Jeff Barker Plays
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Jeff Barker

Jeff Barker was raised in Mendota, Illinois. He wrote and produced his first play while in undergraduate school at Greenville College. He went on to earn an M.A. at Northern Illinois University and an M.F.A. at University of South Dakota. While in graduate school, he studied playwriting under Dr. S. Alan Chesler and Dr. Kenn Robbins. Since 1988, he and his wife Karen have held professorships in acting and directing at Northwestern College, where Mr. Barker is also playwright in residence. He has over thirty produced plays to his credit, including Kin, which won the Iowa Playwright's Competition in 2002. September Bears, his 9/11-based play appeared off-Broadway in 2003. Jeff and Karen have three children and make their home in Orange City, Iowa.

Worship Drama Scripts

Sioux Center Sudan
A one-act drama
 5 women, 3 men (with doubling)
 36 characters total

“Sioux Center Sudan” tells the true story of Arlene Schuiteman, an Iowa school teacher
turned African missionary nurse in the 1950s. It is a beautiful story of God’s mysterious work
in our lives.

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September Bears
A one-act drama
4 males, 4 females (with doubling)
26 characters total

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And God Said
a collection of ten ancient plays of Israel
with music by Ron Melrose

 This full-length musical is for an ensemble cast of 6 males, 6 females and 1 boy. The text is taken verbatim from the Bible.

“And God Said is far more amazing, inspiring, challenging, profound…than I ever could have imagined.”
    - Nancy Franken

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David and Goliath
an ancient play of Israel
A one-act drama
12 males; 6 females
18 characters total, plus musicians
 

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When Scott Comes Home
A one-act drama
4 males; 4 females (with doubling)
36 characters total

 Based on the book "When AIDS Comes Home" by Mignon Zylstra. The story of a mother and her son and how their faith grew in spite of disease and death.

44 pages

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Elisha
a collection of Ancient Plays of Israel
number of actors varies

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2 males (with doubling)
Could be produced with a large cast

A theatrical celebration of Easter week, told through the eyes of the people who were present in Jerusalem at the time.

32 pages

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The Fisherman and His Wife
Drama
1 male; 1 female

15 pages

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The Pottery Class
Drama
3 males; 4 females (with doubling)
10 characters total

A college student searching for God's will ends up teaching pottery to a motley group of
students at a homeless shelter. Although he never finds the kind of answers he thought he
was looking for, he learns about God's love and about loving God.

38 pages

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The Perfect Christmas Carol
A story cantata
1 storyteller and a choir

Sally wants to form a church choir to sing at Christmas, but can't get the church board to
approve any songs. Finally, in frustration, she mails the pastor one last song, without even
looking over it.

15 pages (Approximate running time: 1 hour)

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The Woodworker's Dream
A duet reading for Christmas
1 male; 1 female
Cast may be expanded

When Joseph, a young woodworker, learns that his betrothed, Mary, is pregnant he must
decide if he can still love her and if he can believe his dreams.

15 pages

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The Old Red Car
Four comic Will and Jentina scenes
2 characters (1 male; 1 female)
Will and Jentina are two young children intended to be played by adult actors.

Will and Jentina learn about honesty when Will scratches his dad's red car, and Jentina helps him cover it up.

28 pages

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread
A Will and Jentina comic sketch
2 characters (1 male; 1 female)
Will and Jentina are two young children intended to be played by adult actors.

Will and Jentina face the fear of change and growth as Will's older brother prepares to leave for college.

9 pages

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Tepsember
Five comic Will and Jentina scenes
2 characters (1 male; 1 female)
Will and Jentina are two young children intended to be played by adult actors.

Friendship month at Will's church strikes terror into his heart. Will desperately tries to figure
out who he can invite while Jentina desperately tries to get invited.

32 pages

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Grandma's Trip
Four comic Will and Jentina scenes
2 characters (1 male; 1 female)
Will and Jentina are two young children intended to be played by adult actors.

Jentina helps Will earn a trip to Chicago by teaching him the Ten Commandments.

20 pages

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Johannas and Netti
Four scenes
written for the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America, 1999
2 characters (1 male; 1 female)

The early history of the Reformed Church in America unfolds side by side with early
American history at the Red Church in Red Hook, NY.

26 pages

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