My Mother's Story
When you don’t know what to do with your mother… or what to do without her... Sunday, May 10, 2009(Mother’s Day)
Granville Island Stage4 pm
$23
Tickets available at:
www.vancouvertix.com
604-629-VTIX
604-629-8849
Featuring: Jennifer Juniper Angeli, Bertha Clark, Zena Daruwalla, Laura Di Cicco, Tanja Dixon-Warren, Dolores Drake, Marion Eisman, Beverley Elliott, Frances Flanagan, Marcy Goldberg, Jenn Griffin, Marci T. House, Leanne Hume, Khaira Ledyo, Mary Monks, Angela Moore, Louise Phillips, Kim Seary, Valerie Sing Turner, Suzanna Uchatius
In
2006, with over 40 stories
written by
Vancouver actresses telling the really compelling stories of their
mothers’ lives, we wanted to share the feeling we
had in our meetings when we read our stories to one another, but
didn't know how. Then Jenn Griffin, one
of the original daughters, suggested we try an exercise used in spoken
word
festivals
that intersperses the voices of various writers to weave a narrative.
The exercise is called an exquisite corpse but to the best of our
knowledge no one has ever used it like this before.
Twenty actors (those who were available and interested) submitted their stories for the show and we ripped them apart and pieced them together by themes to make a script.
The play is like a giant
conversation and,
because it’s told by so many, it becomes the story of all
mothers. We had no idea if it could work, but with nothing to lose, we
presented our show on Mother’s Day 2006 at the Beaumont Studio. Well, surprise,
surprise!
An audience can follow 20 stories all at once, and reflect on their own
mothers’ stories at the same time. It was just like our
meetings!
Only with an audience laughing and crying along
with us.
Then we did it again Mother’s Day 2007 at the Revue Theatre on Granville Island—a slightly different show since different actors were available and they wanted to tell their stories too - and we sold out again. In fact we sold out five weeks before Mother’s Day! Friends told friends and they kept coming back.
In 2007 we also performed our successful Mother's Day show in October at Unity of Vancouver as benefit for a new furnace.
Our Mother’s Day 2008 we performed a new show twice on Mother's Day (afternoon and evening) at Unity of Vancouver. It was a big delight. Again we feted the audience with the treats and tea we made ourselves (or were lovingly donated) and entertained over 500 people. Half the cast were in the 2007 show, half were brand new. There were 2 stories from the 1800's (yes, two of our actresses were in their 80's), a mother and daughter (one telling the story of the other) and more stories from around the world. Like all the shows it was a hit with teens and seniors, prompting recollections on family, different cultures and the history of women.
2006Featuring: Patti Allan, Trish Allen, Eileen Barrett, Glynis Davies, Dolores Drake, Beverley Elliott, Frances Flanagan, Andee Frizzell, Wendy Gorling, Jenn Griffin, Bonnie Hay, Nimet Kanji, Khaira Ledeyo, Micki Maunsell, Angela Moore, Marilyn Norry, Kim Seary, Susanna Uchatius, Ann Warn Pegg, Colleen Winton
2007
Featuring: Patti Allan, Trish Allen, Jennifer Juniper Angeli, Julia Arkos, Eileen Barrett, Glynis Davies, Beverley Elliott, Frances Flanagan, Marcy Goldberg, Wendy Gorling, Jenn Griffin, Bonnie Hay, Khaira Ledeyo, Angela Moore, Marilyn Norry, Bev Sauve, Kim Seary, Colleen Winton
2008
Featuring: Jennifer Juniper Angeli, Julia Arkos, Eileen Barrett, Judith Berlin, Lisa Bunting, Joy Coghill, Laura Di Cicco, Dolores Drake, Marion Eisman, Beverley Elliott, Heather Feeney, Frances Flanagan, Natalie Gibson, Marcy Goldberg, Sharon Heath, Nimet Kanji, Ruth McIntosh, Mary Monks, Candace O’Connor and Louise Phillips.
Compiled by: Jenn Griffin and Marilyn Norry, directed by: Marilyn Norry
