It’s what I wondered today as Melisa and I were reconciling the 2013 finances and details for our records. It’s what you are probably wondering RIGHT NOW, 10 days after the show has ended. (Admit it: you have missed us!)

It’s what crossed my mind when we happily wrote out a check for nearly $800 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository today…

(Don’t our computers look adorable next to each other?!?)

And then I remembered that NO! The end is NOT nigh! For lo, the summer awaits and we alllll know the real reason that summer is so joyful…

It’s not the barbeques.

It’s not the water balloon fights.

It’s not even the spontaneous, late-night sing-a-longs around the fire pit, drinking Leinenkuegel’s with the neighbors. (though that’s a mighty close second place…)

Summertime = LTYM You Tube VIDEOS

And THAT is something we can ALL agree is worth getting excited for!

So, stay tuned; because “the best is yet to come*.”

*Don’t know that line? First person to watch the Chicago LTYM 2013 videos and name the speaker who says it will receive One Hundred Million Billion dollars from me!**

**I don’t actually have any money to give you. I will, however, give you a high-five for being so dedicated and looking for ONE LINE in 17 different You Tube videos. You would be really, really awesome if you did that. Really.

Okay, so we weren’t actually ON the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams…we got bumped due to breaking news, which is pretty common. We heard that the piece might be shown tomorrow on the Today Show, and I hope it is, but for now we are just thrilled that NBC put the segment on their website, on the front page, even!

LTYM truly IS a national movement. One city in 2010, five cities in 2011, ten cities in 2012, and a mind-boggling twenty-four cities this year. What’s next? Only Ann Imig knows. (and if she doesn’t, she’s working on it: of THAT you can be sure!)

In the meantime, check out the NBC segment, and if you’re around tomorrow tune into the Today Show, just in case.

Happy Mother’s Day!

We can’t believe almost a week has gone by from show date. The two of us are still in awe of how amazing the whole experience was. The pictures (all by our fantastic photographer Sabrina Persico) are beautiful and just touch upon the electric atmosphere of that entire day.

As you may have heard, NBC was filming Ann Imig for a spotlight on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams which airs tonight! (Friday, May 10, 5:30 CST). It’s likely that you’ll see a glimpse of us here and there, because NBC hung out with us all day long. (Fingers crossed!) There is also a slight possibility that the piece will rerun on the Today Show tomorrow (Saturday, May 11th). So set those DVRs and tune in tonight!

Our cast has been busy this week with their own reactions to the show. If you’d like to read their individual recaps, here are the ones who have posted thus far, in no particular order:

Samantha Schultz (and HERE too)
Tracy Jensen
Elizabeth Rago
Jocelyn Geboy
Robin Frisch
Shannon Duffy
Marianne Walsh
Lisa Noel
Nadine Warner
Shannan Younger
Erin Skibinski
Melisa Wells
Tracey Becker

Tracey and I are heading out to the Northwest Indiana Show tonight! There are still tickets available if you are looking for a Friday night activity…click here for info!

Stay tuned in the next couple of days for a huge Thank You post. It’s bound to be literary genius. ;)

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

(“We Are Family”, Sister Sledge)

Jocelyn, Robin, Sheila, Sarah, Lisa, Erin, Shannon, Shannan, Tracy, RoiAnn, Nadine, Elizabeth, Samantha, Liz, Marianne,

You have no idea how much this year’s LTYM experience has meant to us, and it’s because of you. You are–every single one of you–funny, sweet, lovely ladies and it has been a pleasure to get to know all of you, whether we knew you a little bit before or not. Our adventures together are just beginning. Thank you for all of your hard work, and for supporting each other throughout this process. Tomorrow’s audience* is going to be in awe of your combined talent. Don’t forget to take a mental snapshot from the podium.

Break a leg! xoxo

Love, Tracey & Melisa

*Tickets are still available for Sunday’s show (2:00 at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago)! We’d love to have YOUR bright and shiny face in the audience. (Yes, you!) Purchase tickets HERE.

Tracey: Hey Melisa! How’s it going, girl?

Melisa: Oh, you know, just breezy.

T: Can you believe it’s only TWO DAYS till our LTYM show goes live on stage?

M: I cannot! It seems like only yesterday we were at auditions with our chocolates and box of Kleenex. Speaking of chocolates, got any?

T: I am having a difficult time wrapping my brain around the entire idea. It feels like so many wonderful events in Life: time is all askew and convoluted…

M: Yeah; I have a kid going to his senior prom tonight. How did he get so old while I still am so young? Anyway, YES. This is a busy time, Before we know it, the show is going to be over and we’re going to be staring longingly at the pictures our photographer Sabrina Persico took, and then the videos…which will be on the LTYMshow YouTube channel later this summer. But you probably knew that.

T: Do you think the cast has had as memorable of an experience as we have? Do you think they KNOW how important it is to US that they feel our love and support? (I feel like a mom in some ways, don’t you?)

M: I think they have, and yes, I think they know. This journey has been so wonderful, and I’m so glad that Sunday’s show is just a pitstop with our new LTYM family members. They’re stuck with us forever now. Muah-ha-ha-ha!

T: You know that I could never have done this without you, right? You are the cheese on my turkey and cheese on rye. You are the rhythm to my RHYME. You are the freaking wind beneath my wings, girl. And yes, I’m totally singing that song even though I have issues with Whitney Houston. THAT’S HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.

M: I love you too, and that’s part of the reason why I need to tell you that Bette Midler sang the wind beneath my wings song. Whitney sang “I Will Always Love You”, which is a darn good contribution to music history as well as totally appropriate for this situation. BUT YOU WERE CLOSE. Anyway, I couldn’t have done this without you, and wouldn’t have wanted to. We are a great team!!

T: Really? Huh. I like Bette Midler. This is why I need you around to correct my musical literacy. I have so much fun working with you that it sometimes doesn’t FEEL like work, you know?

M: Same here. The only time this LTYM stuff ever feels like work is when…yeah, it never does. We know how to make our own party. I think that comes through in the final result, don’t you? Speaking of the final result and coming full circle on this conversation, I can’t believe the show is the day after tomorrow. Will you call me six times on Monday, just for old times’ sake?

T. I think that’s an easy and obvious YES.

M: THANK GOODNESS.

~~~

Tick tock, tick tock…

The clock stops for no one. If you haven’t purchased your ticket for the Chicago show on Sunday, there are still available seats. Visit the Athenaeum Theatre website or click here to be taken directly to their ticket sale page and save yourself some time on the day of the show.

As we’ve said before, our charity of choice for the 2013 show is the Greater Chicago Food Depository which donates food to hundreds of food pantries and kitchens and distribution centers across the Cook County area. One of the food pantries that benefits from the efforts of the GCFD is the Lakeview Pantry West located within the Athenaeum Theatre building itself! If you are attending the show on Sunday, May 5th and would like to help, please consider bringing one of the most frequently needed items at the food pantry such as:

-100% Shelf Stable Fruit Juice

-Canned Tuna and Meats

-Peanut Butter

-Dried Beans

-Deodorant

-Toothpaste

Please bring any of these items with you to deposit into the boxes provided by the shelter that will be in the theatre lobby on show day. Every item helps!

Look for one more pre-show post tomorrow (a really special one!) and then…Sunday is show day! (EEEK!) We hope to see you then!

In explaining the LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER phenomenon to the uninitiated, Tracey and I talk about more than the show concept itself. We always include the audience experience AND the cast experience in the conversation because LTYM is one of those rare events in life during which hundreds of strangers in a room can feel completely connected: it’s surreal in the very best way.

It’s a point of pride for us that Tracey and I work just as hard on the behind-the-scenes cast bonding stuff as we do on the comparatively small part of the journey our audience gets to see. We believe that a firmly bonded cast makes for a better audience experience, so it’s a win-win!

We spend the LTYM season in deep gratitude that we get to do this. Helping people bring their stories to the stage–some stories that have never been shared with anyone before auditions–is very humbling and amazing. An added bonus: the lifelong friends we’re making in the process.

We got another reminder of how lucky we are last night, when current cast member Lisa Noel posted this on her Facebook wall:

I know some of you are probably tired of hearing about this ‘show’ I am in, and even more still don’t GET what it even is. I’d love to answer questions if you have them but here’s what it boils down to…I will take a stage and bear my soul in a way that scares the crap out of me to share a story that needs to be shared because someone out there can relate and needs to know they aren’t alone. Sixteen other woman will do the same. You will laugh, you will cry and you will relate. If you are able to be there, you will not regret it and I will never be able to express enough how much it will mean to me.

Perfectly stated.

THIS is why Tracey and I originally applied to bring LTYM to Chicago. We are so honored to do what we do, truly.

We also know that some of next year’s cast, whoever they are, will be in this year’s audience. That’s what happens: people see the show and say, “I want to be a part of that!”

We hope that you’ll attend our show and witness this incredible collection of stories and the ladies behind them this Sunday May 5 at 2:00, at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago. Ten percent of ticket proceeds will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here. And who knows? Maybe YOU’LL be on stage with us in 2014!

Look out: the 2013 cast is FIERCE. Photo credit: Sabrina Persico

There is so much I am grateful for in this life. My family and friends, naturally; This show and the ability to bring it to Chicago is another. But a simple, oftentimes overlooked blessing that I have so much gratitude for is the ability to keep my family’s bellies full so that they may pursue their hearts’ desires.

We all know that not everyone is able to provide this core necessity for a happy, healthy life. So many children around the world go to bed and wake up with stomachs that are more than hungry; they’re aching.

We ache to help fill them. The number of people in the Cook County that are food insecure is 1 in 6. One sixth of everyone you see! That is 807,690 people in Cook County ALONE who do not know where their next meal will come from.

The problem is so massive that it can overwhelm a heart. We struggle and wonder: How do we help? We know of food pantries and shelters. We donate what we can. We contribute to the church drives and hope that our canned goods make a difference. And they DO. You help with every penny and food item you donate.

One way that Listen To Your Mother Chicago is trying to help fill the bellies of the hungry in the Chicago area is by donating a portion of our ticket proceeds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Normally, we contribute 10% of each ticket sold for this year’s show to the GCFD.

But today is not a Normal Day.

TODAY, we commit to donate 25% of all ticket proceeds* to the GCFD. For every ticket sold from 6:00 am till 11:59 pm CST tonight, we will donate $5 directly to the Greater Chicago Food Depository!

If you were planning on attending this year’s show, but haven’t purchased your ticket yet, DON’T WAIT ANY LONGER! One of the main reasons that we were so attracted to the Athenaeum Theatre for this year’s show is the massive amount of seats available to fill. Not only does it allow more space for more people to enjoy the talent, it also allows us to donate a larger portion to our charity this year! Do you realize that if we sold out this year’s show, we could potentially raise just under $2,000 to donate directly to the GCFD?

The Athenaeum Theatre is huge and we are filling it up quickly, but there are still empty seats… TODAY IS THE DAY to help LTYM raise as much as possible for the GCFD!

If you already have your tickets, then please share this today and help us fill more bellies by filling more seats!!!

Click here to go directly to the Athenaeum Theatre ticket page!

If you are unable to attend the show this year but still want to help fund the Greater Chicago Food Depository, please visit their site and donate in whatever way you are able.

*Before taxes and theater restoration fees.

Last month we told you all about our local Megaphone sponsor dom itp, a European Imports store with several locations in the Chicagoland area. Tracey and I LOVE this store for so many reasons.

Just one of those reasons we love it so much? There’s always something new at dom itp, literally and figuratively. Every time I visit the store, there are new items. The displays are always changing, giving me new things on which to direct my attention.

The clothing items they’re focusing on at the moment (read: the current trend!) are the knitted tops and sweaters (at reasonable prices!) I told you about last month. Woodfield store manager (and daughter of dom itp founders Jan and Grazyna Krynski) Pauline told me at that time that they would be getting more and more tops in under their own brand, designed by her mom. Yesterday one of those designs was front and center:

I really love the gray, and this top is paired with capri leggings for summer. The breeziness of this outfit is just awesome. A couple more examples?

Of course, dom itp has everything else you need to style your outfits: jewelry, bags, scarves, and hats are plentiful and the store has a great fitting room so you can check out how everything works together while you’re there.

We are so grateful for the support that dom itp has given LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER CHICAGO. We hope you’ll check them out…and if you’re coming to the show, look for a coupon inside your program that will save you some money when YOU visit the store! (Or, if you’re anything like me, that coupon will justify the purchasing of more great stuff. YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO HELP YOURSELF.)

Thanks again and again, dom itp!

I’m not sure what the best thing is about LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER CHICAGO local sponsor KeyLime Cove Indoor Waterpark Resort. It depends on who you ask, I think.

I’m guessing that smaller children would say that they like “Toukie’s Big Deluge”, the waterpark-within-the-waterpark. It’s a huge interactive play structure that has all kinds of games and mini waterslides, perfect for the little explorer.

Older kids who don’t need quite as much supervision would probably say that they like the more thrilling waterslides, including the Hurricane Vortex, which takes riders down a steep drop and around and around a huge bowl before dropping down another slide to the bottom. (and then when they need a break from all that waterslidin’, they LOVE the arcade, too.)

Believe it or not, I think parents have the longest list of favorite things about KeyLime Cove. Not only is it fun for us too (Watersliding when we want to and then relaxing on a Lazy River? Yes, please!), but it has the following other fantastic characteristics, as experienced every single time my family visits there:

1. It is SAFE. The staff at KeyLime Cove is highly trained, alert, professional, and visible. Their lifeguard team is superb and parents can enjoy the waterpark experience just as much as the kids because the lifeguards are making sure that everyone stays safe.

2. It is CLEAN. KeyLime Cove’s staff takes pride in the cleanliness of the facility. A busy resort like this would easily fall into disrepair and general ickyness (I just made that word up) were it not for the diligence of everyone who works there, keeping it shiny and sparkly clean.

3. It is CLOSE. KeyLime Cove is less than an hour’s drive from anywhere in the Chicago area, making a tropical getaway super-easy for all of us who just need a little break from our busy lives.

Sounds good, right? KeyLime Cove has a Limited Time Offer for LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER CHICAGO fans (that’s you!), and you have just a couple more weeks to take advantage. Gift yourself with a family getaway in May! Here are the details:

“Listen To Your Mother” Limited Time Offer:

KeyLime Cove is a local sponsor for the 2013 Chicago Listen To Your Mother Show and has put together a fabulous deal for anyone looking for a fun adventure in April – May 23. In fact, you could even reserve a room for the night of May 5 and make an extended weekend of the entire Listen To Your Mother experience!

~ Enjoy a special rate of $149.95 for up to six guests in a Queen Deluxe Stateroom

~ Valid Sunday – Thursday for all arrival dates through 5/23/13.

~ Call (888) 965-6038 and mention Promo Code: LISTEN13, or click here to book this deal online!

Offer expires on 5/23/13. Valid on a Queen Deluxe staterooms arrival through 5/23/13. Offer based on availability and certain room types and must be mentioned at time of making reservation. Certain restrictions and blackout dates may apply.  Not valid with any other discount or promotional offer. Offer may end at any time without notice.

Some people are just naturally funny. Sometimes, you meet someone and you instantly think “Damn. That is one funny mother.” That is Sarah Zematis. And here she is…

~~~

What led you to writing for Listen To Your Mother Chicago?

 I learned about the show last year through a friend and was so disappointed that I couldn’t audition. Well, I could have auditioned but I had a conflict – I birthed my 3rd child on the day of the performance! So Listen to your Mother had to be put on hold while I became a Mom again. This year, it nearly passed under my radar, being a busy mom of 3 but my friend and last year’s cast member, Megan Stielstra, pushed me to submit a story and I am thrilled that she did! I feel it is very important to have an outlet for myself that is just for me. It preserves my sanity and shows my kids that Mom is more than a chef and a chauffeur. And I am thrilled to be linked to this vibrant clan of women. I foresee some real lasting relationships and tons of inspiration coming out of my association with this group of ladies!

How do you feel about the show in general?

Warm and fuzzy.

  How long have you been writing?

 I have my BFA and have been performing and directing around Chicago since graduating from undergrad, many moons ago. But, when my 2nd child was born, I had no energy or brain space for my theatrical projects, which mostly took place in the evening. (the need for sleep won out over my creative needs temporarily). When #2 turned 2, I really felt the void and turned to writing  as I could do that on my timeline. And stories seemed like a natural outlet, as I have a ton of stories to tell. I auditioned for 2nd Story and was accepted into their collective. I fell madly in love with their style and their mission to create community through stories. I love writing the “what happened” of my stories but also being challenged to dig deeper for the “what is it really about”, aka what is the universal truth or lesson of this specific story.

 What do you typically write about?

 I write personal narratives – the kind of stories you would tell a friend over a glass of wine. My goal is to elicit a “that reminds me of the time I ____” response, hence giving you the opportunity to share YOUR story – the 2nd story!

 Where do you write?

 I have a podcast of a performance at 2nd Story.com. It is entitled “Sunday, Sunday, Sunday” .

 Have you ever performed on stage before?

 Since this is my wheelhouse, I have countless tales on this subject.

My earliest theatrical memories are of seeing the Broadway tour of Annie and immediately heading home and casting it with neighborhood kids for a backyard production. It was epic! As my father would tell you, I have been performing, both on and off stage my entire life. (personally I think he is the dramatic one!) I received my theatre degree down in the cornfields at Illinois Wesleyan and moved up here to the big city. Some of the most memorable and fun times include my summers during college, performing at the Bristol Renaissance Faire and fronting a big band, singing the music of the Andrews Sisters at Green Dolphin Street.

The real job of an actor is to audition but sometimes just getting into the audition is a ton of work. Like this one time, back when the musical Rent was a big deal, they were coming to Chicago to find their Broadway replacements. I knew this audition was going to be a mob scene since they didn’t take any appointments. (they do this sometimes to also create media buzz, like “look how many people showed up – it must be a big deal!”) But it was March in Chicago and COLD and I knew they were going to make us wait outside, which would be no good for my pipes. So I concocted a plan. I printed up a sign-up sheet and went to the audition spot at midnight. I had put my name and a few friends because I couldn’t leave them standing out on the tundra. And then I went home to sleep. I swung back by around 6am, just to see if my diabolical plan was working and, sure enough, there were at least 30 huddled masses out there waiting and they had all signed up. Perfect! Back home to my warm bed.

Skip to 10am, when the auditions were to begin. One of the auditors came out and screamed, “This list means NOTHING! The list means NOTHING!!!”. My friends began to sweat – “What if we get in trouble? Maybe they won’t let s audition at all!’

But I remained calm until the same woman stepped back out and called my name. It felt like going to the principal’s office! I tried to remain calm and look hip (this was RENT, after all). She escorted me into a hall and suddenly I realized, “Oh, I’m auditioning now. Awesome!”

In the end, I did my best but I am really not edgy enough for Rent. Or perhaps not hungry enough. But, at least on this one occasion, I didn’t have to suffer for my art.

 The last time I was on this stage at the Athenaeum, I was portraying the beloved Winnie The Pooh for a packed crowd of kiddos. It was an amazingly fun show!

  Where do you come from?

 I am from Milwaukee, WI. I received my BFA at Illinois Wesleyan University and then moved to Chicago to pursue my theatrical career.

 Favorite places to frequent with family in the Chicagoland area?

 I am a bit of a homebody so I would have to say our favorite place is our kitchen to create something yummy together. But when pressed to go out and about, we love to go for walks or bike through the sculpture garden along McCormick Blvd. Last year, over President’s Day weekend, we had a “staycation”, where we booked a hotel downtown and acted like we were tourists here in our own city. We purchased the city pass and did it all: the Hancock, Sears…er, Willis Tower, Shedd aquarium, Field Museum, Art Institute, the Children’s Museum & Museum of Science and Industry. To top it off, it was restaurant week, so we ate the most exquisite and decadent meals morning, noon and night. It was heaven and we all had a ball. It reminded us that this isn’t only where we live, it is where we love to live!

  What trait is your “signature” trait with family and friends?

 I am told that I have a knack for making even the most mundane things feel fun. Like, “Hey, I have a great idea. If we each grab a bag of trash, we can have a parade to the bins outside!” (my way of quick & easy party clean-up. I think my kids may catch on one day though…)

  If you were stranded on Lake Shore Drive in the worst traffic jam in history, what 3 items would you want to have with you and why?

 1. For medicinal purposes – Chocolate, specifically thin mints, reese’s valentine hearts and cadbury creme eggs. I must have vitamin CH when stressful situations arise.

 2. Tons of water for my children because I always seem to be out when they are “dying” from thirst!

 3. Music. Probably musicals to keep us all singing and laughing as we creep along. We are particularly fond of Music Man & Guys and Dolls.

  Chocolate or Licorice?

 Chocolate.

 Coffee or Tea?

 Strong coffee with plenty of cream. I didn’t drink it until I had my 2nd child and now I cannot live without it. Although my husband says I put so much creamer in it, it is more like cream with coffee instead of the reverse.

  Any famous words you live by?

 Words I live by? All of my mom’s phrases pop into my head, like “Girls who whine need naps.” And, like my Mother, I make up a ton of words. Piffle, Schmuffaputta, Snigglefritz, to name a few that are in common usage in my home. I am currently working on a dictionary of my Mom’s language, called Judy-isms. Sure to be a best seller…if I sell it to my siblings!

~~~

Trust me when I say this: She will make you LAUGH on May 5th. I have read her piece repeatedly and heard it several times and every single time I find myself genuinely laughing that belly-aching laugh. Every time.

Tickets for the show are on sale but time is running out! Stop waiting and pick yours up today for the May 5th show at the Athenaeum. Remember to stick around after the show and eat dinner with the entire cast and family and friends at the Diag Bar & Grill. You will save 20% off of your food purchases when you bring your ticket stub that night!!