You can continue this from the previous skit or you can write a different introduction. Use a simple song that is not well-known so that you can justify getting out the sign. This is a good opportunity to teach a simple chorus.
Phileo: (turns to the audience) Hi everybody. (back to Mario) What are we gonna do today, Mario?
Mario: Well, I thought maybe we could sing a song.
Phileo: Just a minute—(makes vocal warm-up noises) mi, mi, mi. Harum. That’s better. OK. What should we sing?
Mario: What about that Nazarene song that we’ve been working on. You sing and I’ll play.
Phileo: Okay
‘I fell in love with a Nazarene,…’ (sing one verse) (1)
Mario: Hey, that’s a pretty good job. Do you suppose you could do that again?
Phileo: Sure Mario… (starts song again, but with wrong words) ‘Oh, I fell in love with a tangerine, I…’
Mario: (breaks in) Wait a minute, that’s not what you were singing before.
Phileo: (sheepishly) I must have forgotten the words.
Mario: Well, why don’t you try to remember them.
Phileo: Hmmmm. I think I have them written down somewhere. Hey kids, would you like to sing along too?
(wait for response – if you don’t get much, you might ad lib with ‘They must have overslept too’ or some such)
Phileo: Wait a minute, I’ll be right back.
(Phileo bounces back down the steps. As he goes down, Mario looks over the top of the screen)
Mario: Wait, wait Phileo – don’t open that door. (loud crashing is heard. Mario cringes.). (2)
Mario: Too late. Are you OK, Phileo?
Phileo: Yup, and I found the words too. (he bounces back up the steps) OK, lets go. (a sign appears: it has a tangerine on it) (3)
Mario: Phileo, those are not the right words.
Phileo: Whoops, Sorry (sign turns around)
Mario: That’s better.
Phileo: (sings song: 2 times through so that everybody can sing along)
Phileo: Yea! everybody. Good job.
Nazarine/Tangerine sign – front & back
I Fell in Love with a Nazarene
(in 3/4 time – kind of like a waltz)
(oom-pa-pa oom-pa-pa oom-pa-pa)
I fell in love with a Na- za –
(oom pa-pa)
– rine
Verse 1
I fell in love with a Nazarene, I fell in love with Him.
I fell in love with a Nazarene, He made me free from sin.
He gave me beauty for ashes, here, Glory for all my shame.
I fell in love with a Nazarene and Jesus is His name.
Verse 2:
La la la la la la la la la, La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la, La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la, La la la la la la
I fell in love with a Nazarene and Jesus is His name.
1. Song Lyrics: I don’t know where this simple song came from. I learned it at a Bible Study many years ago but I have not been able to find it on the internet. The woman who taught the class heard it at a church she visited for a conference, probably written by someone at that church. Unfortunately, she went home several years ago, so I cannot ask her this side of heaven. Phileo fractures the song by singing the word ‘tangerine’ in place of the word ‘Nazarene’.
2. Opening the Closet: Have a cloth or net bag with a few metal pots and pans in it. When Mario tells Phileo not to open the door, pick up the bag and shake it violently, as if Phileo opened a closet door and everything fell out. Make it prolonged, with a few pauses while a few more things fall and make noise. Every time something crashes, Mario cringes.
3. Put Props within Easy Reach: Behind the screen, have a stool or small table with the sign on it. Use poster board and cut out colorful pictures to represent words in the song. You can choose any song you wish for this. Use a yardstick for the handle so that you can easily hold it with one hand while you puppet with the other.