Grandma's Hands
2012 · Lincoln Land Community College
"Grandma's Hands" was an original ensemble show devised by Ken Bradbury's Lincoln Land Community College theatre class in the spring of 2012. As the students explain within the piece itself, the show grew out of a class conversation: "So we sat around one day in class and talked about our Grandmothers… what made us laugh… what we loved the most… what we'll always remember…" From that shared brainstorm the company built a warm, funny tribute to grandmothers — what reminds us of them, the foods they made, the music they loved, and the little things we'll never forget.
The dialogue is a round-robin of memories, each student speaking from their own grandmother: the smells (ham cooking, potpourri, lilacs, "that Grandma smell"), the foods (canned peas opened just so, fried-chicken cracklin' gravy, oatmeal cookies disguised with M&M's, "Pink Stuff," heart-shaped Bisquick waffles), and the favorite songs the grandmas sang. It mixes one-liners and affectionate jokes — "A grandmother is a person who loves you… despite the evidence" — with quieter sentiment: "The best place to be sad is in your Grandma's lap."
Songs
The show wove the grandmothers' favorite songs into the dialogue, performed by the students with a live band:
- "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" — sung by Zach
- "Love Me Tender" — sung by John (with Zach on harmony), introduced as Grandma's beloved Elvis
- A church hymn the company sang together, "While yet the morn is breaking" (to the tune of "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus")
A companion list of period songs associated with the grandmothers' era was also collected for the show, including "Bell Bottom Trousers," "I'll Be Seeing You," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Chattanooga Choo Choo," and the "Pennsylvania Polka."
Cast
The devising ensemble of LLCC students:
- Annie
- Billie
- Brandon
- Erin
- Jess
- John
- Phil
- Ryan
- Tim
- Wes
- Zach
Production Notes
"Grandma's Hands" was performed in spring 2012 at Lincoln Land Community College, with rehearsals and performance dates of May 16, 18, and 20 listed on the class's final schedule. Like Ken's other LLCC class shows, it was an original piece devised collaboratively by the students from their own lives and memories under his direction.