The Story

Set right before the birth of Jesus, “WAiT – it’s a musical!” is all about the Biblical meaning of Christmas, and is based on Luke & Matthew’s birth narratives (Luke 1:1-56 & Matthew 1:18-24.)

Through the song, The Wait, the narrator introduces the dismal lives of faithful Jewish people living in a land occupied by Rome and ruled by King Herod. The fearful people of Jerusalem highlight Herod’s flaws in Thanks to Our King, and his disdain for his subjects is made clear as he proclaims himself to be Their Leader.

Elizabeth, the aging wife of a priest, is not-so-quietly desperate for a child in the ballad Where Are You? Her somewhat uptight husband, Zechariah, reveals the same longing during I Want A Son, explaining to God how having a son would provide a righteous leader for the people. The angel Gabriel bursts in to the temple like an angelic James Brown, announcing to Zechariah that his dream is about to come true (You’ll Have A Son.) Zechariah’s stubborn questioning and disbelief bother the mighty angel so much that he makes Zechariah mute.

Gabriel leaves Zechariah to visit a young girl, Mary. On the way, he hears local women gossiping (The Perfect Couple) about Mary & her fiance, Joseph. Through the ballad Hail Mary, Gabriel informs the frightened Mary that God has chosen her to be the mother of His son. Mary accepts the extraordinary news, and is excited to tell Joseph, but discovers that he does not believe her. They each sing about their confusion & frustration in the duet, Unafraid. Joseph concludes that he cannot accept the story of how Mary came to be pregnant, and decides to abandon her.

Mary flees to visit Elizabeth. Gabriel later appears to Joseph in a dream, and during the song Leap of Faith, informs him that the unborn child, Jesus, really is the Son of God.

In the meantime, Mary arrives at the home of Elizabeth & Zechariah where, in response to Elizabeth’s recognition of God’s hand in these mysterious events, she sings the hopeful Magnificat.

Joseph comes to Mary and, acknowledging that he has misjudged her, asks her to include him in the raising of this holy child (Forgive Me.) Mary and Joespeh are reconciled, and the entire cast joins in for the exuberant The Wait – Reprise.

Check It Out...

The Show

This Biblical Christmas Musical in a nutshell…

It’s the significant characters in the birth of Jesus' narrative - with pop music and a fun script!

Length: 45 minutes

Cast Size: Small/Flexible; minimum 2 females, 3 males. Solos/duets for 8 different characters; add/delete townspeople as needed.

Category: Youth, Biblical meaning of Christmas, Historical, Comedy, Drama

Ideal for: Those seeking dramatized Bible stories - Churches, Schools, Fund Raising, Coffeehouses, Low Budgets, Colleges Staging: Flexible; staged reading to full production.

Band minimum: Electric/acoustic guitar, bass, drums.

Nice to have instruments: Piano, sax, percussion, synthesizer, acoustic guitars.

Difficulty-Band: Intermediate.

Difficulty-Singers: Easy to learn/Intermediate singing ability

Songs: 13 songs All original material (no Christmas Carols)

Musical styles: Pop, Contemporary Christian, Rock, Jazz, Latin, Alternative Rock, R & B, Klezmer

The Scripture

WAiT - It's a Musical is based on Biblical Scriptures

(Luke 1:1-56 and Matthew 1:18-21)

Luke 1:1-56

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15f or he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[ the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Mary’s Song

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,

even as he said to our fathers.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Matthew 1:18-21

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”