MOM'S THE WORD

I T WASN'T PLANNED, BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN KIND of cycle-of-human-life logic to Theatre Conspiracy's shows this year.

COURTESY PHOTO The cast of "Mom's the Word." The play opens May 22 at the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. Earlier this season, Theatre Conspiracy presented

"Bad Dates," a one-woman show starring Lauren Drexler. Then, a quartet of actors performed in "My First Time," relaying others' true-life stories about their first sexual experience.

Now, running May 22 through June 13, they're presenting "Mom's the Word," a look at the joys, foibles and frustrations of motherhood.

"Isn't that weird?" says Bill Taylor, artistic producing director of Theatre Conspiracy. "It wasn't planned. It's just the way the shows fell into place.

"You know what? The next one is going to be about grandmahood. I have to find a show about divorce, or something."

"Mom's the Word" runs from May 22 through June 13, at the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts, Theatre Conspiracy's former home. The show appealed to him because it covers a wide spectrum of emotions and situations.

TAYLOR "I'm always attracted to shows that have a nice range to them," he says. "It's very funny, it's heart warming, it has a surprise or two that's involved in it."

The show, he says, is for everyone, not just mothers.

"Some of it, just being a parent, you can relate to some of the stories that the women are talking about. I've seen this stuff with my kids. Even if you're a guy, you're going to relate to it.

"It's not a chick show."

"Mom's the Word" features five actors: Tiffany Allen, Lauren Drexler, Joann Haley, Lisa Marie and Annie Wagner.

Only two of the actors are mothers in real life. And Jamie Carmichael, who's directing the show, is a single male.

"Some things the women in the cast have to explain to me," he admits. "But I see enough TLC or Lifetime, those baby stories, and we all have a mom. I think, more importantly, I try to study funny as much as I can. So even if I don't know about motherhood firsthand, I know what's funny. So I approach it like any other show: It's got to have highs and lows and soft and hard and knee-slappers and little chuckles.

COURTESY PHOTO "Mom's the Word" will be Theatre Conspiracy's first production in the Foulds Theatre since moving out of the facility in early 2008. "And if there's a Mom thing or a woman thing I don't understand, I ask my mom or ask the women who are in the show. (For example), there are things that come in and go out of a human baby that I was not aware of, until doing this show. Quite an interesting little nugget."

On first night of rehearsal, he asked the actors to put down their scripts and tell a story about parenthood. It could come from their own experience of being a mother, or a story from when they were a kid.

"I told a story about an unfortunate incident when I was baby that I pooped in my mom's hand," Mr. Carmichael says. "Everyone has a story about themselves that's been bandied about in the family.

"It was a sharing of experiences. Any parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle could relate to any of these things."

Tiffany Allen, one of the quintet of actors, isn't a mom in real life yet, but has plenty of hands-on experience, having taught kids from infants to grade five. (In fact, she was babysitting during our phone conversation, and interrupted our talk to say to a toddler, "Pull up your pants!")

"It's very interesting being in the show," she says. "I don't have kids, but I've worked in child care for six years. I'm using all the stuff I've heard from parents and learned in the childhood classes I've taken. That's what I draw upon. The stories I hear from the kids themselves about the stuff they do."

As for her own life, "I cannot wait to be a mom in real life." "There's nothing I'm not ready to expect. I absolutely cannot wait to be a mom. (But) I'm still waiting to be a wife."

The play was written by five women: Linda Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Barbara Pollard, Robin Nichol and Deborah Williams. The five met every Saturday as actors/writers/moms to talk about their own experiences with motherhood and turned them into a theatrical piece.

"Mom's the Word" was originally presented as a one-act play for Vancouver's Women in View Festival in January 1994. The positive response inspired them to turn it into a full-length play, which they produced and acted in themselves for an eight-month run at the Vancouver Arts Club Theatre. It received the Jessie Richardson Award for Best Play and Best Ensemble Cast.

The work has been presented all over the world, including Australia, England, Scotland, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Mexico, Italy and Ireland.

"When I read the concept of the show, I thought, 'Hey, that could be really cute,'" says Lauren Drexler, who, with husband Bill Taylor, has three children. "It's funny. When I read it, I loved it. It's not presented in a cliché way, it's very clever.

"The show has so many moments that are universal and are so well-crafted and well-written."

It's not just a show for moms, she says, adding that they occasionally talk about husbands too. In fact, one of the characters has an ongoing discussion with her husband in the form of letters, as she's found that that's the only way she can communicate with him.

It's also a tribute to kids, too.

"One of my characters has a line," she says, quoting it: 'They constantly amaze me: their questions, their perception of the world and their love.'"

"Mom's the Word" is presented in a mixture of monologues and short scenes.

"Some of the pieces are like poetry, performance art, some are vaudeville, very broad. A little slapstick never hurt anybody," says Mr. Charmichael. "But some moments in the show, as the tagline says, 'Remove the rose-colored glasses.'

"It's not always glamorous to be a parent. Sometimes it's not pretty, it's scary. So there are some very honest moments in the show too, no bells or whistles.

"It's a dissection of the parenting experience, really."

if you go

>> "Mom's the Word" >> When: May 22 through June 13 >> Where: The Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers >> Cost: $20. Opening night, Friday, May 22, is pay-what-you-wish, with a reception with light snacks starting at 7 p.m. >> Information: Call 936-3239.