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Grandpa's Short Handled Hoe Play

Characters: Grandpa Grandma Viviana David Mom Dad César E. Chávez field workers

Props: kitchen table dishes arm chair side table lamp photos short handled hoe (on wall)

Setting:
Family sitting around kitchen table.

Grandpa puts his hand on the table and pushes his chair back.

Mom to Grandma: "Let us help with the dishes." Dad nods his head.

Viviana: "Grandpa, can you tell us what Mommy was like when she was a little girl?"

Grandpa gets up and walks to a chair in the living room with his two little ones as Grandma, Mom and Dad pick up dishes from the table. Grandpa sits down on the chair. Viviana sits on one arm of the chair and David on the floor at Grandpa's feet. A side table next to the chair has photos on it and a lamp, photos are also on a wall next to the chair. One rusty short handled hoe is mounted on the wall with photos.

Viviana: "Grandpa. What's that on the wall with all the pictures?"

Grandpa: "That's my memories of great days and sad days."

David interrupts: "But it's only a rusty hoe, Grandpa."

Grandpa: "It's much more than a rusty hoe."

David gets up, takes the short handled hoe from the wall and hands it to Grandpa. David sits on the other arm of the chair.

Grandpa: "The day I met your Grandma, I had it in my hand. I was weeding lettuce and she was replacing seedlings. It was a beautiful day."

Note:(As Grandpa talks about meeting Grandma, a photo of field workers can be projected behind actors.)

Grandma, Mom and Dad join Grandpa and the kids and sit down on sofa or chairs next to Grandpa.

Grandpa: "The day John Kennedy became President, I had it in my hand. I was weeding strawberries and his voice came over the radio."

(As Grandpa talks about President John Kennedy, a photo of JFK can be projected behind actors.)

Voice of President John Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

Grandma: "We were all very excited."

Grandpa: "The day President Kennedy died I was with Grandma working in grapes. We stopped and cried that day."

(As Grandpa talks about the assassination of JFK, a photo of the funeral can be projected behind actors.)

Grandpa: "The day your mother was born I had the short handled hoe in my hand. It was the greatest day of my life!"

(As Grandpa talks about mom's birth, a photo of field workers can be projected behind actors.)

Grandpa: "The day that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'I have a dream...' I dreamed with him as I cleared out a field."

(After Grandpa talks about Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech, the audio of part of the speech can be played. A photo of MLK can be projected on the screen.)

Grandpa: "The day of Martin Luther King's funeral we sang, We shall overcome."

(As Grandpa talks about the funeral of MLK, the music of We Shall Overcome can be played, a photo of field workers can be projected behind actors.)

Grandpa: "The day man first walked on the moon your Grandma and I just got off work as we heard Neil Armstrong say, 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' We were very proud."

(As Grandpa talks about man walking on the moon, a tape can be played with Neil Armstrong's first words as he walked on the moon, a photo of the astronauts on the moon can be projected behind actors.)

Grandpa: "The day I met César E. Chávez I had the short handled hoe in my hand. He told me that I didn't need to hurt my back, bending over all day. César put his hand on my shoulder. He said, '¡Sí se puede!'. Yes you can."

(As Grandpa talks about meeting César E. Chávez a photo of César can be projected on the screen behind the actors. This photo, or others can be projected until the end of the play. Two new actors can stand to the side, acting out the moment, with César saying out loud, '¡Sí se puede!')

A group of other workers are bent down and stand up as César says, '¡Sí se puede!'

They respond:

Workers: "¡Sí se puede!"

Grandpa: "We found out that we also had rights. We could also be proud. Your grandma and I also knew that we could overcome. He was a great man, he gave us hope and let us know we could be proud of our work. We could have justice like all other people."

Dad to Viviana and David: "Tomorrow is the 31st of March. All students will celebrate his birthday tomorrow in school."

Viviana and David: "How can we celebrate César E. Chávez birthday Grandpa?"

Grandpa: "We just did. We just did."

Actors who are acting out César, Grandpa and workers at their meeting, can walk behind the chairs and all sing "De Colores".

Denis O'Leary
Bilingual Teacher
Rio School District
Oxnard, California
©2001

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