Synopsis: A counselor on a holiday crisis hotline has trouble helping a distraught caller because he has so many problems of his own. Between them, with the caller reading from a newly discovered Bible, they discover the true joy of Christmas.
Soundtrack key: This is the type of script where your actors deliver their lines and the soundtrack supplies the background music and sound effects as the script calls for them.
Length of play: 10-12 minutes.
Number of cast: Two (one is off-stage on a microphone.) See notes for using a larger cast of extras if desired.
Category: Christmas. Comedic, Medium-length skit
Price of script PDF & MP3 Skit Trax: Instant download: $12.99 Add to Cart
Price of script PDF & Physical CD: $14.99 plus shipping Add To Cart
YOU MAY ALSO ORDER THE SCRIPT AND SOUNDTRACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.
Characters: Brad, the counselor on the Holiday Hotline. (This character is on stage.) Bill, the troubled caller. (This character is offstage on a microphone, and is only heard, not seen.) You can make these characters female if desired, with just some small changes in the script, changing names and some dialog.
Extras: Although not necessary to the performance, you might wish to use some interested cast members as extras in the background and on either side as office workers in the crisis center. Supply each extra with a small desk and, if available, phones or laptops which can act as their workstations. If you don’t have headsets, let each one wear headphones. You can have them talk to their imaginary callers at a very low level, nothing that can be distinguishable by the audience over the main actors. As the main character goes through his actions, you can have some of them cast sidelong glances at him as he freaks out, but none want to become involved so they basically ignore him. When he leaves, another extra comes to take him place with no dialog.
Costumes: Brad is dressed casually, no special costume needed.
Props: A phone headset (or just headphones). A notebook or binder of some kind which functions as the counselors handbook. A laptop if desired. (This is what they use to “answer the phone” when the call comes in, also.) The script PDF can be displayed on this giving the actor a “cheat sheet” which they can scroll down through.
Setting: An office with a table and chair where he answers the calls that come in. There can be a small tabletop Christmas tree or some decoration, if desired.
“Crisis On The Holiday Helpline”
(A general description of the script; not all details are here, but it gives you a very good overall picture of what it is like.)
Brad, the counselor on duty at the Holiday Helpline service, comes onstage and sits down at his workstation, and prepares for his shift on Christmas Eve. When the phone rings, he waits until the second hand on his watch tells him that his shift has officially begun. The caller is distraught that he took so long to answer, and complains that he could have hanged himself while waiting. Unimpressed, Brad calls his bluff and gets him to admit he is relaxing in a recliner. Brad continues to pick apart his sad story, revealing that he is just looking for some cheap psychotherapy to make him feel better about himself.
After hearing more of the caller’s so-called troubles, which reveal him to be much richer than the counselor, Brad starts to go off on him, comparing his own rotten life to the caller’s light problems. As he rants, getting more angry and self-destructive by the moment, the caller Bill gets concerned and tries to offer him some consolation to calm him down. Brad is savagely amused by a caller trying to counsel the counselor, and tells him that he already knows all the pat answers in the handbook, and nothing he can say will make anything better.
Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here: crisis_on_the_holiday_helpline_sample_01
Realizing that he has had a part in making the counselor feel worse about his situation, Bill keeps trying to offer advice which obviously he wasn’t paying heed to in his own life. At last, he remembers the Bible that his mother gave to him for a Christmas present, and he opens it while on the phone. He begins to read highlighted lines that his mother wanted to draw his attention to, all of which deal with promises made by Jesus, and how to be saved.
As he continues to read, both are being affected by the truths, and the conviction of the Spirit softens their hearts and reveals their need of the Savior. Bill and Brad both agree that something is happening, and Brad expresses a desire to know the Lord. Bill prays, and Brad follows his lead, and they both confess their belief in the Lord and ask him to forgive their sins and come into their heart and life. When done, they are happy about it, and decide to get together to celebrate the holiday, and their new life and change in direction.
Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here: crisis_on_the_holiday_helpline_sample_02
Preview some of the effects and music provided for the skit by clicking on the player below. (PREVIEW COMING SOON)
Read some of the testimonials about the script from just a few of the many users:
Fred,
The Maranatha Assembly of God in Wapakoneta, OH will be performing “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline” on December 10. When the gentleman who will be playing Bill told me of this skit, I was at first reserved. Then I read it… absolutely hilarious. I laughed at first, then teared up at the end. Good job writing something so serious yet making it enjoyable at the same time. May God continue to bless you.
-Pastor Joel Chambers
Fred,
My church teen group, of the Gardiner Church of the Nazarene in Maine, has used two of your scripts, “The Sheep’s Clothing Store” and “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline.” We used “The Sheep’s Clothing Store” for youth drama competition and actually won the local event and will perform it at a much larger competition this month. Part of the reason we think the teens won the local competition was because the play had some valuable lessons for today’s world. Many skits that we saw were funny, but lacked the spiritual values that your skits provide. You also provided great and easy to follow details on props, characters, setting, and costumes.
We performed your “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline” skit at Christmas. It was great because the parts could just be read and since we had little time to prepare for a skit it was the perfect option for us. We loved the CD to go with the script and used the sound effects and music. The church loved it! It had some humor mixed with spiritual truths and the evangelical message. We hope to use more of your plays in the future. Thanks for making it so easy to work with you and your scripts.
God Bless, Sharon Cook
Fred,
I recently came across your website and enjoyed looking at the sketches available for downloading. I am emailing you to let you know that we will be performing “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline” tomorrow (December 19th) during our morning worship service at Southview United Methodist Church located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Thanks so much for making this possible! It’s an awesome sketch with wonderful humor and irony and a powerful message.
Grace Upon Grace,
George Riggins, Pastor
Dear Fred,
Thanks so much for the prompt delivery of my CD order. We plan to use “Seasons Beatings” and “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline” at our Christmas banquet on December 14th. I’m sure the tracks will enhance the experience. Your site is great – we’ll be making use of other material from it. I’m very leery about ordering this type of material sight unseen – it was helpful to be able to preview so much of the scripts – definitely a motivation to buy it and the tracks.
Lanette Kinsey
First Pentecostal Church
Pensacola, Florida
Fred,
Thank you so much for this skit! (Crisis on the Holiday Helpline: Thanksgiving Version) I only found out last night that I needed to do something for a social we are having on Nov. 19th, and was in a panic until I found your web site. I think it is a wonderful skit, and I know everyone will love it! Again, THANK YOU!
-Kandi Wallace
Grand Junction CO
Frederick,
Our church, Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Russellville, AR, will be putting on the Thanksgiving version of “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline” on November 15. This is a great skit. Not only does it show how much we have to be thankful for, but also the power of the Word of God to change people’s lives.
-Dow Griffen
Fred,
We will be performing “Crisis On the Holiday Helpline” at some Baptist Church in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. It’s a great skit and I’m sure glad to find one that doesn’t require memorization! (too many already to remember). Thanks a lot and may God Bless you for providing everyone with such an awesome and content-rich site.
-Raymond
Okay, if you liked the story breakdown, and enjoyed the Skit Trax previews, and were encouraged by the testimonials of those that have done it, buy the complete script and soundtrack here!
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Christmas, Comedic, Duet, Live Radio Style, Medium-length Skit, Reader’s Theater