Producer and director Carrie Bedwell has crowned year No. 8 for this spring’s annual Northwest Indiana stage presentation of “Listen to Your Mother” as something “wicked.”
“We’re promoting a ‘Motherhood is Wicked’ theme as a nod to the movie and musical for this year’s ‘Listen to Your Mother’ production, with our traditional promise of a well-crafted, 90-minute afternoon of diverse true stories about motherhood,” Bedwell said.
Bedwell will be a guest at 10 a.m. next Tuesday, Feb. 17, on my weekly Of Notoriety radio show on WJOB 1230 AM, with all of the details of this annual charity theatrical performance, which gives back so much to the community in so many ways. Bedwell, who has worked as an English teacher for 31 years, was first cast in one of the productions in 2014 and then took over producing the annual event in 2018.
This year’s performance is at 3 p.m., May 3, at Hobart Art Theater.
But FIRST! Bedwell needs her stable of presenters for this year, eligible to both men and women, to share their stories in this series of live original readings and performances by local artists and talents about the universe that is motherhood.
For virtual auditions, join the organization’s Facebook group at LTYM NWI 2026 for all of the audition details, or email ltymnwi@gmail.com before March 1 for more information and details about how to submit a virtual audition to be considered.
Selected talent for this year’s event will be notified by the second week in March in time for the first practice and promotional headshots, all from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Spare Room Studios in Chesterton. A second practice and final run-through is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon April 25 at the Art Theater in Hobart in preparation for the May 3 performance.
Melissa Marshall of 219 Social Co. is serving as the emcee for this year’s show.
Tickets start at $25 available at www.ticketleap.com, at the door, by calling 219-942-1670, or at www.brickartlive.com. High top table seating and VIP area seating range from $35 to $55. A portion of all funds raised this year benefits Meals on Wheels Northwest Indiana.
The stage idea for the annual production came from creator Ann Imig, who “gave motherhood a microphone” and is credited with founding the concept for “Listen to Your Mother,” which debuted with the first performance on Mother’s Day 2010 at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. She and 11 other local writers read their original true stories of motherhood before an audience of 300 people.
Within less than a decade, the show became a localized hit as word spread via creative producers and a growing grassroots movement, which now spans 50-plus cities and 250 productions staged across North America, still adhering to the key of donating a portion of ticket sales to local nonprofit organizations supporting women and families in need.
In April 2015, G.P. Putnam and Sons published a 256-page hardcover titled “Listen to Your Mother: What she said then, what we’re saying NOW” (2015 Putnam Books $25.95) edited by Imig as an in-print companion to the live stage show experience.
“The goal of every ‘Listen to Your Mother’ production is to take the audience on a journey of true stories about motherhood from being a mom, having a mom and losing a mom to finding a mom, as there are many interpretations on the theme of mothering as you can imagine,” said Imig, whose theatrical work is legally produced through Miracle or 2 Licensing.
“From hilarious and heartwarming, to emotionally intense and profound, ‘Listen to Your Mother’ entertains, energizes, brings community together and leaves everyone feeling a little less alone and a little more understood.”
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com.
