Bless the Hands

This month, Wayfare is delighted to present the three winners of our third annual ten-minute play competition. Congratulations to our first-place winner, Brynn Staker StClair.

This play will be performed at Restore:Connect on Saturday, September 26th.

Sister Phillips—female, 60 years old—stands at a kitchen counter, preparing bread dough. An age-diverse chorus sits on folding chairs in a horizontal line across the stage, gently beating their hands on their thighs in a slow rhythm (approximately 30 bpm).

CHORUS (can be all members or just part if it’s easier to divide into time-keepers and speakers. Speakers should be mixed male and female voices):

You’re called to serve the Lord away from home
And leave the friends and children you embrace
To learn to live without you on their own
And see what life is like with empty space

(beat stops)

SISTER PHILLIPS:

(on the phone, measuring ingredients)

Oh, hey Bishop! How are ya?

(pause for response)

(during the pause, one member of the chorus—middle-aged, male—stands. He is the Bishop. He stays silent and does not react but remains standing throughout the conversation)

We’re getting along just fine. The movers are coming on Monday, but that feels far down the list of things to worry about at this point!

(pause for response)

Oh, it’s not that much, really. Tell Stephanie, thank you, but we’ve had such an outpouring of love. I’m up to my eyeballs in helpers!

(chuckles performatively, glances around the empty kitchen not seeing the chorus)

(at the same moment another middle-aged woman walks in and joins the chorus silently)

Oh, while I have you, how many people do you think will be there tomorrow? Andrew and I have been debating. Obviously, our kids are coming to hear their dad’s farewell talk.

(pauses for interruption, chuckles bashfully)

(three women enter and join the chorus—they represent the daughters)

Yes, of course, and mine too. And we’ll have a couple of friends and my sister is coming, but I want to be sure I’ve made enough bread.

(pauses for reaction)

(one woman and a couple enter and join the chorus silently)

Oh, really it’s no trouble! This is my farewell. I’ll give the talk too, but Andrew’s the mission president. I’m just tagging along, really.

(laughs, waits a beat while Bishop laughs)

But I can make the sacrament bread one more time before we go—that’s a fitting farewell for me.

(pauses)

I’ll be sure to make a little more than normal, but let me know if you have an estimate!

(pause)

Mmhmm, thanks Bishop. Buh-bye.

(Bishop sits)

(Chorus starts up the beat again. She kneads in time)

CHORUS:

You’ll learn a language that you do not speak
And love a people that you do not know
You’ll call and email family once a week
And miss the ways your children start to grow

SISTER PHILLIPS:

(pauses her kneading and carefully taps her phone with her knuckle to avoid getting it dirty and starts another call. She picks up the phone delicately with dirty hands, once again balancing it between her cheek and shoulder)

(one of the daughters in the chorus stands. She does not react but remains standing throughout the conversation)

Hi Bethy! Whatcha doing today?

(pause, exaggerated grandma voice)

Oooooo so fun! Hi Teddy! Did you go get a Subway sandwich today? You did? Wow, aren’t you lucky?!

(pause)

Hiiiiiii Marlow, hi sweet girl. Can you say grandma?

(squeals excitedly and laughs, back to her normal voice)

Gosh, she sounds even bigger on the phone. I can’t believe it. Your dad and I were talking about how she’ll be almost five when we get back. I can’t even imagine her as a five-year-old!

(pause for response)

Well, I’m excited to see you all tomorrow. Hey, are you still able to pick up that Costco catering order on your way? It should just be under my name—or maybe dad’s—no, probably mine! It should just be two big boxes of cookies. I just thought it would be nice to have them at the house for anyone who comes.

(pauses. She listens for a while with some facial reactions. She is amused by her daughter’s parenting.)

Anyway, I’ll let you go, but tell those squishies that I’m excited to squish them tomorrow!

Mmhm, buh-bye Bethy.

(Bethy sits.)

(She begins kneading again and the chorus begins keeping time again.)

CHORUS:

You’ll miss your kids each waking day and night
You’ll miss their laughs and loves and arguments
You’ll miss their biggest moments, fears, and fights
Their birthdays, graduations, life events

SISTER PHILLIPS:

Siri, call Laura.

(The beat stops as Laura picks up. Another daughter in the chorus stands. She does not react but remains standing throughout the conversation. Sister Phillips continues kneading but distractedly while she talks)

Hi, Laur. I’m excited to see you! What time do you get in tomorrow?

(pause)

Geez. You’re going to be exhausted at 9am church. Good thing you don’t have to give the talk, I guess.

(chuckles)

What? Oh, I’m just making bread—sorry, I’ve got the phone all pressed up to my face.

(adjusts slightly)

Is that any better?

(pause)

Oh, I don’t mind! It’s how I show the ward I love them. Homemade bread is so much better than the store-bought stuff.

(pause)

Well, sure someone else could do it, but someone else will do it for the next three years, so I’m happy to do it for one more week. Oh, is Mark coming with you?

(pause, she frowns)

We totally understand! We’ll miss him. Geez, that means we won’t see him for a while. I guess we really only get to see you guys once a year or so anyway. Maybe that’ll make three years feel shorter, huh?

(laughs)

Yeah, maybe. Well, we’re excited to see you tomorrow. Give Mark our love. Buh-bye now.

(sighs)

(Laura sits)

(Sister Phillips sets the phone down gingerly with her messy hands. Chorus starts to beat again as she resumes her kneading.)

CHORUS:

The sacrifice we make is deeply flawed
It’s painful for the ones on either side
The very sacrifice that we applaud
Can hurt the ones they love and leave behind

(phone rings)

SISTER PHILLIPS:

Oh!

(she ignores her messy hands and picks up her phone hurriedly. She balances it again and starts kneading enthusiastically)

(Ruth stands, chorus continues beating during the conversation)

Hi Ruthie!!

(pauses)

Yeah, yeah that’s fine! Take your time. I know it’s been hard for you. I’m so glad you called. I’ve been wanting to say that I’m sorry for my reaction. I understand not wanting to drop us at the airport. It’ll be such an emotional time and everyone deals with that in different ways. I should’ve been more respectful of your . . .

(Ruthie in the chorus stamps her foot)

(Sister Phillips stops kneading and chorus stops beating)

Do you have to work tomorrow or . . . ? No, okay. I understand.

(takes a deep breath, resets)

It is . . . it is important to us, though, Ruthie. This isn’t a sacrifice we make lightly . . . the time away from everyone, from you! We’d really like you to be there to support your father and . . . and me too.

(pauses)

I don’t think we need to agree to support each other.

(listens, tears falling but her voice stays steady and calm) I hear you. We’ll miss you. We love you so much, Ruthie. Mmhm buh-bye.

(Chorus stops beating. Sister Phillips puts the phone down and cries.)

(Ruthie stands, folds her chair, and carries it offstage.)

(after some time, the phone rings. Sister Phillips composes herself and answers. Bishop stands.)

SISTER PHILLIPS:

(strained, pretend-happy voice)

Oh, hi Bishop!

(pauses)

Yeah, that’s about what I thought too. I think 350 is a good number, not to flatter myself, just to be safe.

(chuckles sadly)

Thanks, Bishop. We’ll see you tomorrow—well actually, while you’re here . . . The story where Jesus makes the few loaves and fishes into so many. Do you—do you think . . . 

(voice breaks)

. . . could he ever do that with my time?

(chorus resumes beat very softly)

(Sister Phillips continues kneading—maybe listening to the Bishop’s response, maybe lost in thought—for a while)

CHORUS:

But all the bread and fishes in the sea
Will feed them naught until they come to me

Brynn Staker StClair is a musicologist, poet, and singer who believes music is at its best when it brings people together. She currently leads a program that brings high-quality music instruction to students from a wide range of communities. Whether she’s performing, composing, writing, or teaching, Brynn is passionate about making art meaningful, accessible, and deeply human.

Art by Jean-François Millet (1814–1875).