‘Motherhood Out Loud’ to be performed at Parrish

“Motherhood Out Loud,” a new American play that tells the stories of mothers of all ages—from pregnant women to grandmothers—will be presented in a limited engagement at the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton as part of the Bay Street @ The Parrish Art Museum project, a new collaboration between the Sag Harbor theater and the Jobs Lane museum.

Conceived by Susan R. Rose and Joan Stein, “Motherhood Out Loud” was written by a group of more than 15 American writers from the worlds of theater, television, fiction and non-fiction. It will be performed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 30 and 31 and August 1, at 8 p.m.

The show, directed by Lisa Peterson, is intended to celebrate the personal, funny, diverse, exciting, touching, and altogether extraordinary experiences that unite all mothers.

“We wanted to take the subject of motherhood and present it theatrically,” Ms. Rose said in a recent telephone interview. “Motherhood is such a unique experience for everyone, so we thought it would be interesting to get a lot of different stories.”

In so doing, the team of writers for “Motherhood Out Loud” has created monologues and dialogues that embody motherhood in all of its forms. Three women and one man will take the stage, conveying different perspectives on, and emotions of, all mothers—from stepmoms, single moms and immigrant moms to grandmothers, new moms, and empty nesters.

In the style of shows such as “Love Letters” and “The Vagina Monologues,” “Motherhood Out Loud” will be performed by an ever-changing celebrity cast. In its limited engagement at the Parrish, the show will feature Carson Kressley, Saidah Ekulona, Samantha Mathis and Margo Martindale.

Ms. Rose said the project, still considered a work-in-progress, has been three years in the making. She explained that the producers—herself, Ms. Stein, Renee Landegger and Judith Resnick—director Lisa Peteron, and the writers—including Leslie Ayvazian, Pat Candaras, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Michele Lowe, Lisa Loomer, Asra Nomani, Christine Zander, Mark Nutter, Brett Paesel, Marco Pennette, Luanne Rice, Adriana Trigiani and Annie Weisman, among others—have held countless meetings, workshops and readings in an effort to revise and edit the script.

“The playwrights had written very specific stories,” she said of the process. “But at some point the evening had to become a whole. When we started having these workshops, we knew we had to create a chronological journey.”

Ms. Rose said though the show has been performed throughout the years for small audiences, attendees have generally included the writers’ and producers’ friends and family.

“Bay Street’s giving us the opportunity to present it in front of an audience that we don’t know,” she said. “And we will, of course, welcome feedback.”

“The play is always evolving,” she explained. “It’s never going to be set until opening night.”

The official opening night for “Motherhood” isn’t technically for another year— the show is slated to premiere on February 24, 2010, on the Hartford Stage in Hartford, Connecticut.

Ms. Rose said the producers’ ultimate goal is to bring the show to New York, but they are nevertheless eager to see the production staged at the Parrish.

“We’re a small show, and the Parrish is a very intimate space,” she said. “It will give a great way to hear the material.”

“The spoken word in this is so strong,” she added. “That’s what’s going to carry the show.”

“Motherhood Out Loud” will be performed Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 30, 31 and August 1, all at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling the Bay Street box office at 725-9500, at the theater on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor, open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., or by visiting www.baystreet.org.