A Clown Christmas

This script is courtesy of Clowns for Christ
Originally, this was written for a Narrator and 14 clowns (whiteface, auguste, tramp, or any combination). These clown roles can be combined.
Narrator: Once upon a time, there was a very special group of clowns. (Clowns enter) You can see that their name tags say, “Clowns for Christ.” These clowns loved God very much. God had told them that he was going to send His very own son to the Earth to be King. Well, the clowns couldn’t wait, because this King would be called by many names: (each clown steps forward as he or she says the line, and then back)
Clown 1 : Messiah
Clown 2: Lamb of God
Clown 3: Savior
Clown 4: Redeemer
Clown 5: Jehovah
Clown 6: Christ
Clown 7: Immanuel
Clown 8: Prince of peace
Clown 9: Jesus
Clown 10: Wonderful counselor
Clown 11: Teacher
Clown 12: Mighty God
Clown 13: The Door
Clown 14: The Word
(More may be added if desired, so that each clown, except the littlest one, has a name for Him)
Narrator: Well, finally the day came when the clowns heard that the King was born, so they set off to find him.
Clown 1: Wait a minute, we can’t go to see the King without gifts
Narrator: That’s right, the clowns wanted to bring gifts to the King, but clowns have no money, and they don’t shop much. So they had to give special gifts that only clowns can give. Some of the clowns made him some balloon animals.
Clown 1: I made him a dog to keep him company. (shows dog)
Clown 2: I made him a sword to keep him safe from his enemies (shows sword)
Clown 3: I made him a swan that can swim with him. (Shows swan)
Clown 4: I made him a giraffe, which can keep a lookout for him. (Shows giraffe)
Clown 5: I made him a bee to make sweet honey for him. (Shows bee)
(others may be added)
Narrator: Others of the clowns had special tricks that they would do for the King.
Clown 6: I can juggle for him (juggles)
Clown 7: I can spin this plate for him (spins plate)
Clown 8: I will balance things on this bat for him. (Balances things)
Clown 9: We will do flips for him. (flips, as do clowns 11, 12, 13, etc.)
Clown 10: I will tell him a joke. (Tells joke)
(others may be added)
Narrator: Each of the clowns discovered that he or she had a special gift to give to the King. All that is except for the littlest clown. The littlest clown was only two years old. All this time the littlest clown hadn’t said a word because he didn’t think he had a gift for Baby Jesus. He was not allowed to make balloon animals because his mom thought he might choke on the balloons. He was not allowed to play with the juggling pins because one time he and his brother had broken a window playing with them. No one would let him spin the plate because he liked to pretend the stick was a sword and he poked people with it. The baseball bat was too heavy for him, and when he tried to do flips, he fell on his head. He was very sad, but he didn’t say a word. Well, now that the clowns had gifts, they were ready to go find Baby Jesus.
Clown 2: I know where he is, follow me! (She runs out, the rest of the clowns follow, soon they return looking sad)
Narrator: Did you find him?
Clown 2: No
Narrator: Where did you look?
Clown 2: In a castle of course.
Narrator: A castle?
Clown 2: Yeah, you know a palace. He is supposed to be a King, isn’t he?
Narrator: Well yes, but Jesus wasn’t born in a castle.
Clown 3: Wait a minute, I think I know where he is, follow me! (All clowns follow her out only to return soon looking sad again)
Narrator: Did you find him this time?
Clown 3: No
Narrator: Well where did you look?
Clown 3: In a hospital. Aren’t all babies born in hospitals?
Narrator: No, there were no hospitals back when Jesus was born.
Clown 3: Oh.
Clown 4: Hey I know where he is, follow me!
Clown 5: No way, we are not going on another wild goose chase. You go look. I’ll wait right here.
Other clowns: Yeah, me too.
Clown 4: OK. (He leaves)
Clown 6: I have an idea, I’ll go check it out and if I find him, I’ll come back and get you. (Leaves in a different direction)
Clown 7: I think I might know where he is too, I’ll be right back. (leaves)
Clown 4: (returns) Well, he’s not in the White House.
Clown 6: (returns) He’s not in the big house on the hill, either.
Clown 7: (returns) I’ve looked everywhere and I just can’t find him.
Clown 8: Hey, look at that star! God says to follow that star and it will lead us to him. (Clowns walk all around the parameter of the room, looking up the whole time, and come to a stop back where they started. While they are walking around, someone puts a simple crèche on the stage)
Clown 9: Hey, that’s a barn.
Clown 10: No, it’s a stable.
Clown 11: Something is wrong here. He was supposed to be King. This isn’t right.
Clown 2: I still think he should have been in that castle.
Narrator: No, listen you clowns. This is part of God’s plan. He knows what he is doing.
Clown 1: OK, lets give him our gifts.
(Clowns give gifts, juggler and littlest clown last. As gifts are given, clowns move to other side of crèche)
Narrator: Soon there was only the littlest clown left and everyone was watching him to see what kind of a gift a two-year-old could give to baby Jesus.
(Littlest clown, perhaps with a little prompting, pulls out a stuffed heart and puts it in the crèche, a big clown picks up the heart and shows it to the other clowns and the audience, all clowns kneel and freeze.)
Narrator: The little clown gave the only thing he could, his heart. The balloons soon popped and the tricks were forgotten. But the little clown had given his heart to Jesus, that meant he would follow him for the rest of his life. When Jesus grew up and went to the cross, the little clown was grown up and he was there too. He was the one who helped Jesus carry his cross. The little clown gave Jesus the best gift of all, and it is one that each of us can give to Jesus.