Listen To Your Mother Comes to Detroit on Sunday, May 4, 2014
Listen to your Mother Metro Detroit
Giving motherhood a microphone since 2010, Listen To Your Mother (LTYM) comes to Detroit for the first time. Ann Imig started this production with its first appearance in Madison, WI on Mother’s Day. This year, 32 cities will host Listen To Your Mother. Saint Andrew’s Hall welcomes the event this Sunday, May 4, at 3:00 p.m.
The show celebrates motherhood by bringing together online writers who cover “the real experience of motherhood.” This national series of storytelling performances feature local talent. Metro Detroit writers, bloggers, and performers will be on stage with live readings, which will take the audience on the journey of motherhood, with all its complexity, diversity and humor.
Each local performance uses directors, producers and performers from the community. The production promises that at least 10-percent of the ticket proceeds will benefit a local non-profit cause. For the Detroit show, Alternatives for Girls, will receive the proceeds.
Listen To Your Mother Rehearsal with Kim Morand and Erin Rawlings
Local Connections
Mommy on the Spot blogger, Erin Janda Rawlings, from Rochester is one of the cast members. “It has been my dream to be in a Listen to Your Mother Show ever since I learned about it at a BlogHer conference. Motherhood can be an isolating experience, and I love how this show uses storytelling to break down those walls and connect with others. It can feel scary to share your truth in front of a live audience, but Jessica Watson, Angela Amman, and Angela Youngblood have made it such a positive experience. It has also been amazing to connect with the cast and listen to their powerful stories,” said Rawlings.
Producers Angela Youngblood, Angela Amman and Jessica Watson rehearse with cast member Kim Morand
Angela Amman of Rochester Hills is a co-director and co-producer to the Michigan production. “After reading in the Listen to Your Mother: Northwest Indiana show in 2013, I knew Michigan needed its own show. Listen to Your Mother highlights the spirit of community and focuses on the unifying power of storytelling and the strength of motherhood to make our communities stronger, more cohesive, and proactive in coming together for positive change. Working with Angela Youngblood and Jessica Watson to bring LTYM to Metro Detroit has been an exhilarating, humbling, and inspiring way to share fourteen stories of motherhood in Michigan. I’m excited for both the readers and the audience to experience Listen To Your Mother this May,” said Amman.
Also from Rochester is co-director and co-producer Angela Youngblood. “Sometimes motherhood can feel a little bit lonely and isolating. The stories in LTYM show us that we are not alone. The whole experience of LTYM is about relating to one another and connecting — the audience, the storytellers and the producers,” said Youngblood.
Listen To Your Mother Detroit Rehearsal on Saint Andrews Stage
More of the Cast
In addition, performing on Sunday and making the event happen is Ann Imig, Jessica Watson, Ber-Henda Williams, Satori Shakoor, Stacey Ptak, Monica Fochtman, Kim Morand, Reshounn Foster, Janel Mills, Ruthie Freeman, Suzan Hyssen, Annelyse Miller, and Amelia Lehto.
About Alternative for Girls
“Our mission is to help homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and help them to explore and access the support, resources and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives.”
The inspiration for Alternatives For Girls came in 1985 when a group of southwest Detroit residents, clergy and business people began to share concerns about the alarming increase in drug use, homelessness, prostitution and street activity among girls and young women.
Originally, a small volunteer-run program, operating a five-bed emergency shelter in a neighborhood church, AFG has evolved into a multi-service agency with over 50 employees. www.alternativesforgirls.org
If you go
Listen To Your Mother www.listentoyourmothershow.com Sunday, May 4, 2014 Doors open at 2:00 p.m. Show begins at 3:00 p.m.Saint Andrew’s Hall 431 E Congress St
Detroit, MI 48226 Tickets available online for $13.00 each
Images Provided by Listen To Your Mother
About Michael Dwyer