Expressing Motherhood

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You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll nod vigorously and maybe you’ll even say out loud “Amen, sister!” You’ll bop along to the songs of Mommy Tonk and clap and stamp your feet.
You have to go.
Expressing Motherhood is the national hit play that consists of people sharing their stories about motherhood on stage. It was created by Los Angeles moms back in 2008 who were dying to get out of their houses and looking for other moms to hang with. What they have created is a thriving community of people who have either shared their own stories on stage or attended a show.
Trust Me
I appeared in this show twice – first in 2014 in an 8-show run which was terribly nerve-wracking but great for my confidence. I told the story about my long, slow transformation from cool person to PTA mom.
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That piece is unpublished, but I think there is video of the performance somewhere on the internet. The experience was so wonderful and gave me the courage to share a much more vulnerable piece about the loneliness of motherhood in a show in the fall of 2015. That essay now appears in Notre Dame Magazine.
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Every production of Expressing Motherhood features a different cast, and some performers have never appeared on stage before. Stories range from sad to funny and also include some musical acts! Definitely bring tissues, and be prepared to be entertained.
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Co-Creator/Director Lindsay Kavet continues to produce Expressing Motherhood shows around the country. She is doing the good work.

What’s Your Story? Expressing Motherhood Accepting Submissions 2/16/15

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Expressing Motherhood is a stage show in which people stand before you and tell – or perform – their stories about mothers. About being mothers, having mothers, loving or hating mothers, losing and remembering mothers.

I’ve seen the show more times than I can count now, over the years. The producers have staged it all over Los Angeles, and in New York, Chicago, and Boston. Last winter I was honored to be included in the show myself. My story was the mostly humorous tale of my long evolution from relatively cool person into a suburban PTA mom. My co-stars were 11 incredible storytellers. There were songs, laughter, tears, and wine flowing in the green room.

Expressing-Motherhood-Show-in-HollywoodPhoto by Desiree Eaglin

Submissions for the spring Los Angeles show will be accepted on Monday, February 16. All you need to do is share your story. You don’t have to be a writer or a performer. Just type up your story – one that takes you 5 minutes or less to read out loud, and send it in to the email address given on the website. The power of your story is what drives your submission. No in-person audition necessary.

Here are some tips and requirements:

*Pieces need to be NO longer than 5 minutes when read aloud. Please read them aloud and time yourself.

*Make sure it’s your story about motherhood, not someone else’s.

*Pieces about small portions of motherhood often make very interesting pieces versus a broad “Motherhood is hard” piece.

*I’m looking for stories about motherhood. That means you don’t have to be a mom. You can be a son, a woman who chooses to not have children. Etc.

I encourage you to submit if you have a great story that is bursting to come out of you. Keep your eye on ExpressingMotherhood.com for more information.