The Telltale Talent

“The Telltale Talent”
Written by Frederick Passmore
Copyright 2003 Sheep Laughs Publications

Synopsis: A fellow, asked to direct a church play, declines due to a lack of faith in his ability. Later, while napping, an angel visits him in a vision and takes him to the Graveyard of Buried Talents. There he is confronted not only with the reality of what he has done with the talents the Lord gave him, but the cost in human terms as well. Horrified at the prospect of being responsible for souls being lost, he repents and immediately begins to take an active role in the church. Running about 15 minutes, this skit could be done as a major production with complete set creation and decoration, or minimalistic with a few set pieces. Ideal for October and Fall Festivals, this could be part of an overall program. Of course, it could be done at any time of the year as well.

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: 15-18 minutes.
Number of cast: 4 main characters, and 6 or 7 extras as the Lost Souls.
Category: Dramatic. Comedic, Fall Festival, Halloween, Holidays, Medium-Length Skit

Price of script & Skit Trax: Instant download ONLY: $14.99 Add to Cart

Price of script & Physical Soundtrack CD: $19.99 plus shipping – Add To Cart

YOU MAY ALSO ORDER THE SCRIPT AND SOUNDTRACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Characters: Stanley Tallman, Pastor Hill and his wife, the Angel Messenger, and 6 or 7 extras in the role of the Lost Souls.
(Note: If preferred or necessary, the part of Stan may be played by an actress and changed to a female name and character.)
Costumes: Stanley is dressed casually. Pastor Hill can wear a suit if preferred, and his wife, Sister Hill, is similarly dressed up. The Messenger Angel is in a white robe or outfit. The Lost Souls are dressed in tattered, dark rags and robes, and are all barefoot. They are chained together with a length of black plastic chain (found at any hardware or building supply store.)
Props: TV remote, telephone, shovel, the plastic chains. Cardboard or styrofoam tombstones, as many as desired.
Setting: On one side of the room is a couch and end table with lamp. A curtain or cloth should be strung up behind the couch covering the rest of the stage, to be drawn back when cued. Starting just behind the couch, and taking up the rest of the stage, is a cemetery set. (Note: Here is a GREAT new item that can serve as the backdrop for the cemetery set! Inexpensive and easy, it will help set the stage. Link opens to another site.)  Fake tombstones of all sizes, and dead tree limbs for trees, make up the set. Toward the center, or around an existing entrance is a card-board or styrofoam facade of an above-ground crypt, with a door. A regular door entrance already in the room can be used, though. Make it as spooky and atmospheric as possible with subdued colored lighting. A fog machine would be very helpful in setting the mood.

Note: a church has made a short film adapting this script, and watching it might give you some ideas, as well as something to show prospective performers. Go here to view it.

(A general description of the script; not all details or scenes are here, but it gives you an overall picture of what it is like.)

“The Telltale Talent”

As the play opens, the main character Stan enters the room with some snacks and sits down to enjoy a nice quiet fall evening with a movie. As he settles in, the doorbell rings and he opens it to find his pastor and wife, who want to invite him to be the new drama director at the church. After some discussion in which they try to convince him, he turns them down citing various reasons he feels ill-suited for the role, and they leave. He goes back to his movie, which is a grave-robbing scene in an old Frankenstein film, and as he watches and snacks, he falls asleep. While dozing, we see a curtain behind him pulled aside to reveal a creepy cemetery set. He is startled awake after a few moments by a loud thunderclap, and when he sits up he sees the graveyard.

Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here: the_telltale_talant_sample_01

 As he stares in disbelieving shock at the spooky scene, an angel appears and Stan learns that he is seeing a vision from the Lord, and the angel has been sent to tell him something. After some conversation, the angel leads him into the cemetery among the headstones, and shows him a marker, which he reads out loud. It says “Here Lies A Talent Of Stan Tallman.” The angel hands him a shovel and tells him to dig it up before it is too late, for it is still alive. Stan resists, exclaiming in fear that he would never dig up a grave, for any reason. He’s seen too many horror movies! Seeing his reluctance to engage in the lesson, the angel drops the shovel. Just then, Stan hears a distant sound like a funeral procession, and the air is gradually filled with moans and crying. A small group of people dressed in ragged robes, all bound together by a heavy chain, are coming into the graveyard. As they lament, Stan is told to approach near to them, and as he does, he recognizes some as people that have visited the church he attends. The angel informs him that these are all people that he could have touched for Christ’s sake using his talents, but because he refuses, they are doomed to eternity lost without the Lord. As they cross through the cemetery, they see Stan and point at him, crying in anguish as they blame him for their plight.

Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here: the_telltale_talant_sample_02

As they continue onward, a crypt door opens on the other side of the cemetery set revealing red light and fog rolling out of it. There are screams heard coming from the crypt opening. As they near, recoiling in terror and distress, Stan begs than angel to help them, and to stop their crying. The angel reminds Stan that he could have done something, but refused, so why should he be spared the knowledge of what is happening to them? As they begin to enter the door with screams, Stan falls to his knees in repentence,and covers his ears to their agonized cries. He at last staggers to his feet and runs out of the cemetery, fleeing the scene, and collapses into his chair praying fervently to the Lord, asking for forgiveness and another chance to make a difference. The curtain is drawn over the cemetery scene, and Stan awakens (still praying out loud) to a thunderclap from the movie on the television. Startled, he looks around in a panic, then sees his room in normal, and on the TV, Dr. Frankenstein is shouting “It’s alive! It’s alive!” Turning it off, Stan gets up and assures himself that he is wake, and realizes it was dream. But he is now aware that he is supposed to use his talents when given the opportunity, and immediately calls the Pastor to let him know he is available as they need him. He replies that he and his wife were just that moment praying the the Lord would work in his heart to change his mind. After a short conversation, Stan looks up with thanksgiving and tells the Lord to tell His messenger that he finally got the message.

Preview some of the effects and music provided for the script by clicking on the player below.

Read some of the testimonials about the script from just a few of the many users:

Dear Fred,
The First Mexican Baptist Church in Wichita, KS will be doing “The Telltale Talent” and a Christmas script in the Fall and December 19.
We have used several of the scripts for Christmas and the youth love the comedy and the message behind them. Your scripts are ones that really draw in our youth group and church members. Thank you for writing them!!
-Tamara Creech

Dear Mr. Passmore,
The Pearl Road United Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio will be doing your drama “The Telltale Talent” September 12.
Thank you very much for using your creativity to help so many raise their voices to praise His name! We have a very small youth group, but we love to perform your skits and the congregation loves the humor. We have done “Season’s Beatings” and “New Year’s Eve at the Bad Habit Club” and the house was roaring for both.
May God bless you,
-Tina Cunningham

Dear Fred,
The Emmanuel Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas will be performing your script “Redemption In The Wings” this December.
As Drama Minister for our church, I have used materials from your website several times. In the past, we have performed “The Christmas Family,” “The Telltale Talent,” “Crisis on the Holiday Helpline.” I have also ordered several of your CD’s – #5, #9, #11. Thanks to your talents, hard work and generosity, my fellow church members think I’m amazing. I’m quick to tell them it is you and your website that are amazing! God bless!
In Christ,
Della Sadler

Hello Fred,
This is the most awesome drama ministry website EVER!!! I just listened to the “The Tell-Tale Talent” from your website and I am so much more inspired. I must confirm that these creative tools work marvelously for both Auditory and Visual learners. Trust me, I’m both!
Thanks again, and I will be purchasing many more scripts and soundtracks as I look over the many you provide. Thanks for the great service that definitely enhances the Kingdom of God.
Sincerely,
Jennifer N. Boone

We will be performing your script “The Telltale Talent” this Halloween at the Starlight Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont, Tx. I directed this play last year at another church and the results were amazing!
God bless you and your ministry.
-June Rocio

Fred,
Thank you so much. I received the CD for “The Telltale Talent”  yesterday. It’s awesome. You guys rock!!!
José Rosa

Fred,
My name is Lisa Sanders and I work with the youth at Harrison United Methodist Church in Pineville, NC. We will be doing a performance of “The Telltale Talent” on Sunday, October 12th. We have been rehearsing for 2 weeks now, and the play looks great! We have finished building the set. The play would not be the same without the soundtrack. You have made it very easy and inexpensive to put on a quality performance of eternal value. Thank you.

Fred,
The new “Comedy Cookout” CD is awesome… the “Pastor’s Barbeque” song is outstanding. It is fresh, new material that audiences will find hilarious yet very effective in ministering God’s Word.
Our team is always looking for ideas to perform on Pastor Appreciation Sunday. We will save this one for that day if we can stand to wait. Also, we plan on performing “the Telltale Talent” script for our Hallelujah Night.
Julie Anderson
LightForce Director
North Sparta Church of God

Fred,
We used your skit, “Assignment Hindrance,” last night at our youth meeting. It was such a hit that our church youth group plans to perform this again on a Sunday Night to our adult group during the evening worship service.
Our group was also interested enough in the skits that I have just ordered a couple of your CD’s. We plan to perform “The Telltale Talent” at our church Halloween party on October 26 at Elm Grove UMC in Burlison, TN.
What a wonderful resource your site has been for our church!  I have saved your web site to my favorites and plan to be returning again.
Thanks so much!
Emily McCullough
Elm Grove UMC

Dear Fred,
I love your skits. You all do great work. The CDs are also wonderful. I have already done four of your skits and they went over really well.This fall we will be doing the Telltale Talent and The Red Tie Club. You guys write the best skits for comedy I have ever read. Keep up the good work!
Your customer,
Pam Cariker

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! 

Get the script PDF (to print out) and audio tracks (to burn to your own CD) here.
Price of script & Skit Trax: Instant download ONLY:: $14.99 Add to Cart

Get the physical CD mailed to you by ordering here. You will be taken to a page where you can print out the script PDF as well as an email containing the script PDF.  $19.99 plus shipping – Add to Cart

Order through the mail with a check or money order by printing out this order form and mailing it to us. Click to open or download: order_form_new

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