[NEohioPAL] "Motherhood Out Loud" at Actors' Summit at Eye-Opening Look at Mothering (Brava!)

[Marjorie Preston]

“Motherhood Out Loud” at Actors' Summit An Eye-Opening Look at Mothering

By Marjorie Preston

Brava!

*www.marjoriepreston.com/brava*


 The regional premiere of “Motherhood Out Loud” at Actors' Summit,
conceived and developed by Susan Rose and Joan Stein and written by a team
of successful and prolific writers, runs the gamut from laugh-out-loud
funny to moving and sad, while remaining for the most part a relatable and
heartfelt show. The first half is mostly funny and relatable while the
second half delves more into moving, and at times sad, subject material
before returning to a touching and funny finale called “My Baby.”


 Fourteen writers – Leslie Ayvazian, Brooke Berman, David Cale, Jessica
Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire LaZebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele
Lowe, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman and Cheryl
L. West – have collaborated to create a collection of nineteen scenes
depicting the struggles of mommies throughout their journeys. The topics
include surrogacy by gay parents, mothering a boy who challenges gender
identity norms, being the odd mom at the park and many other slices of life
from birth to great-grandmotherhood.


 The cast includes Shani Ferry, Paula Kline-Messner, Gabriel Riazi and
Sarah Grewitt. Ferry's sparkling, bubbly personality works best in her
new-mom-with-sick-husband role in “Next to the Crib.” Moms will remember
their worry over their newborn getting sick, questioning whether they are
up to the task, and fierce protectiveness while trying to sleep on the
carpet next to their baby's crib. She humorously calls her baby “a sleep
terrorist.”


 Kline-Messner is consistently good and shines in “Queen Esther” about a
son who likes to wear dresses and in “Stars and Stripes” about a mother's
anguish over not being able to protect her adult soldier son in a dangerous
world. She brings a believability and a matronly gravity when inhabiting
her roles. She delivers words of wisdom as the great-grandmother in “Report
on Motherhood”: “Children do not like washing their hair; that is why they
need less of it.”


 Riazi misfires in two of his roles as some of his lines came off too perky
for the material, but hits his stride in “If We're Using a Surrogate, How
Come I'm the One with Morning Sickness?” which surely will enlighten others
explaining the process of a gay couple seeking surrogacy so they can be a
family.


 Grewitt is fun to watch as the cool, snarky mom of a rowdy boy in “New in
the Motherhood,” the patient mom in “Baby Bird” and the empty-nester we see
in “Threesome” and “My Almost Family.”


 Director Constance Thackaberry brings this collection of different voices
together nearly seamlessly, though the scene entitled “Elizabeth” seems
oddly forced and out of place. Other than this speed bump, the rest of the
pieces flow well and evoke reactions such as knowing laughter and nods of
recognition as well as feelings of sadness at what time has taken away. Set
Designer Neil Thackaberry has tacked a collection of childhood memorabilia
to the back wall, giving a sort of homey, “cluttered attic” feel. These
reminders of childhood – from the classic baby buggy to the wooden sled and
teddy bear – remain constant throughout the production. The show will
inform the unenlightened and bring recognition to the faces of others, but
the scenes are a reminder of the growth process that kids and their parents
go through.


 “Motherhood Out Loud” runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and
Sundays at 2:00 p.m. through April 21. For tickets, call (330) 374-7568 or
visit *www.actorssummit.org*. The show contains adult language and subject
matter.
# # #

This review can also be found at www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com.


Best,
mp

Marjorie Preston, President*
Marjorie Preston PR
*http://www.marjoriepreston.com/
Specializing in small business, arts and non-profit clients*
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