the talent who is also willing to make the commitment. But I think it's worth it if you can find the right people.