'Come Home' stirs memories

By Jaine Treadwell (Contact) | Troy Messenger

Published Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Ann Sanders of Goshen has attended Alabama’s Official Folklife Play “Come Home, It’s Suppertime” at the We Piddle Around Theater three times.

Opening night, Nov. 2 was exceptionally special.

“I’ve loved the play every time that I’ve seen it and I’ve wanted other members of my family to see it with me,” Sanders said. “Tuesday night, my dad, my aunt and my brother and his wife were able to go with Bill and me. It was even more wonderful seeing it with them.

“My dad and my aunt would look at each other and us and say, ‘I remember doing that. I’ve done that.’ My brother and sister-in-law live in San Antonio, Texas and they had never seen anything done about this era. They were all carried away by the play.”

Sanders said the play keeps getting better every time she sees it.

“There are some changes every time and I really enjoyed the changes made this time,” she said. “There seemed to be more of a spiritual aspect to it, of course, there always is but this time there were more sacred songs and the audience chimed in. It was just wonderful.”

There was no one thing that made the play special for Ann Sanders and her family.

“It was everything—the stories, the songs and the theater,” Sanders said. “My sister-in-law asked me what she should wear. I told her whatever she wanted. There was sawdust on the floor. The setting is just perfect. It’s all excellent.”

And, perhaps the best thing about the play is that it jogs memories of days gone by for many people, Sanders said.

“My dad and my aunt said the oil cloth on the tables was the kind of table cloth they grew up with. So, for them, it was like going back in time. When we got home, we were talking and my aunt said the story about the pineapple sandwiches at the dinner on the ground reminded her of the first time she tasted pineapple.

“She went with her family to visit relatives who had more material goods than her family. They opened a can of pineapple and cut the slices in half so they would go around. My aunt said that pineapple was the most wonderful thing she had ever tasted.”

Sanders said “Come Home” is an encouragement for others to share their stories.

“I’m sure that the play will jog a lot of memories and, as a result, a lot of stories will be told,” she said.

Lawrence Bowden, president of the sponsoring Brundidge Historical Society, said the purpose of the original folklife play is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the rural South.

“The play is a visual storytelling and we hope that it does encourage others to go home and share their personal stories,” he said. “If it does, then we are successful at what we do. We appreciate all of those who “come home” to supper. There’s no better place to be than around the kitchen table at suppertime.”

“Come Home, It’s Suppertime” is in its 16th season. Performances will be through Nov. 14. All tickets have been sold.

Dates for the spring season are to be announced.

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