A Powerful Chorus

On the eve of our first rehearsal for this year’s Listen To Your Mother show in Beaumont I decided to make small but meaningful “goodie” bags for our cast members.  I made one for each of the nine people that would be reading with Jennifer and I that day, and instead of just putting their names on them, I put a key word from their individual stories.  I assumed each person would be able to find their respective bag just from one word that stands out, even amongst all the other words that formed each of their unique stories.

I was right.

(for once, LOL)

One of the words was “Yardstick”.  If you come to our show, you’ll know why.

If you were to come and hear these amazing, powerful, funny stories you would also know why the words “fruitcake” and “kolo” (Greek for backside) are good key words from a couple of them.  As well as the symbols “XO”.

 

 

I left our rehearsal that Saturday evening feeling FULL.  Full of so many things, like new friendships and bonds.  Full of promise that this year’s cast and show and stories are going to make people listen and REALLY hear what we all have to say about motherhood.  About life.

As I got nearer to home and the roadway grew dark, I could see the sun setting gorgeously in my rearview mirror, while heading due East. A blanket of pink and orange and dusky blue hues filled my side mirror and I told myself I had to commit those colors to memory, along with this day.

I had heard the words before of course.  But I had never heard them in that particular order or as a collection until that day.  I had yet to FEEL them like I did that day.  To really and truly let them sink in.  Even my own, which I had not read out loud in a while.

 

 

 

Anyone who is a part of the LTYM process knows what I am talking about. It’s hard to describe to those who have not participated.  I can only make the comparison to something else I have done in my life that is so utterly beautiful, once many different voices come together.  And that is singing in a chorus.

 

This show is like a chorus for motherhood.  (without the music of course)  So many different verses but one universal refrain of hope and support and beauty, even though there may be some dark “notes”.  Even though some of the chords in the middle may not sound quite right, in the end, everything resolves itself to one beautiful last tone.

That is what our show is to me this year.  And I am certain, what anyone who comes to listen on May 9th, will hear as well.

The rehearsal this past Saturday solidified those feelings.  While I was there it was somewhat emotional again because all of the stories are full of that – emotion.  Wether funny or a bit sad, whether about being a mother or having a mother.   But it didn’t really hit me until I woke up the next morning and felt this overwhelming feeling of WOW.

There are high notes and low “notes” in our show.  There is a crescendo and a decrescendo (if you know music at all you know what I am talking about…).  There are verses that will make you shed a tear and verses that will make you want to clap along.

 

 

I couldn’t be more proud to be one of the conductors of the powerful voices in this motherhood chorus.  I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity that Ann Imig created for me and ALL of my co-directors and producers across the country.  This really is the chance of a lifetime and I am every so thankful to be a part of it all.

 

 

And I’m especially thankful for this woman, my co-director, Jennifer who I could not do any of this without.

Can you tell we are excited?

 

For tickets to the show in Southeast, TX click HERE.