(Pastor Oglethorpe enters through the UL door. He reaches around and turns on the light. He X DC, looks at the audience. He Xs to the piano and plays “Rock of Ages.” He Xs to the pulpit, turns around and runs a quick comb through his hair. He turns back around.)
OGLETHORPE: God scratches where the world itches. (Pause.) The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about folks afflicted with itching ears, and I believe…
I do not know where they got off to. I purely do not.
(He Xs DC, using the space for this next section.)
I directed that down to the Eat’n’Run over an hour ago, and they simply have not come back. They’ve been here, you see their things. The Eat’n’Run is usually true to its name. But I’m confident they’ll be here any minute, so I’ll press on and take this opportunity to welcome each and every one of you to the first-ever Saturday Night Sing at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. I recall Job 35:10 – But none saith, where is God my maker, who gives song in the night. Amen. A special greeting to all you folks from the Antioch, Free Will, and Fire-Baptized Holiness. The doors of Mount Pleasant swing wide on welcome hinges. And I am surprised and delighted to see Miss. Maude and Miss. Myrtle in the Amen Corner. These dear ladies had some strong reservations about guitars and fiddles in the church, but I see you’ve had a change of heart.
I have not been this excited since I received the conviction to preach. I think it’s a true sign of the modern times when we can gather together on a Saturday night, and I can look out on all the menfolk and see nothing but shirtsleeves! Not a suit coat in sight. When I received the call to this church after Preacher Dryman passed away, - Does it seem like a year already? – I said to myself, Mervin, what can you bring the good folks at Mount Pleasant?
And I studied on it, and the answer was progress. Here we are just two years shy of 1940, and look what God has wrought! Every time I look up at that electrical light bulb, I thank God – and the generous contributions of Miss. Maude and Miss. Myrtle – for progress. Us Baptists are pushing on into the modern world. You all look so good sitting out there, I think I’ll take the liberty myself. It’s hot.
(Oglethorpe removes his coat, drapes it over the R chair.)
You know, I wouldn’t even know about the Sanders family at all if my car ran right. True story. I was on my way back from visiting my Mama and Daddy a couple of Saturdays ago – Oh, Mama told me to thank you so much for your prayers on her cyst. She called me on the telephone Tuesday night to say it just fell off in her hand. Praise the Lord – So I’m on Highway 11 towards Siler City when all of a sudden steam starts rolling up from under my hood. But as the Lord would have it, Mr. Sanders runs a filling station along that very piece of road. And I’m predicting God was at the wheel when he turned me into the Sanders place –
(June enters from house R doors, makes her way to the left, X in front and goes up the SL stair – meeting Oglethorpe slightly L of C.)
JUNE: I’m sorry. I am sorry. We are very sorry. We are so very sorry. (June arrives on stage out of breath.) Reverend Oglethorpe, I would personally like to apologize on behalf of my entire family for our lateness. Our tardiness. We’ve had an accident.
OGLETHORPE: Lord have mercy! Is anybody hurt?
JUNE: Just ruffled. But we turned the bus over in a ditch.
OGLETHORPE: Goodness gracious.
JUNE: Out by the pickle plant.
(To Audience.) Y’all have little cucumbers floating down the middle of Mount Pleasant.
(To Oglethorpe.) Did you know that?
OGLETHROPE: Why yes, the factory lets a few of them get away, I guess.
JUNE: Looked like thousands. Thousands of baby gherkins. That’s a big waste of pickle if you ask me.
(To Audience.) The twins got so excited, they got Daddy to pull over for a looksee. (Miming everything with her hands:) We all ran over to that side of the bus for the view. I’m guessing the berm was soft, (Tip the bus towards Oglethorpe.) ‘cause we just kept going.
OGLETHROPE: And no one was hurt?
JUNE: Only my Daddy’s pride and my sister’s hairdo, which are both sins if you ask me. But I do sincerely apologize.
OGLETHORPE: Where’s everybody else?
JUNE: Back with the bus. A couple stopped to help us – Smitty and Joanne Cates – (Take a step towards the Audience.) do y’all know them? They said they were Methodist – so I didn’t know. (Take a step back towards Oglethorpe.) Miss. Joanne gave me a ride over here, and Mr. Smitty stayed to help rock the bus back up.
OGLETHORPE: That was real nice of them.
JUNE: I asked didn’t they want to come hear us sing tonight, but they said it was their card-playin night.
I’m real sorry.
OGLETHORPE: Where are my manners?
(Oglethorpe leads June DC and introduces her to the audience.)
I’d like you to meet Miss. Denise Sanders of the Sanctified Sanders Singers.
JUNE: Excuse me. I’m June. Denise is my sister – one of the twins. Easy to tell us apart. (She signs:)
She sings. (2 fingers from mouth, out.)
I sign. (Hands move in circle in front.)
OGLETHORPE: For the deaf?
JUNE: (Signing – okay towards him.) That’s correct. (June signs everything Pastor Oglethorpe says – she takes a prepared stance.)
OGLETHORPE: Well, the Lord (Hands in prayer.) made people (People walking around.) talented (Playing guitar.) in a lot of different (Actual sign in sign language – 2 fingers linked and broken away.) ways. I’m thankful (Actual sign in sign language.) for the variety (Point in all directions.).
JUNE: (Signs the same as before.) I don’t sing. I sign.
OGLETHORPE: That’s wonderful. (June Signs: Raising the rafters.) A wonderful talent. (June Signs: Raising the rafters, playing guitar.) But all our flock is hearing.
JUNE: Mama says I need to practice.
OGLETHORPE: Well, that’s a wonderful (June Signs: Raising the rafters, playing guitar.) talent.
JUNE: And we’re not called the Sanctified Sanders Singers anymore. Mama says all those s’s sound like a (Snake her hand into Oglethorpe’s face.) snake a-hissing.
(The family enters from the house L doors. The come up the R stairs. Burl is last in line. They X and weave into position, placing their belongings on tables, under pews, etc.)
VERA: (From the back.) June!
JUNE: Mama! Here they are!
OGLETHORPE: The Sanders Family, ladies and gentlemen! I mean, brothers and sisters – (To Miss. Maude and Miss. Myrtle.) I’m sorry.
BURL: No, we’re sorry. We are so, so sorry. Aren’t we sorry, children?
DENISE: Yes, very sorry.
(Everyone is apologizing and getting things settled.)
VERA: Romans 9:2 – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
OGLETHORPE: Jeremiah 31:12 – They shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
VERA: I was overcome with my trouble and sorrow – Psalms 116:3.
OGLETHORPE: Thy sun will never set again, and thy moon will wane no more. The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and thy days of sorrow shall end. – Isaiah 60:20.
(Everyone is settled for a second – Oglethorpe is DC. Vera L in front of pews, June is sitting in the first pew, SL. Dennis is UL of pews. Stanley is by the bass, UR. Burl is DR of guitars. Denise is UR of guitars.)
JUNE: Oh, Mama.
(Stanley brings the bass URC, by piano.)
BURL: Thank you so much for having us, Brother Oglethrope and Mount Pleasant Baptist.
(Vera X to the piano.)
This is our first sing in five years, and, what with the bus turning over with us like that, I guess we’re just a little bit addled. I’m telling you, when that bus started tipping over, I thought we’d be swimming for sure. Vera’s legs were sticking straight up in the air –
(Vera loudly plays the opening chord of the first song to shut Burl up. Denise (UR) with guitar and Dennis (UL) with mandolin flank Burl (C) with guitar. June is standing at her spot (DL) with the triangle. Oglethorpe steps back and goes to stand at the pulpit. )
[THE CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD]
FAMILY: THERE’S A CHURCH IN THE VALLEY BY THE WILDWOOD,
NO LOVELIER SPOT IN THE DALE;
NO PLACE IS SO DEAR TO MY CHILDHOOD
AS THE LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN THE VALE.
O COME, COME, COME, COME.
(June strikes a triangle on the fifth “Come.” The family looks at her with approval. June grins from ear to ear.)
COME TO THE CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD,
O COME TO THE CHURCH IN THE VALE;
NO PLACE IS SO DEAR TO MY CHILDHOOD
AS THE LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN THE VALE.
(Pastor Oglethorpe begins to speak, then realizes they’re doing another song. He retreats. Dennis puts away the mandolin and grabs his fiddle. Denise puts away her guitar and grabs the mandolin off the piano. June stays in her spots but trades her triangle for a tambourine. They stand LC.)
[WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE]
STANLEY: EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE RELIGION IN GLORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA BE SINGING THAT STORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
BURL: NOW, LISTEN, EV’RYBODY, ‘CAUSE I’M TALKING TO YOU:
THE LORD IS THE ONLY ONE TO CARRY YOU THROUGH.
YOU BETTER GET YOU READY ‘CAUSE I’M TELLING YOU WHY:
JESUS IS A-COMING FROM HIS THRONE ON HIGH.
(Burl X R, in front of piano, then U – introducing as he goes. The kids counter L.)
We are the Sanders Family Singers from up around Siler City. I’m Burl. Standing here slapping the bass is my brother Stanley, just come back to us.
STANLEY: Pleased to be here.
BURL: And on the piano is my wife Vera.
VERA: READING IN THE BIBLE ALL THE THINGS HE SAID,
SAID HE WAS A-COMING BACK TO RAISE THE DEAD.
ARE YOU GONNA BE AMONG THE CHOSEN FEW?
WILL YOU MAKE IT THROUGH?
FAMILY: EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE RELIGION IN GLORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA BE SINGING THAT STORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
OH! GLORY, HALLELUJAH!
BROTHER, THERE’S A RECKONING A-COMING IN THE MORNING.
BETTER GET YOU READY, ‘CAUSE I’M GIVING YOU THE WARNING.
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
(The kids come C, Burl X to them to introduce.)
BURL: And these are my twins. Denise – she’s the girl.
DENISE: Thank y’all for having us.
BURL: And Dennis is the boy.
DENNIS: Thank y’all.
DENNIS,
DENISE: GOING DOWN THE VALLEY, GOING ONE BY ONE;
GONNA BE REWARDED FOR THE THINGS WE’VE DONE.
WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN AND THE PROMISED LAND,
THEN WE’LL UNDERSTAND.
(The kids go back to their initial formation, flanking Burl C.)
FAMILY: EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE RELIGION IN GLORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA BE SINGING THAT STORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
OH! GLORY, HALLELUJAH!
BROTHER, THERE’S A RECKONING A-COMING IN THE MO’RNING.
BETTER GET YOU READY, ‘CAUSE I’M GIVING YOU THE WARNING.
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE RELIGION IN GLORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA BE SINGING THAT STORY,
EV’RYBODY’S GONNA HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
BURL: The Sanders Family!
OGLETHROPE: And June!
FAMILY: WE’LL HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE.
(After the song, Pastor Oglethorpe applauds.
Denise takes the mandolin back R and Dennis takes the fiddle back UL. Dennis sits on the back pew L, Denise in the C. Burl puts his guitar in its stand R. Oglethorpe weaves back DL to DLC. Stanley puts the bass back and X over pulpit to back pew, R.)
OGLETHORPE: Yes! I do not think God would mind us clapping on a Saturday night.
BURL: The Sanders Family has been singing gospel for over thirty years.
Back before mine and Stanley’s mother died –
(Oglethorpe X R to Burl.)
OGLETHORPE: Not your Mama!
BURL: Bless her heart, she’s been gone from us six months now. But back then, we were a big family group.
(Vera X L to chime in. She sits C of front pew.)
Sang at the state-wides every year from ’26 to ’30.
VERA: (Chiming in.) And fifteen hundred people once at a temperance meeting in Asheville.
(Burl X to C – he uses the space. Oglethorpe counters R and then X to sit at the piano.)
BURL: Once Mama got too brittle to ride in the bus, we had to give it up and act like a regular family. But not too long ago – (Realizes.) right after Mama died – Vera sat back down at the piano and started singing like I’ve never heard come out of that woman. She’d been banging away morning, noon, and way into the night. And I finally said to myself, Burl, you better do something about his or we’re gonna have to sleep in the yard. And I thought, well, the young’uns are raised, Mama’s been called home to eternal paradise, Vera’s got the itch something powerful. So I took it to the Lord. And just at the mention, He filled me heart to brimming with the thought of spreading the gospel through song and celebration. And I said Yes, Lord. And I took it to the rest of the Sanders, and they said –
FAMILY: (Together.) Yes, Lord!
BURL: Yes, Lord!
This is our first night back on the gospel circuit in five years. And, well, I know being proudhearted is a sin, but I feel something tonight.
(The family Xs to C into picture – Vera front R, Denise front L, Burl C, Stanley UR, Dennis UL.)
Like my heart’s about to bust standing up here again with my family. And after tonight, you can say you saw the Sanders Family when.
(Burl blows a pitch on the pitch-pipe. June signs from the L step.)