BWW Reviews: Actors' Summit's MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD - Delightful, Thought-Provoking

Roy Berko

Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle

The great fear of realizing that MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD is a series of vignettes which look at varying phases of motherhood, is that it will turn out to be a Hallmark sentimental mindless experience. Fear not. The eighteen authors of the vignettes avoid making the experience sappy and purely entertaining. Instead, there is a balance of humor, pathos, and social commentary.

Four actors, play multiple roles, examining life in a full circuit birth to rebirth process, starting with the delivery experience of three women ("Fast Births"-Michele Lowe), and end with the birth experience ("My Baby"-Annie Weisman). Yes, life is a circular process. In between, we view sleep deprivation ("Next to the Crib"-Brooke Berman), play dates "New Motherhood"-Lisa Loomer), the first day of school ("First Day Fugue"-Michele Lowe), child as transgendered being ("Queen Esther"-Michele Lowe), international adoption ("Baby Bird"-Theresa Rebeck), gay parenthood ("If We're Using a Surrogate, How Come I'm the One with Morning Sickness"-Marco Pennette), sex education ("Sextalk Fugue"-Michele Lowe), the plight of both the daughter's first period and being an immigrant mother ("Nooha's List"-Lameece Issaq), step-motherhood ("My Almost Family"-LuAnne Rice), autism ("Michael's Date"-Michele Lowe), graduation from high school ("Graduation Day Fuge"-Michele Lowe), empty nest syndrome ("Threesome"-Leslie Ayvazian), going off to war ("Stars and Stripes"-Jessica Goldberg), holidays ('Thanksgiving Fugue"-Michele Lowe), the onset of depression and dementia ("Elizabeth"-David Cale); and generational differences ("Report on Motherhood"-Beth Henley).

Sounds like a lot in a short 90-minute period of time, but under Constance Thackaberry's insightful directing, the time moves quickly, the characterizations are well etched, there is a nice texturing of meaning, and comedy and pathos are well developed.

The cast are all excellent, with Paula Kline-Messner shining. Her "Queen Esther," and "Stars and Stripes" are show highlights, as is Gabriel Riazi's "If We're Using a Surrogate, How Come I'm the one with Morning Sickness." Other highlights are Messner and Sarah Grewitt's "Report on Motherhood." Shani Ferry is consistent in her various roles.

The set, a series of platforms, backed up by a wall of bicycles, strollers, stuffed animals, wagons, and baby toys is a perfect visual image for the goings on.

Capsule judgement: MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD is a delightful, thought provoking evening of theatre that should be positively perceived by all audience members.

For tickets to, which runs through, call 330-374-7568 or go to www.actorssummit.org