Scenery for Readers’ Theater presentation is typically very simple, and merely suggestive of what the total scene would look like.  The Narrator “paints” the scene in the imagination of the audience. 

The sets are typically put in place and left there without changes except when sets are adapted to be used in another scene, and even these are kept to a minimum.  Lighting is used to direct the audience’s attention from one set to another as actors move to the next set. 

Costumes are generally very simple or simply using contemporary clothing adjusted as best as possible to approximate first century attire.  Use sandals instead of regular shoes and remove wrist watches!

Following are suggested set description.  If budget, time and space allow, feel free to use more elaborate costumes and/or sets.  

Some of the original artworks used in this eBook would make an excellent backdrop for some of the scenes.  They are available for a minimal cost and you receive a very high quality digital image that can be projected to the background of the scene.  To view artwork that is available for sale, click here and remember to return to Set Description (via the Table of Contents) after viewing the artworks. 

SET #	LOCATION	SET DESCRIPTION
1	Center Stage of auditorium.  No scenery necessary
2	City, Samaria	A painted backdrop of some scattered building stones and a dirt street.
3	Perea	Similar to set #2, but notably different in details
4	Pharisee home, Simon the Leper’s	A simple wooden furniture, or just a doorway in a small partition.
5	Yeshiva	(Class room)  A long table with a few chairs.  Possibly a black board
6	Lazarus’ Tomb	Painted backdrop showing a rock face with a doorway cut into it.  Could use the painting (available separately as an overhead transparency)  Remove after act.
7	Sanhedrin	A meeting hall, or possibly the Yeshiva set with aadded chairs
8	Palm Sunday	Palm Sunday.  Convert set #2 by adding some palm fronds on the ground.  Only used in Act.   For theater seating, an aisle serves as the street, and no scenery is needed except for some palm fronds on the ground
9	Temple	(Convert set #3 after Act 1.)  Some wide stone steps that could be used as bleachers.  Possibly a painted backdrop of a stone wall
10	Last Supper	A long table with a couple of bench seats.  More seats for bigger venue
11	Caiaphas’ Palace	Painted backdrop of a plaster wall.  No door at street level.  Convert from Set. #4 after Act
12	The Cross	Back lighted behind a sheet.  Set up after Act 1
13	Road	No scenery needed – the aisle serves as a road
14	Road	No scenery needed – the aisle serves as a road
Postlog		Center Stage of auditorium.  No scenery necessary