In Bandania everyone is blind. They really don’t care that they’re blind,
because they were born with a bandana around their eyes. They don’t
know anything else. These people are called the Bandanites (Ban-dan-
ites).
Some have taken off their bandanas and discovered an incredible light.
The only prop needed is a sign saying “Bandania, Land of Pleasure
Straight Ahead.” The only costume pieces needed are bandanas.
The conclusion of the play makes a smooth transition for an altar call. The
greatest challenge on the road to Bandania for the actors is to perform
without sight. This adds to the comedic dimension of the play.
Actor #1: Before I became a Christian, I couldn’t understand the idea of
Christ dying for what I did wrong. It’s as if my eyes were blinded—spiritually
blinded. Finally, I was tired of stumbling around in the dark. There are still
many people looking for sight. They don’t even know it. Sometimes I wish
they could see their own blindness. I wonder what would happen if spiritual
blindness meant physical blindness. (pause) Hey!! That’s the magic of
theater. Snap your fingers (he snaps) and wishes can for a moment
become reality!
(Actor #2, the girl who receives sight, walks around alone on stage,
stumbling over her own feet. She has a bandana around her eyes. Actor #1
approaches her.)
Actor #1: Can I help you?
Actor #2: Oh, no thanks. I’ll make it on my own.
Actor #1: Okay. (pause) But if you need any help, I . . .
Actor #2: Listen, mister, I’ve already said I’m fine. I don’t need you. Okay?
Actor #1: Okay. (pause) But if . . .
Actor #2: Please!
Actor #1 and Actor #2: Okay.
(Actor #2 trips over a sign that reads “Bandania, Land of Pleasure Straight
Ahead.” She falls to the ground, grabs foot, cries in pain.)
Actor #2: A-a-a-h-h-h-!
Actor #1: You okay?
Actor #2: Yes, leave me alone.
Actor #1: You’re not okay.
Actor #2: I stumbled . . .
Actor #1: Like most Bandanites.
Actor #2: Can you give me a hand?
Actor #1: Sure. (He helps her up.)
Actor #2: I’m trying to get to Bandania. Do you know where that is?
Actor #1: Of course. But why do you want to go there?
Actor #2: All my friends are there! It’s a land of pleasure! Doesn’t everyone
want to go?
Actor #1: Not me.
Actor #2: Why not?
Actor #1: It’s a lie.
Actor #2: What?
Actor #1: You might have fun for a while, but pretty soon the stumbling and
bruises will leave you wounded. (pause) Why are you wearing that
bandana?
Actor #2: You say that like you don’t have one!
Actor #1: I don’t.
Actor #2: You were born with one. Everyone was.
Actor #1: Yep, but I took mine off.
Actor #2: You’re kidding?
Actor #1: Nope.
Actor #2: Really?
Actor #1: Yep. If you take off your bandana, you’ll have a thing they call
SIGHT!
Actor #2: You don’t really believe in sight, do you?
Actor #1: I not only believe in it, I have it!
Actor #2: Do you still get hurt and stumble? Run into things?
Actor #1: Sure. But not as often, and I can see what I stumbled over and
move those things out of the path.
Actor #2: Well, I sure am tired of running into things. And you sound very
happy.
Actor #1: I am.
Actor #2: It’s a tough decision, but I might as well give it a try.
Actor #1: Great!
Actor #2: Here goes nothing.
Actor #1: No. Here goes everything! (Actor #2 pulls the bandana off.)
Actor #2: Wow! It’s so bright! (squinting her eyes) I can see! I can see you!
I can see me! I can see the path.
Actor #1: Sight is a wonderful gift.
Actor #2: Since sight is true, Bandania must be a lie.
Actor #1: There is a place called Bandania, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to
be. It’s not a land of pleasure, but rather a land of blindness.
Actor #2: What should I do now?
Actor #1: Come with me. (He walks in the opposite direction from
Bandania.)
Actor #2: But wait! No one else walks this way.
Actor #1: No Bandanites. But we must. (Actor #3 enters.)
Actor #2: Look! Someone is walking toward us. He’s heading toward
Bandania.
(Actor #3, the rebel, runs into #1.)
Actor #3: Listen, bud. Get out of my way!
Actor #2: Wait a minute! You ran into him!
Actor #3: Listen, I don’t care who ran into whom. I’m late for a party in
Bandania. By the way, do you know a short cut?
Actor #1: You’ll never make it anywhere.
Actor #3: Oh, great. Another smart punk!
Actor #1: You’re blind!
Actor #3: You’re one of those . . . (sarcastically) fanatics—a believer in
sight. I just cant seem to get away from you guys!
Actor #1: You’re not content!
Actor #3: I’m having a blast.
Actor #1: But you’re not happy.
Actor #3: Who is?
Actor #2: We are.
Actor #3: You’re not happy. You’re brainwashed. You just think you have
sight.
Actor #2: No, we really do! It’s real.
Actor #1: It’s everlasting!
(Actor #4, rebel’s girlfriend, enters, trying to catch up with #3.)
Actor #4: Hey! I said, “Wait for me!”
Actor #3: Sorry, babe. I just didn’t want to be late.
Actor #4: Who were you talking to? Are they going to Bandania?
Actor #1: No.
Actor #2: Not anymore.
Actor #4: Come on! Join the party!
Actor #3: It’s no use. They believe in a thing they call “sight.”
Actor #4: Lies! Fairy tales! Myths! Don’t believe them. They’re just silly
dreamers.
Actor #3: They seem to have something that we don’t have. I might just
take their challenge.
Actor #2: Great!
Actor #4: All they have is a good imagination. They probably threw away
their bandanas because they weren’t as . . . attractive as some of the new
bandanas on the market these days.
Actor #1: Everyone was born with a bandana. The secret is taking them off
your . . .
Actor #4: Taking them off your face? What a joke! (to #3) They believe that
under the bandana are things called “eyes”! (laughs)
Actor #2: All I know is that I once was blind, but now I . . .
Actor #4: See. Sure, honey. Everybody was born with a bandana. It’s just
that some are . . . well, you know . . . better than others. For example, I
would never be caught dead with a polyester bandana. Mine is 100-percent
cotton, monogrammed, and heavily starched. Brand names only, please.
I’m worth it. Come on, sweetheart!
Actor #3: Go ahead, babe. I want to talk to them about this sight.
Actor #4: It’s now or never!
Actor #3: But I . . .
Actor #4: Now!
(Actor #3 walks toward #1 and #2, then reluctantly turns back to #4. They
exit quickly.)
Actor #1: Many want sight, but few ever dare to receive it!
Actor #2: What do you think will happen to him?
Actor #1: It’s hard to say. Hopefully there’ll be more encounters with
people like us along his journey.
Actor #2: I hope that those with sight will have courage to speak to him.
Actor #1: Look!
(Enter #5, the wounded Bandanite. She is groping, stumbling.)
Actor #2: She looks like she needs sight.
Actor #1: Everybody needs sight. Some are just more used to blindness
than others.
Actor #2: Hey, do you need help?
Actor #5: (crying) Does it look like it? (Actor #2 is speechless.) Look, just
leave me alone. You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Do you have
sight?
Actor #2: Yes.
Actor #5: That’s an even better reason to leave me alone.
Actor #2: Don’t you want sight?
Actor #5: Of course I don’t. People with sight are always condemning me.
Actor #2: 1 won’t condemn you.
Actor #5: That’s what they all say until they find out about the scars and
bruises I have from being blind. They laugh or condemn.
Actor #2: Look, I don’t know who these people are, but we’re not . . .
Actor #5: Just leave me alone. Okay?
(Actor #5 rushes offstage.)
Actor #2: Wait! I’m not like them! (to #1) Why didn’t she trust me?
Actor #1: There are many people who have sight, but they develop pride.
They become nearsighted. They use their sight to condemn the blind and
laugh at the scars and bruises of the Bandanites.
(Actor #6, the cheerleader, runs across the stage. )
Actor #1: Wait!
Actor #2: Hey, where are you going?
Actor #6: I don’t have time to talk. Cheerleading practice is in five minutes.
Actor #2: What about after?
Actor #6: The honor society is having a banquet at seven, and then the
football team is . . .
Actor #1: Don’t you have time?
Actor #6: For what?
Actor #2: Sight!
Actor #6: To be honest, no. Plus, my boyfriend loves my bandana. I don’t
know how he’d like me if I took it off. Besides, I’m having so much fun!
Actor #2: The way you’re running around, without sight, you’re bound to
run off a cliff or into a wall.
Actor #6: I guess that’s the chance I’ll take. Thanks for being so
concerned, but really—I’m doing great. (Actor #6 exit’s.)
Actor #1: I have a feeling she’s more doomed than anyone we’ve met
today.
Actor #2: Why’s that? She seemed confident and well-adjusted.
Actor #1: The confident ones always seem to fall harder.
Actor #2: Those kind of Bandanites just make me want to throw up my
hands and quit talking about sight.
Actor #1: Yeah, sometimes they make you feel like sight is not worth it . . .
but there are always a few waiting, hoping to find out. So we’ve got to keep
on. If we don’t, who will?
(Actors #1 and #2 exit in the opposite direction from the Bandanites.)
(Actor # 7, the searcher, enters from the direction that the Bandanites
exited.)
Actor #7: Hey, is there anyone here? (yelling) They told me you would be
here. The Bandanites said that you believe in sight. Are you still here? I’m
blind. What is sight? Where are you? (pause) I suppose the Bandanites
were right. There is no sight . . . only the darkness of our minds. (Actors
return to the stage, frozen in active positions illustrating their life and
blindness. Actor #1 enters and speaks as he moves around the frozen
actors.)
Actor #1: How will they know if we don’t tell them? They will continue to
stumble in darkness. Maybe you are spiritually blind. If you are, the
message is that Jesus Christ can open your eyes. He came not to make
bad people good, but to make the dead live and the blind to see.
Written by Matt Tullos, unless otherwise noted.
Actors Not Included: 303 Dramatic Scripts for the Church.
©1999 LifeWay Christian Resources