Youth and Recreation Activity Resource Center
Activity and Resource Center
A Valentine Banquet "Scenes to Remember
Scenes to Remember
WITH DRAMATIC SCRIPT FOR VALENTINE BANQUET
(A dramatic script for a Valentine Banquet that may be presented in any size church. Plan this for Senior Adults or for the whole church. If Senior Adults choose to have this banquet for their age group alone, they may invite a few young people to assist in the program. Also, use this banquet for Christian Home Week or to honor your pastor at any appropriate time of the year. In honoring the pastor or some other person, adapt the scenes to include some of the incidents and facts about his life, and change the ending.)
Publicity
Feature scrapbooks and "memories in any printed publicity. Get the word to the members by skit announcements, personal telephone calls, and the printed word.
Decorations
Make centerpieces of large, old-fashioned-type valentines and French bouquets or nosegays. Add candles to complete the table decorations.
At one end of the room have a small platform high enough for the scenes in the program to be readily viewed.
Build a large frame for a heart that will open in the middle. Hinge the two sections of the heart to the sides of the frame to make it possible to open it like a big double door.
Make the frame of soft pine or another kind of wood that thumb tacks will stick in with ease.
Cover the heart with red satin or shirred strips of red crepe paper. Paint or cover the rest of the frame white.
To make a lovely border for each picture, within the heart make a frame of lace doilies or
shirred white crepe paper strips.
Place an overhead spotlight so that each picture is properly illuminated.
To give the proper setting for the heart and to provide a screen for the cast to stand behind, make a beautiful, but simple, backdrop out of strips of white table or butcher paper.
Across the room, string a tight wire the height of the heart frame. Hang close together over this floor-length strips of the white paper. At regular intervals over the white paper, hang four-inch strips of red crepe paper, fluted.
Dress a small boy as Cupid, who will open and close the doors of the heart for each scene. Take care that the platform is deep enough for Cupid to have room to swing the doors wide open to reveal each scene.
Favors
Make small autograph albums for favors. Decorate the front with two hearts entwined. Write the names of the guests on the albums if you choose to have place cards.
Me-an-you
Cupid's Potion
Tender Love with Woo Flavor
Smashed Dreams Love Charms
Darling's Delight
Light Hearts and Heavenly Bliss
Magic Nectar
Sweetie Pie
Program Cover
Print this as an old family scrapbook. List one scene to a page with the names of the persons posing the picture and those providing the special music.
Program
Scene Recaller................................................................................... Emcee
Invocation ............................................................. (Name)
"Memories" or "Remember" ...................................... SoloistScenes to Remember
Childhood Days
Teen-age Days
Courtship Days
Wedding DayGolden Anniversary
Dreams of EternityCupid ...................................................................... (name)
Program Details
After the solo, the emcee or "scene recaller," goes to one side of the stage and opens a regular-size family album. As he turns the pages and reads the script, the lights are on the large heart. If an extra spotlight is available, spotlight the "scene recaller" and then the picture. To make a smoother production, in some settings have the monologue given by a hidden narrator.
For Cupid, choose a small boy of four or five (according to his maturity). Costume him in red satin tights, a quiver of arrows, and a bow across his bare chest. When the music starts, he will open the doors, and when it stops, he will close them. The musicians will be heard but not seen. Schedule at least two full rehearsals to practice shifting of scenery, timing, and lighting.
(SCENE 1: A freckle-faced, snaggle-toothed boy is holding hands with a girl in pigtails. She looks coy and he looks bashful. She is carrying a lunch pail and he is carrying her books.)
EMCEE: What would one do in life without memories? As I started thinking back through the years, I took out the old family album and decided to seek a little help as I indulged in a game of reminiscing. I had hardly opened the book before I beheld a scene which delighted my heart; it brought to mind the first "destiny-shaking" pangs of "puppy love," when Dan Cupid first made his appearance. (Cupid enters through heart doors, closing them behind him.) Yes, Sally and I were in the fifth grade together. Sometimes I accidentally had a piece of peppermint candy to share with my "fairy queen."
She thought I was wonderful and would never make fun of me, even when I brought her a beautiful dead butterfly which I had found. She carefully wrapped it in her handkerchief, slipped it in the pocket of her book satchel, and promised to keep it forever. What foolish fancies can be aroused in the heart of an eleven-year-old!
When the boys weren't watching, I carried her books and we played like grownups. It was no accident that I always managed to get the seat beside her in the classroom. Yes, I think even the teacher realized the seriousness of this thing and never scolded me when I leaned over to whisper something in her ear. Yes, this picture in my scrapbook brings back wonderful memories of grade school days.
(Cupid opens door. Trio sings "School Days." Cupid closes doors.)
(SCENE 2: A teen-aged pair with a bicycle built for two. They are carrying tennis rackets.)
EMCEE: How fast the years flew byl Before I realized it, my little friend with pigtails had become one of the prettiest teenagers in our town. We had lots of fun and laughter together. How I enjoyed those hours with Sally! She was always good at any game we played. Our tennis match each Saturday afternoon came to be a weekly event. Believe it or not, she could almost beat me! If I was lucky and had found enough lawns to mow, we stopped at the ice cream parlor on the way home. Often we bicycled over the hills together, gliding along happily on our bicycle built for two.
(Cupid opens doors. Duet sings "Bicycle Built for Two." Cupid closes doors.)
(SCENE 3: Boy in military clothing and young woman. She is seated and he is holding her hand adoringly.)
EMCEE: Before we knew it, high school days were gone. All this time, Sally had been growing more beautiful as she blossomed into young womanhood. War clouds gathered and, like so many others, my college days were interrupted and Uncle Sam was my boss for a while. At first, I didn't mind too much; in fact, I enjoyed it. Even Sally admitted I looked handsome in my uniform. Her packages, letters, and prayers meant more to me than anything during those lonely days. It seemed furloughs didn't come often enough. But there was a war to be won, so we willingly waited until I would be home again for good. This picture was made on my first furlough home.
(Cupid opens door. Duet sings "Sweetheart." Cupid closes doors.)
(SCENE 4: A bride and groom are standing as though repeating marriage vows. Choose a recent bride and groom to wear wedding finery.)
EMCEE: This next snapshot was taken on that memorable day to which we had looked forward so long-our wedding dayl Of course, Sally looked lovelier than ever as she came down the aisle and the two of us were made one. I don't remember all that the minister said in the ceremony, but I do remember that right there before everyone, as we had already done in secret, we pledged to make ours a happy Christian home here there is divine as well as human love.
(Cupid opens doors. Soloist sings "0 Perfect Love." Cupid closes doors.)
(SCENE 5: An elderly couple are facing a backdrop of a beautiful sunset. They are seated on a bench with their backs to the audience. He has his arm around her shoulders. For this
scene turn off the overhead white spotlight. Use a red light bulb in a lamp shining up from the floor.)
EMCEE: Those wonderful years continued to fly ever so rapidly. Before we knew it we were celebrating our Golden Wedding Anniversary. So many happy memories to look back upon! Yes, this is a picture I'll always cherish, taken on our Golden Wedding Anniversary.
(Cupid opens doors. Mixed quartet sings "Just a Song at Twilight." Cupid closes doors.)
(SCENE 6: Large picture or slide projection of head of Christ.
EMCEE: We are reluctant to close our scrapbook of scenes to remember. It has been full of such unforgettable moments. Never could our home have been the monument of love that
it is had Christ not been its head from the beginning. Yet he has planned that we not be content with memories of the past. Our future goes beyond earthly things.
(Reads John 14:2-3. Cupid opens doors. Background music, "The Holy City." Cupid closes doors. Emcee leads in prayer.)