You’ve probably been losing sleep wondering when I was going to write you again, but never fear, a blogger’s ego never lets her go too long without screaming for the attention it so richly deserves.
The truth is, I’ve been kind of busy.
With what, you ask?
I’m so glad you asked. Because I just so happen to have some information on one of my projects that I can share with you.
I’m producing and directing a show. Well, co-producing and co-directing a show. A stage show. It’s part of a national live reading series that is appearing in 24 cities (like Austin and Chicago). And Nichole Beaudry and I are bringing it to Sacramento for the first time.
But here’s the cool part: each production’s cast across the country is made up of a diverse set of local performers. And the performers are mostly regular everyday people who have a story about motherhood (whether they are a mother or not). In other words, people like YOU. And each production donates a portion of the ticket proceeds to a local charity.
Also? Every performance is recorded and uploaded to the LTYM YouTube Channel for the whole planet to see.
The show is called “Listen to Your Mother” and it will be held on Mother’s Day at the Crest Theater. Perhaps you longtime NGIP fans remember that day I went photogging downtown with a bunch of strangers where I caught this photo of the Crest?
I’m not afraid to admit, (yes I am), that I am pee-my-pants excited at the thought of “LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER” appearing on that marquis.
We have partnered with 916 Ink as our local charity. 916 Ink is a youth literacy nonprofit that works with kids to become better writers, and then publish the stories they write. They’re a bit like 816 Valencia, if you’ve ever heard of them.
Anyway, we recently announced our Call for Submissions and this is where YOU come in. If you or someone you know in the Sacramento area has a story about motherhood, and doesn’t completely throw up at the idea of standing on stage, reading a funny or poignant story from their heart, baring their soul in front of hundreds of people, send them to our call for submissions link.
ALSO!! If you or someone you know doesn’t live near Sacramento, but perhaps lives near one of the other 23 cities (like DC, NYC, or Indiana), you can send in your submission to them (if their submission window is still open; dates vary from site to site). Here’s the national LTYM page, you can look for your city there. Knowing you, you’d love it. You should totally check it out.
This whole LTYM concept was started by Ann Imig, a fellow blogger, a wonderfully creative and funny lady that I had the pleasure of meeting at a Blogher conference in Chicago a few years ago and went for a walk with in the nearly intolerable, yet pillowy, August heat where I took this picture of her:
Ann Amig, of Ann’s Rants, and national director of Listen to Your Mother.
LTYM started with one show in one city (Madison Wisconsin, Ann’s hometown) and has since grown to 24 cities this year. Nichole, my co-producer, was in San Francisco’s cast last year and she fell in love with it so much, she wanted to bring it here and ask me to co-prod. Co-prod. Hey, has someone already coined that term? I’m totally using that phrase! That’s my phrase. I’m coining it right here and now. You saw me coin it, right? Everyone saw me coin it?
Yeah, I’m the co-prod now.
Congratulations!!
{love that photo of Ann holding the bean!}
Thanks, Jenn. I do too, although Ann may be sick of seeing it as I keep showing it off because I love it so.
I can’t leave this alone:
never let’s her go
ack! And in the first paragraph too. Can I chalk that up to muscle memory or something?
I love how this is coming full circle, as you were one of my earliest blog buddies. That picture is priceless.
Thank you so much for hoisting LTYM all the way to Sacramento!
Can I put the bean down now?
I love that picture too, Ann. And yeah, you must have one helluva headache by now.
And thank you for letting us bring LTYM to Sacramento. This whole experience is so exciting!
[…] in my last post how I told you I was producing a show called Listen to Your […]
Congratulations – This is such a great subject because you gals are so great. I immediately thought of my own mother who passed away at 93. Toward the end of her life I noticed she would take her paper napkin in a restaurant and tear it in long narrow strips and place the strips by her plate. Once when I asked her why she was tearing her napkins into strips, she looked at me a long time and then said, “I didn’t know I needed a reason.” That’s why you gals are so great. You don’t need a reason.
“a blogger’s ego never let’s her go too long without screaming for the attention it so richly deserves.”
What?!? I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. None whatsoever.
Congratulations! It sounds like you’re going to have a lot of fun.
I’m sorry I’m so far away – I could tell you a story or two…
Good luck with the project!
Oh, and congrats, CowProd.
CowProd. That’s good. Smarty pants.
Hey Margaret! No wonder you’re too busy to talk to me, even about Letchworth or DOCTOR WHO! You’re so… so… executive! Ooooh, do you wear a suit? I’m just asking. Heh. Sorry, mind was wandering. Roth x
DOCTOR WHO!!! How long do we have to wait until he comes back????? And Letchworth? I recently found out that my friend moved up north some more to Blunham. I checked on the map and saw Cambridge even closer and thought of you!!! So there’s THAT! I’m thinking of you, anyway, even if we’re not chatting away all the time.
End of March =( But eight more to go! =) And thanks, I hope you’ll be in the area sometime soon!
Yeah for you, Margaret!!!! You are a perfect choice to be a co-prod in Sacramento and I have no doubt you will make Ann Img VERY proud (she’s awesome).
This is so exciting!!! Congratulations.
xo jj
Ann is very awesome and I’m very excited to work with her. And thank you for your vote of confidence!
This is awesome news! I’m curious how this will all turn out… but nonetheless, I’m happy for you!
Thank you, Chris!
This is amazing and fabulous! I will have to come to Sacto to see for myself! You rock, MA. You seriously rock! But I already knew that!
Oh, Linda, that would be awesome!
Congrats, Margaret!!!! That is exciting. It sounds like an awesome project!!!
It’s totally awesome. And fun. And scary. And…essentially the whole gamut of anxiety-inducing emotions. 🙂
WOW THAT IS AWESOME! How exciting! I can’t wait to hear more… and to see how it all goes!
Thanks Katherine! It is indeed exciting! And scary. And…yikes! what have I gotten myself into?
First off, congratulations Margaret. You are awesome. Seriously.
Secondly, that is all. You are awesome. Seriously.
Thanks, Nicky! I thought of you up there in Montreal and wondered if LTYM will spread to Canada soon!
That sounds like a fun time! I have some interesting stories about motherhood. Unfortunately, I have an almost crippling fear of speaking in front of an audience and I don’t live near any of the cities that will be putting on the show.
Awwwww…I used to have a crippling fear of speaking in public, then I did improvisational theater. Which is kind of like jumping off of a cliff to get over your fear of heights.
See, I’m just the opposite. I took a couple of theater classes in college to help me and all it did was screw me up even more. LOL
WOW! That is FAN-TAS-TIC!
Do you have to be from Sacramento to submit? I live in the SF Bay area…
Oops! I just saw this comment after our email conversation. You do not have to be from Sacramento, but as we already discussed, but I’m repeating for that one in a million chance that someone is reading other people’s comments, there is a show in San Francisco which may be more convenient: http://www.listentoyourmothershow.com/sanfrancisco/
I am very proud of you.
Sadly I don’t know my nanny. It’s a long story….
OMG!! I am screaming with delight!
I am also plastering this post all over Twitter, Google +, Facebook, & Pintrest!
You rock, Meleah! And I love you!
And you rock.
Congrats!!! Enjoy the journey
hugs
SueAnn
Thank you, Sue Ann!