Some of the best advice in the history of man has been the advice to listen to your mother. In fact, the suggestion has become so ubiquitous that over the past several years it has been turned into a theatrical bonanza. Plus, it’s returning to Michigan’s Great Southwest soon.
Listen to Your Mother: Southwest Michigan returns to the St. Joseph High School stage on Sunday, May 7th, at 4:00pm for its third and Grand Finale season. Listen to Your Mother is a national movement of live theatrical storytelling founded by Ann Imig. She first brought motherhood a microphone with one show in Madison, Wisconsin in 2010.
Kim Jorgensen Gane and Beth Haire-Lewis comprise the production duo that has, once again, woven together twelve incredible stories from local folks in celebration of motherhood and Mother’s Day. Not for women only –especially this year, with three men in the cast — this powerful show warms hearts and makes the audience laugh, cry and think, maybe all at the same time.
Joining Kim and Beth on the stage this year to introduce the show is media sponsor 98.3 The Coast’s Meagan Francis of Jonny and Meagan in the Mornings. Meagan is a Listen to Your Mother alumni from the 2011 Northwest Indiana cast, and she was part of the production team that helped Beth and Kim bring the show to Southwest Michigan for the first time in 2015.
Over seven seasons, the Listen to Your Mother project has raised over $113,000 in more than 50 cities across North America for deserving charities that support women and families. This year, the southwest Michigan event is supporting Safe Shelter for Domestic Violence with a portion of every ticket sold along with proceeds collected from donations on their behalf in the lobby. Additionally, the production team is collecting matching pledges or cash donations in advance from local companies in memory of Denise Bohn, and in honor and memory of all local victims of domestic violence. Participating companies or individuals donating $100 or more will receive two tickets to the show. Interested parties can contact Kim Jorgensen Gane at 269-487-6024. Early bird tickets are $15 and can be purchased online before midnight 5/6/17 at the link below, or you can pay $20 admission at the door. All seating is considered general seating. Here’s the link:
https://ltymswmi17.eventbrite.com
Incidentally, the cast this year includes photography sponsor, big tough security professional and taco man, Scott Gane, otherwise known as Kim’s husband. She tells me, “Imagine my surprise when he told me he wanted to audition and Beth and I learned that he has actually been listening! And he’s funny!!”
The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com is from a stage production in Raleigh-Durham and was created by (and credit goes to) Jess Rotenberg Photography.
