'Listen to Your Mother' opens May 9 at Theatre North

By P.J. GLISSON

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Ironwood — A play about motherhood is arriving just in time for Mother’s Day at Theatre North in Ironwood.

“Listen to Your Mother,” created by Ann Imig, will be presented from May 9-12.

“I thought it would be a good fit for Theatre North and something different than your standard play,” said Sandy Gertz, who is directing the local show. “It’ll be a lot of chuckles.”

“We have 13 people — 11 women and two men,” she said, adding that none of the participants will be in starring roles.

“It’s completely ensemble,” she said. “There will be veterans and newcomers.”

Included are longstanding theater members such as Cindy Franck and Helen Fashbaugh, but there are also newcomers Brianna Cross, Amy Janczy and Damiian Lang.

“They’re going to be reading monologues — some funny, some sad,” said Gertz, explaining that each person will address some aspect of motherhood, including references to stepparents and mothers who adopted children.

For example, said Gertz, “Susie Filippo is doing a wonderful piece about being a grandma. It’s just a real cute grandma story.”

Filippo’s character has an adult daughter who is raising her child on organic food, and grandma breaks mom’s rules.

Other actors include Beth Bordner, Steve Cole, Mary Hansen, Judy Holst, Kate Karling, Kit Malloy and Carly Reil.

Gertz said the play offers much for the audience to enjoy. “I just think it’s going to be a real pleasant experience that they’re going to enjoy and be moved by.”

According to promotional materials,”Listen to Your Mother” grew out of a production put on by Imig at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin, on Mother’s Day 2010, where Imig and 11 other local writers read their own tales of motherhood for 90 minutes to an audience of 300. The topics on motherhood included being a mom, having a mom, losing a mom, finding a mom.

Theatre North’s production will run May 9, 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. and May 12, Mother’s Day, at 2 p.m. It is considered not suitable for children under the age of 14.

For more information, call the theatre at 906-932-4371 or see theatrenorth.org. Tickets also are available at Hitt’s Fine Furniture in Ironwood or at the Leather and Gift Shop in Bessemer.

The theatre is located at 825 N. Lake St.