Three Cups of Tea

This is what I ended up writing for the 7 & 8 year olds to perform at the Winter Festival at ECS next weekend. It received the ultimate compliment when the Festival Chair said that it made her cry.

The theme for the festival is based on the book of the same title.

THREE CUPS OF TEA

Characters

Elder, Mountaineer, Tribe

Mountaineer: Elder, Your people have done so much for me. I want to build schools for the children as my way of saying thank you. Why can’t I get anyone to work with me?

Elder: That is because you haven’t sat with them to have tea.

Mountaineer: Tea! I don’t have time to sit and drink tea! There are buildings to build!

Elder: Then you will not build buildings.

Mountaineer: Look, this is really important to me. It’s my way to say thank you to your village for saving me.

Elder: Then it will not be a problem for you to drink three cups of tea as is our custom.

Mountaineer: Three cups of tea!?!. The buildings will never get done.

Elder: Do you want to do this or what?

Mountaineer: Oh alright. I’ll drink three cups of tea. Where are they?

Elder: Sit there. Enjoy the first cup of tea and learn each others names.

Mountaineer sits in chair opposite and facing the tribe. One member pours the tea.

Tribe: How do you do. I am (each says their name)

Mountaineer: How do you do. My name is (says name)

Elder: Very good beginning. Now it’s time for the second cup of tea. Now we will learn about each other.

Second cup of tea is poured and chairs are moved closer to each other.

Tribe: I like (each shares something that they like)

Mountaineer: I like (states something that they like)

Elder: Now that we have become friends it is time for the third cup of tea.

Third cup of tea is poured and the chairs are moved closer to each other.

Tribe: I wish (each shares a wish from their heart)

Mountaineer: I wish to build a school to thank you for saving my life.

Elder: Take the time to get to know the heart of a person, become family and things will get done.