Looking back, appreciating life and its gifts, doing little things, making a difference.

Theme:  A reading sometimes attributed to many people including Brother Jeremiah is used in this drama. Looking back on the important things in life, family, friends, doing silly things along the way.

Staging Information

Background

This drama features mainly pre-recorded lines and non-verbal acting. Because of this it is extremely important that the lines be delivered with great feeling and that the acting on stage be very outgoing and emotional.

The main character is “Grampa”, a senior man, (could be Grandma), preferably grey hair, sitting on a park bench, holding a cane. The entire set is meant to be a park area with the bench at a somewhat elevated level at upstage center. Across the downstage is a park walk where the other actors will stroll by in front of Grampa as he observes their strolling and reflects on his memories.

A more or less steady stream of people pass by in front of Grampa, some may be:

– a boy and girl stroll hand in hand

– two young boys walk by, throwing a ball back and forth

– young parents walk by with a baby in carriage

– a father with a child on his shoulders

– an older couple hand in hand

– friends, male or female, in silent conversation

It is critical that the actors be wholly engrossed in their own activity and pay no attention whatsoever to the audience or to Grampa. Also they must be entirely silent.

Leave a space after the last of the people stroll by before Grampa begins his lines and also leave some space between each group of strollers, (don’t have the path cluttered or too busy).

Grampa will pre-tape the first lines. He must speak slowly, with great emotion and leave space between the lines or main thoughts so that his lines appear to be ramblings and remembrances. Occasionally Grampa may chuckle as though he is recalling a particular pleasant memory or as though chiding himself on what he has or has not done.

Script

Grampa comes on stage.

Grampa:

If I had my life to live over again,  . . . I’d try to make more mistakes next time.

I would relax.

I would limber up.

I would be sillier than I have been this trip.

I know of very few things that I would take as seriously.

I would take more trips.

I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets.

I would do more walking and looking.

I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans.

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