How to Write a Script for a Christian Drama

Christian drama is a wonderful way to teach biblical principles and express moral values. When writing a Christian drama, you need to consider what kind of dramatic presentation you want to create, such as a movie script, short skit or play. Christian dramas may involve retelling Bible stories or feature famous biblical characters or they may be set in modern times expressing Christian themes and messages. If you are musically inclined, you may even want to consider developing a Christian musical drama presentation.

Choose a Drama Format

Decide whether you are going to write a Christian screenplay or a Christian play. If you have never written a drama presentation, you might want to start with a 10-minute skit. Study other scripts to learn the proper formatting and how to write dialogue or consult with someone who has experience with writing drama. Another option is take a creative writing class, a playwriting course or a screenplay class.

Choose a topic. Christian dramas might be a particular theme in modern times or might be about a biblical character. If you are going to write about a play taking place in biblical times, you should research traditional Christian customs in that time in history for accuracy. Christian themes include forgiveness, restoring relationships, trusting God through difficult times and resisting temptation. Decide what kind of a message you want to express through the drama.

Write your story line. Every drama needs a good plot, and each story should have a beginning, a middle and an ending. Try to think of a story that engages the audience. The most successful dramas are ones that move the audience emotionally. Conflict is an important element to incorporate into your drama. The lead character should have some goal that is blocked by obstacles that they overcome during the presentation.

Develop your characters. You may have one main character and a few secondary characters or you may decide on an ensemble cast. Think about the personality of the lead character. Consider his beliefs and about traits that make him unique in some way. If you are retelling a Bible story, research the Bible character. The Nible provides a multitude of interesting characters from both the Old Testament and New Testament, such as Moses, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the disciples, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul.

Write your scenes, including dialogue between characters. Read your dialogue out loud to see if it sounds like a natural conversation two people might have with each other during the time period you are presenting. Avoid long monologues for any character.