"It's Not Too Late" - A Christian Play Based on the Columbine Tragedy - Written by Dick Lentz

 A Story Of Decisions People Make About God
 Based on the Columbine Tragedy

Few of us will forget what happened at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999.  We're troubled by what happened there that day.  But we also want to know why it happened. What caused these two individuals to take such extreme measures to express what they were feeling inside?

I was moved to view this tragedy from a spiritual standpoint.  A person's relationship with God affects their outlook on life as well as their ability to cope with it.

It's Not Too Late is a Christian play, a musical drama, based on the Columbine tragedy. It is a story of decisions people make about God.  It takes place during a typical day in a high school and tells the story of Katie Smith, a new student in school, as she struggles to fit it, to make a friend or two, and to learn a few things about life in the process.

Katie makes friends with Lisa Caldwell, a compassionate, committed Christian.  Lisa tells Katie about the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus.  But Katie also meets Jason Holmes, a rebellious, arrogant, angry young man who hates God and those who believe in Him.

The play ends in tragedy.  Jason acts on his anger and kills several students including Katie and Lisa. But the focus of the play is not on the tragedy.  It is on the decisions people make about God and the consequences of some of those decisions.

 Some Facts About the Play

The most important decision we make in life is the one we make about God.  The path we choose to take, especially the choice we make about God, has enormous consequences for our lives as well as for the lives of others.

The Bible says, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people  and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:27,28, NIV)."

This Christian scripts message is powerful. It's too late for some to take a different path in life.  But it's not too late for you.

This Christian play was originally performed by members of the Niwot High School Bible Club (Niwot, Colorado) and students from Longmont Christian School (Longmont, Colorado). There were 6 performances from April 9, 2000 through May 13, 2000.  Over 500 people saw the drama.  Many were moved to re-evaluate their own relationship with God as well as the urgent need to share with others the truth about Jesus and His love for us.

Since then,  over 250 groups in the United States, Canada, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Romania, Denmark, the Philippines, Iran, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Germany, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Australia, India, and other countries have performed the play.  It has been translated or performed in numerous foreign languages including Russian, Ukrainian, Danish, Arabic, Africanese, and Spanish.   It's estimated that over 500,000 people have seen the play so far worldwide during over 500 performances including a dozen times at juvenile detention centers in Colorado.  Many have reported the moving and powerful affect the play has had on audience and cast members.   Some of their comments can be found on this scripts comments page.  A list of current and past performances can be found on this plays performance history  page.  You'll also find some links on a page that lists resources for other Christian scripts. plays, and dramas.

This Christian play is about 60 minutes long and takes a cast of 11-12.  It has 20 minutes of music (all original).  All music is either soloist or instrumental, although there are some optional  group or choir songs in the music book.  Some parts can be shared to accommodate larger casts.   Some groups have performed it as a drama by dropping the music.  Others have enhanced the play by adding additional choral numbers

Getting a Copy of This Play 

To see what's available, click here to view the  ORDERING page or on the button above. Scripts and music can be sent as attachments or through "snail-mail." CD's and DVD's are also available.

About the Author (Dick Lentz) 

I am a graduate of Simpson Bible College with a degree in Biblical Literature and Communications. I have taught adult Bible studies for over 50 years and am currently lead adult class at Calvary Church in Longmont, Colorado.

I have considerable acting experience including roles in close to a dozen theatrical productions and small (but fun) parts in movies such as Return of the Jedi, Eye for and Eye, and Rocky II.

In my spare time, I write adult Sunday School studies for David C. Cook. I have also written for Gospel Light, Scripture Press, Here's Life America, and other Christian publishers. I occasionally write newspaper editorials that give biblical perspectives on secular issues and have a blog titled As I see it today that gives my reflections my understanding of various verses in the Bible. 

To get copies of the script or music sent as attachments or by snail-mail, or to get CD's or DVD's from performances,  click here for the ORDERING options or on the button above.

Link to my blog: AsISeeItToday

Link to my Facebook Page: ItsNotTooLate