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LTYM Brings Tears of Joy, Laughter Through Stories of Motherhood

Click here to view videos of the readings from this year's Listen To Your Mother show!

The third annual Listen to Your Mother show took place on May 10 at the Memorial Opera House, celebrating motherhood from a wide range of perspectives.

I love hearing all of these stories and putting them together in a way that paints a picture of how great motherhood is,” said first-time director and producer Lovelyn Palm.

This year’s Listen to Your Mother show featured a cast of fifteen women, including Palm herself. These women shared their stories, which ranged from heartwrenching to hilarious and uplifting as they experience the smooth and rough patches of motherhood:

Nicole Shaw: I’m a Mom, but I play a Lady in the Parking Lot
Nicole’s wit and cleverness was apparent as she told the audience of her intense desire to grocery shop alone as she struggles with her children in the supermarket. But she went on to describe the strange, unexpected loneliness she feels when her wish comes true.

Katy Hoagland: From Sardines to Cocktails
Katy spoke of how her relationship with her mother, Leanne, has evolved throughout the years and how she now sees her mother as her best friend and her “map and compass.”

Kerry Rossow: Saying Goodbye
“Yesterday, I actually peed alone,” Kerry shared with joyful, nostalgic eyes as she described her feelings after painting over and remodeling the nursery in her home after her last child finally grew out of the crib.

Maxine Bonta: A Mother’s Leg
Maxine told the story of the trials she has faced with the passing of her husband and how she has become stronger through her ten grandchildren, saying that her leg will carry her through life because “it belongs to a mother.”

Rebecca Bailey: Vacationing with Kids
Rebecca shared a very public mishap she faced with her son on a recent vacation that involved using soap to free him from being stuck and an Asian man giving him water to keep him hydrated. Rebecca reflects on how the memories from a vacation with kids are some of the best.

Kris Livovich: Zombies, Life, Motherhood?
Kris explained a perfect metaphor for taking a part of her life and dedicating it to her children, as all mothers do. Her creative message gave the audience a feeling of appreciation for the ups and downs of motherhood.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith: Stories From my Farmor
Leanne, mother of another cast member, shared with the audience the impact that her Swedish-born mother had on her via the customs and habits she brought from her home country. Leanne’s final message was to truly listen to your mother, as those lessons are the most important you will ever receive.

Brenda Watterson: The Day You Were Born
Brenda told the story of her marriage and her profound relationship with her stepchild, appreciating the love that her husband and the child’s mother once had so that they were willing to bring into the world the greatest gift of her life.

Christa Essany: Mothering: The Ultimate Endurance Sport
Christa gave a heartfelt comparison of her experiences in motherhood to running, a great passion of hers. She explained how important commitment, endurance, and patience are in being a mother and running her marathons.

Rae Disco: Brace Yourself
A source of immense comic relief, Rae hilariously debunked various myths and misconceptions surrounding the joys of motherhood, in the end describing her love for her children and the true happiness that they bring her.

Angela Amman: I Know This Place
Angela shared the story of her once-dominant desire to live and raise her children far away from home, but then realizing the comfort and healthiness of being close to home with her mother.

Audrey Krooswyk: I’m Too Busy to Name This
Audrey, a mother of three under five, told the audience of her packed schedule between school, volunteering, and raising her children and how now and then she tells herself, “I need to stop. Just breath,” to see that her children are growing up and that is something she does not want to miss.

Hannah Hill: Time
Hannah also gave the audience big laughs as she shared various diary entries describing the constant shenanigans that she experiences with her children. She reminds the audience that “Everyday is a great day [with her children]”.

Kate Pantinas: I Quit
Kate cleverly described her children as an evil genius, a walking, talking noise, and an amazon, as she confessed to the audience that as overbearing as children can be, that will never overshadow the amazing experience of being a mother.

Lovelyn Palm: Things I Still Need to Teach
Lastly, the director herself spoke of her nine beautiful children and the lessons she hopes to successfully teach them throughout their childhood, like how roadtrips are always more fun without the TV and how words mean nothing without actions.

You guys almost make me want to be a mom,” smiled John Walker, an audience member, as he bid farewell to the cast of fifteen.

A portion of the proceeds from the evening will benefit The Caring Place, a shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

 Click here for a full photo gallery from this event!