Last night concluded weeks of Listen to Your Mother productions across the country. Twenty-three shows to be exact, with one more to go on May 30. That’s twenty-four cities and 300 stories. All in honor of motherhood. Happy Mother’s Day America, indeed!

In a city full of transplants from all fifty states, the DC LTYM production team has felt especially moved by this national story telling event. It’s hard to live next door to the White House and NOT feel connected to the rest of the country. To acknowledge this in such an intimate celebration of family and community has been inspirational on so many levels.

Local media continues to amaze us with their interest in this little show about motherhood. From encouraging people to audition through congratulating this year’s cast on a job well done, their support both online and in print has been nothing short of overwhelming.

This community-focused movement has even received recognition on a national level. Janet Shamlian’s interview with LTYM creator, Ann Imig at the May 5 Chicago show aired on NBC Nightly News last week. Oh – and did you know that Dr. Jill Biden attended the Wilmington production yesterday? We can’t even imagine what to expect for next year…

But this year… Two weeks later, we are still reliving the glory of our own April 28 production. It’s hard to put into words. Luckily our sponsor, Then Again Photography was able to capture images…

(back, left to right) Amy O’Connell, Kristin Alexander, Lara DiPaola, Arnebya Herndon, Lauren Boston,
Mickie Gelling, Deb Werrlein, Taya Dunn Johnson; (front, left to right) Adrian Kulp, Jodi “Jodifur”,
Stephanie Stearns Dulli, Kate Coveny Hood, Diane Cooper-Gould, Janice D’Arcy, Jenifer Joy (JJ) Madden

Ten percent of ticket sale proceeds will be donated to  Rachael’s Women’s Center, a DC organization that provides homeless and formerly homeless women with opportunities to develop their independence, sense of self and hope. Taking a small part in the good work they do has been an honor. One we plan to continue in years to come.

We have so many people to thank for making this show possible…local media, our sponsors, the audience members who came to listen and last but not least, our amazing cast who made us laugh, cry and leave wanting MORE!

And thank YOU for supporting Listen to Your Mother DC. Whether you bought a ticket or wished us well from afar, it meant the world to us.

Look for the videos later this summer. And we hope to see you again in 2014!

We can’t even begin to tell you how honored we were to share the stage with these people and their hilarious, heart breaking and soul strengthening stories…

…OR the awe we felt looking up at our stage right before we opened the theater doors…

No they didn’t build that set for us! But pretty impressive, no?

Honestly? Right now, we’re too exhausted to tell you much of anything. We need a few days to recover.

But rest assured, more images (from our sponsor, Then Again Photography) and impressions and general gushing are coming your way soon. But in the meantime, we would like to thank our generous sponsors who made it all possible!

And more thanks to Listen to Your Mother National Sponsors:

What a thrilling day. Stay tuned for full details!

We are! And we can’t wait to see you there. If you’d like to check out the program in advance, here is a preview:

If you are driving to the theater, remember that they have FREE parking. The entrance is on 20th Street (just off of Jefferson Davis Hwy/Route 1). It’s easy to miss, so here is a picture:

See those little gold plaques? One of them will tell you which side to enter for Synetic Theater parking.

And of course, if you are taking the metro, The Crystal City stop on the Blue/Yellow Line is right next to the theater!

Planning to buy your ticket at the show? Try to arrive early to avoid lines. Online tickets can be purchased HERE.

And after the show, we would love for you to come celebrate with us a few blocks away at Jaleo Crystal City.

They’ll have happy hour specials and it should be easy to get a table if you decide to grab a meal with friends. We did this last year and it was a lot of fun (much better than going straight home to figure out what to make for dinner).

We are so proud of this year’s show and can’t wait for you to see it! Until Sunday!

Here it is…our VERY LAST cast spotlight before the show! And of course, it’s the one “dude.”

LTYM: Who is Adrian Kulp?

ADRIAN: Wow, tricky question and refreshing opportunity. I’m so conditioned to presenting a list of professional accomplishments that never even answer the question. I’d like to think that I’m the sum of thousands of life experiences that continue to shape WHO I might be.

I’m a son, brother, father and husband.

I’m a kid that loved to go fishing and play catch with my dad after work in the summer. A kid that caught salamanders and crayfish, built tree forts and wrote poems… that built Legos, collected baseball cards, rode endless miles on a bike and went to church with my mom.

I’m a teenager that wore braces, worked on a farm and learned how to drive a tractor before a car. A teen that got his haircuts on a stool in the driveway and pegged his pants… that was editor of his high school yearbook, had his first fistfight and went to the prom (not in the same night)… and a teenager that went to college to become a man.

A man that did less studying than socializing. A man that lost everything he owned to a fire and delivered the eulogy at his best friends funeral. A man with a lot more questions than answers… who was reminded that possessions don’t make the man, faith, honesty and humanity do. A man who climbed mountains, floated down rivers and slept under the desert stars. A man that works hard every day to be a better person… that married a wonderful woman and was lucky enough to have beautiful, healthy children with.

NOTE: I also fell asleep on the toilet once in college.

LTYM: How did you discover LTYM?

ADRIAN: Monica Sakala, the wordsmith behind Wired Momma invited me to her home a few months ago for dinner. After almost fourteen years in Los Angeles, my family and I had just moved to the Washington, D.C. area and didn’t really know anyone. She went out of her way to introduce me to an amazing group of area bloggers. She also told me about a show that she did last year and thought that it might be right up my alley.

LTYM: What is the craziest thing you remember your mother saying to you?

ADRIAN: Stop touching your eyes and penis, you are covered in poison oak!

LTYM: What is one of your favorite things you’ve ever written?

ADRIAN: When I see those eyes of green,
Touched with a hint of blue,
They show me all of what she’s seen,
And if our love is true.

NOTE: I’m pretty sure this allowed me to unhook a few bras in junior high. OH! And I wrote a book for Penguin Publishing, which comes out on May 7th. It’s a comedic memoir about becoming a father and a full-time stay-at-home dad for two toddlers.

LTYM: What do you wish most for your children?

ADRIAN: That they never say never and ALWAYS keep laughing.

LTYM: Thanks Adrian!

You can read more about Adrian on his blog, Dad or Alive.

We hope to see you at the show this Sunday – it’s going to be AMAZING! If you haven’t bought your tickets yet…CLICK HERE.

Listen to Your Mother DC couldn’t be more excited about this year’s local cause!

Since opening its doors in 1979, Rachael’s Women’s Center has provided homeless and formerly homeless women with opportunities to develop their independence, sense of self and hope. They accomplish this by offering safety, shelter, food, showers and laundry in a nurturing, homelike environment; as well as helping women to reach their potential through intensive case management and programs that empower them to take control of their lives and advocate for themselves.

Rachael’s was recently recognized in the 2012-2013 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington as “one of the best small charities in the Washington DC Region.” But we heard about them through word of mouth – by and large, one of the best endorsements in an area with so many great non-profit organizations!

In addition to buying a ticket to our show (we are donating 10% of our proceeds), there are other ways in which people can support the center:

• Volunteer Opportunities
• Internships
• Fund-raisers (including the Annual Gala, Help the Homeless Walkathon)
• Serving on the Board of Directors
• Donations (both cash and in kind gifts welcome – see the Wishlist for details)

For further information on any of the above listed ways to help or to discuss other ideas please contact Dawn Swan, Executive Director at (202) 682-1005. OR drop by the Annual Open House on Wednesday, June 5th!

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday! Have you bought your tickets yet…?

Jenifer Joy Madden may be a videographer, blogger, writer of technology, science and environmental news, journalism adjunct and award-winning community leader, but…

LTYM: Who is JJ?

JJ: That’s a great question since I use permutations of Jenifer Joy Madden in different ways. I began calling myself “JJ” in my first job as a TV reporter. I needed a quick sign-off but still wanted to signify (at least in my mind) my maiden name (Joy). I brandish the more sober “Jenifer” when I want to be taken extra seriously, like when I’m a community advocate asking a Congress member for a multi-million dollar pedestrian bridge. “Jeni” and the diminutive “Jen” are preferred by friends and family, which includes my wonderful husband and our three fantastical children, Reilly, Shannon and Brian (as pictured below).

LTYM: How did you discover Listen to Your Mother?

JJ: Randomly, like I usually find stuff on the Internet.  I happened to see an item in the local Patch about the auditions. I’d written a piece about my mom for Mother’s Day, so I thought I’d give that a shot.

LTYM: What is the craziest thing you ever said to your children?

JJ: Since I’m not a great judge of that, I asked them. The youngest remembered how I “let him” smell sharpies (I don’t actually recall giving him permission to grab them off the table while I wasn’t looking).  A friend who used to come over to our house to help edit our college alumni newsletter still laughs about the little Charlie Chaplin who toddled up to us with the big black mustache.

LTYM: What are the favorite things you’ve written?

JJ: My personal favorite is the first book I ever published (I made 9 copies) to celebrate my daughter for her college graduation. It’s made of entries from 22 years of calendars of I’ve kept on my kids. Here’s a representative sample from when she was 18 months:

“Shan had taken a piece of paper out of Mommy’s purse and was holding it upside down. Daddy tries to turn it over for her but she says, “No, Daddy! I’m reading!”

Some entries may reflect my influence, like this from when she was 4:

“Shan agrees that God is not a man or a woman: ‘Yeah, God is part human being and part cloud.’”

By age six, the tables had begun to turn:

“Shan chooses the word “Radiant” as the “R” in MOTHER in her mom’s day card. But later when mom takes a sip of Daddy’s beer, Shan shakes her head and says, “Now she’s getting into drugs.”

Most recently, I am proudest of writing the Durable Human Manifesto: Hooray for Humans! which I released through my blog just in time for LTYM. It’s a declaration of my belief that we humans must realize we each possess amazing personal resources—not the least of which are our imagination, curiosity, and full palette of senses. That’s what I call our “human edge” which we need to keep sharpened so we can continue to cut it as our lives become more entwined with mass-produced,  tireless (and heartless) technology.

LTYM: When did you first start thinking about your mother as an individual person and not just “mom”?

JJ: I will answer that on April 28 at the Washington, DC performance of Listen To Your Mother.

LTYM: What do you wish most for your children?

JJ: Please allow me to quote from the Manifesto about why I wrote it:

“Of course, I want readers to understand their tremendous abilities and how societal shifts in recent decades are affecting their own human nature. But at its heart, this is a love letter to my three children (now wonderful young adults)—and in honor of all grown-up, present, and future children— reminding them they are each unique with a one-of-a-kind essence of their own. I want them to take to heart the tender words of Durable human Fred Rogers, immortalized in the remix, ‘Garden of Your Mind‘:

“It’s good to be curious about many things. You can think about things and make  believe. All you have to do is think and they’ll grow.”—Mr. Rogers

The Durable Human Manifesto is available for a limited time as a free download (which is only 26 pages long and reads like a kid’s book).

LTYM: Thanks JJ!

Read more about JJ on her website and blog, The Durable Human.  And check back on Friday for OUR LAST DC cast member spotlight…

Have you purchased your tickets to the show yet? It’s only FIVE DAYS away and space is limited – so don’t wait! Click HERE for full details.

The hands down, absolute best part of producing an LTYM show is getting to know the cast! Whenever a diverse group of people get together and celebrate one thing they all have in common, barriers drop, metaphorical hair is let down and few subjects are deemed TMI.

Well, at least that’s what happened on Saturday night when our 2012 LTYM alumni joined this year’s cast for some delicious food and fabulous wine at the Arlington Ridge Cafe Caturra.

We reminisced about last year and reassurances were given on the subject of evaporating stage fright and on-stage solidarity. But for the most part we all just sat around telling stories. Which is of course, the life blood of Listen to Your Mother.

It would have made waaaay too much sense to bring a good camera so we could capture the magic and share it with you here. Nope. You get grainy iPhone shots taken long after most of the group departed. Ooops!

We think it’s a testament to the good time had by all (and the incredible food) that visual documentation fell by the wayside. But here is a glimpse:

As you can see in all of the pictures, we didn’t much care for the wine. Seriously though, manager Chris Curtin made excellent suggestions (and we highly recommend the 2009 Lock and Key Meritage!)

Oh – and did we mention that Sweet Frog is next door?

Sadly, unlike Cafe Caturra, where we were treated to complimentary hor d’oeuvres, there was no offer of free fro yo at Sweet Frog. BUT they were kind enough to let our small band of last (wo)men standing in literal seconds before they locked their door for the night.

The perfect ending to a perfectly casual and comfortable night with out friends. This will absolutely be a LTYM DC tradition!

HUGE thanks to Cafe Caturra for hosting us. We will be back!

In the meantime, we have this little show thing happening ON SUNDAY, April 28. Buy your tickets now – space is limited!

You already know from her bio that Lara DiPaola is Director of Marketing and Creative Development for DC-based CertifKid, writes about travel for 10Best/USA Today and Traveling Mom and has a personal blog,  Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom. Want to hear more about this self proclaimed writer-by-trade-caffeine-addict-by-necessity? Of course you do!

LTYM: Who IS Lara?

Lara: I can’t be the only one who hears, “Whooo are you? Who-Who? Who-Who?” when I read this question. Oh. I am? Well, alrighty then.

I’ve actually been asking myself this very question for as long as I can remember. If you were to pose this question to the 9 year old me she would have undoubtedly said, “A Roller Derby Queen who moonlights as a Forensic Pathologist.” Yeah, I had a thing for Jack Klugman back then.

Were you to ask my kids they’d likely tell you I was a personal chef, chauffeur, banker and the Wicked Witch of the Beltway. My husband had better answer this one with either “Goddess” or “Muse”.

As for me, I think I’d like to be known as…

• A fantastically flawed parent

• The lucky girl who found an amazing guy and suckered him into loving her

• One hell of a fierce friend

• “Fluffy” not “Fat”

• The world’s first word slinging Superhero whose alter ego likes to paint lousy pictures, write bad poetry and host dinner parties

LTYM: How did you discover LTYM?

Lara: I met LTYM founder Ann Imig at a blogging conference many moons ago. In a sea of people trying to swim upstream in this brave “new media” world, Ann stood still — at microphone– and told stories that spoke to my soul. I then began to stalk follow the LYTM movement as it grew, crossing my fingers that one day the show would head my way. Last year LTYM came DC. I sat in that audience, wiping away tears and laughing myself into cramps. These were stories that transcended the stage and I so wanted to be a part of that.

LTYM: What is the craziest thing you remember your mother saying to you; and what is the craziest thing you remember saying to your children?

Lara: “You have to sit on the inflatable donut at school honey or your butt will never heal” said my mother.

You see I’ve got all the grace God gave a newborn horse. I’ve had to have a car cigarette lighter removed from the charred flesh of my nose. For the record, I haven’t played, “Smell this” again. Yes, I did once have to be extracted from a hole in the cobblestone of a chic New York City street before being hit by a taxi. Walking into sliding glass doors, tripping over your own two feet, puking on the shoes of a presidential candidate… been there. This particular time I had braised my soggy posterior on the side of a wood burning stove. A stove that was the only heat between the bathroom and my bedroom in the hippy homestead of my formative years. The towel fell. I bent over to pick it up. What is that burning smell? You get the picture.

So naturally I’ll be taking to the stage in front of hundreds of people.

LTYM: What is one of your favorite things you’ve ever written?

Lara: An email to this obnoxious newcomer in the office, a real “wiseguy” straight from Brooklyn with the suit and attitude to prove it. I called him a, “Mamaluke”… after all that was what Timon had called Pumba. I got a schooling in Italian slang and a husband out of that email.

If you were asking about my “literary works”… well that’s like asking which child I love most. Can’t answer that one, publicly.

LTYM: When did you first start thinking about your mother as an individual person and not just “mom”?

Lara: My mom was always a mystery to me. Still is. The woman could make the best cream puff this side of the Champs-Élysées, then turn around and deliver a baby on the side of the road. In an ornately carved box on the living room coffee table was a deck of Tarot cards. They would be there when we got home from Sunday School. The woman was/is all contradictions, ever her own unique form of visionary.

That she was more than just this mysterious creature hit home for me when she graduated from college while I was away in the Navy. It was then that – for the first time – it hit me that she had put most of her aspirations aside to support my dad and raise her family. This was the first thing that was truly all about her. I was shocked and inspired.

LTYM: What do you wish most for your children?

Lara: That they find their true love early and spend a long life with them. True love is the greatest thing in the world…except for a nice MLT – mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe.

LTYM: Thanks Lara!

Read more about Lara on her blog, Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom. And check back next week for more DC cast member spotlights…

Have you purchased your tickets to the show yet? Better hurry – it’s next Sunday! Click HERE for full details.

It’s likely that you are already familiar with Scentsy. Starting with a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles, they’ve quickly grown into one of the most successful direct selling companies in the world. Their decorative ceramic warmers are designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a light bulb. No flame or boiling hot temperatures – the perfect solution for homes with small children!

Years ago, Tina O’Flynn would never have expected to have a career in direct sales. Eleven years in sales and marketing at a large software company and a degree in interior design certainly didn’t have that trajectory… But after several years in the design industry, she became a mother. At the time, staying home with her baby worked best for her family. But once that “baby” started Kindergarten, professional life beckoned.

Direct sales has been the perfect fit for Tina with its flexible hours, free trips (Scentsy is paying for a trip to Whistler, British Columbia in June) and the unlimited amount of income that is possible. She can put her daughter on the school bus and then immediately start calling customers, working recruiting events, dropping off products, planning parties, volunteering for the PTA, go to the gym…and STILL be
home to pick her daughter up from the bus stop.

And she LOVES what she sells. We asked her for some favorites and here is what she sent us:

My favorite warmers are the Silhouettes -especially the Loom Silhouette. It has an openness to it that I love. It can go in any décor. And I love the way the Silhouette casts shadows on the wall.

My favorite scents are Honeymoon Hideaway, A Wink and a Smile and Quiver. Well, the list can go on
and on..

Scentsy has has also packaged together a really beautiful bundle of treats in honor of Mother’s Day!

I always tell my clients that “Combine and Saves” are the way to go. Scentsy has created bulk pricing if you combine several products together.

If you would like to know more about becoming a Scentsy consultant or have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at tinaar@hotmail.com, or contact me via Twitter @Scent_sation. Visit me at: Scentsy Store and Facebook.

Thanks Tina! And thank you for your support of Listen to Your Mother DC!

You know that person who just makes everything seem more fun? That one who can crack the sturdiest of cynical attitudes with a positive outlook and general irreverence? That’s our Mickie! Get to know her…

LTYM: Who IS Mickie?

Mickie: A free spirit, an artist, a globe-trotting travel junkie. A baker, a gardener, a good friend. A tireless advocate for my children and joie de vivre. An unrepentant goofball and lover of terrible jokes. A one-woman army, leading the rebellion against housework, body image, and generally all domestic expectations.

LTYM: What is your favorite thing that you’ve ever written?

Mickie: My wedding vows. I think they were the first time I ever thought about my whole life as a cohesive body of work. I really thought out and expressed what I wanted my future to be about. Seems like my most fulfilling work got underway then, and it just keeps getting better!

LTYM: What are the most memorable pieces of advice you received from your parents?

Mickie: “Darned if you do, darned if you don’t!” My parents are great listeners, and after hearing me out through countless scenarios, they remind me gently that there are hardly ever “perfect” solutions in life. I love how the comment cuts right through all the pressure that parenting can pile on, and redirects my thoughts to long term outcomes, instead of momentary urgency.

Also, “If you MUST commit a faux pas, let it be laughing too loud.” That’s just a nice problem to have.

LTYM: What do you wish most for your children?

Mickie: I want them to attain so much joy and love in their lives that they can courageously withstand the tragedies and challenges that are unavoidable. I want them to value their own minds, and hopefully inspire others with the contents of their characters. And, if they could always live within driving distance, that would be rad!

LTYM: What do you love most about LTYM?

Mickie: I love the instant bonding that comes from such honest reflection. I’ve always been drawn to close friendships, to sisterhoods, to village wisdom. LTYM covers the whole gamut of parenthood; the humor, the heartbreak, the frustration, the shocking speed of it all! Finding that connection to other writers, to audience members, all over the U.S. and the globe through the internet, it inspires and humbles me every time I open myself to it.

LTYM: Thanks Mickie!

Read more about Mickie on her blog, Mickie Made And check back on Friday for another DC cast member spotlight…

Have you purchased your tickets to the show yet? It’s only TWELVE DAYS away and space is limited – so don’t wait! Click HERE for full details.