My Mother Had Two Faces at Theatre Row

An autobiographical one-woman dramatic comedy that dares to expose what lies beneath the mask of the perfect mother. Discovering her mother’s diaries after her passing, Karin, the heroine, begins to examine the history of their complicated relationship from the gritty, urban streets of New York to her Swiss mother’s manicured orderliness.

The story follows her mother’s exodus from her homeland to pursue stardom, and how her fixation with beauty and outward appearances influenced Karin’s sense of worth. Engaged in dialogue with her mirrored reflection, Karin wrestles with her own inner demons. What does the mirror uncover when we strip away the makeup?

A humorous and poignant journey of self-reflection, this show will resonate with anyone struggling with a conflicted parental relationship, their own vanity and coming to terms with aging. Presented in a pseudo-fairytale style, utilizing multimedia and theatrical masks, My Mother Had Two Faces tips the Disney delusion on its head revealing the enchanting as well as the underbelly.

This one woman show had its world premiere in Los Angeles in December 2023. Directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, reviews called the play "riveting and poetic", praising writer/performer Karin Trachtenberg's storytelling abilities as "off the charts".