Local author (Blacklisted from the PTA) and blogger (TODAY Show Moms, Brooke Burke’s Modern Mom and After the bubbly) Lela Davidson was selected by the national production company Listen To Your Mother Show, LLC. (LTYM) to produce and direct a local performance of the acclaimed Mother’s Day series of live readings. Northwest Arkansas was one of only 10 locations selected this year from a pool of interested cities for 2012.

Being the sweet, amazing and trusting person that she is Lela has asked me to co-host this event with her. She might be crazy, but I’m jumping on her crazy wagon and hanging on for dear life. Here we go!

From the Listen to your mother website:

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER features live readings by local writers on the beauty, the beast, and the barely-rested of motherhood, in celebration of Mother’s Day.

Born of the creative work of mothers who publish on-line, each production is directed, produced, and performed by local communities, for local communities.

Do I have to be a mother to participate?
NO. Write about your mother, write about a grandparent or another person who raised you. Write about your desire or difficulties becoming a mother. Write about single-fatherhood. Whatever you write, as long as it’s your authentic story and a tribute to mothering, it should be appropriate for auditions.

Do I have to be a professional actor or writer?
Absolutely not. Everyone has a story, and LTYM wants to hear yours.  

Is LTYM an open mic?
No. Each LTYM is audition, directed, produced, and rehearsed with professional production values, creatinging a well-crafted and memorable theatrical experience.

How can I read in an LTYM production?
 LTYM 12 productions are slated for Austin, Chicago, DC, Madison, NYC, NW Arkansas, NW Indiana, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Spokane, WA. Audition details to be announced in late winter/early spring 2012, and more information coming soon on individual city pages.

Hello!!! NWA do you see that list of cities? Remember that song, “One of these things is not like the other one.” That’s us!

Know how we got this awesome opportunity to participate in a beyond-cool event such as this?

Lela Davidson is how.

I expect every single one of you reading this to at least audition (if you live in this area). We all have unique stories that are worth sharing. Start writing! Your piece only has to be five minutes long, you’ve got two-months to write it and if you need to stare at your paper the entire time you are reading that’s okay. Just do it. Put yourself out there. It’s about as rewarding as finishing a 5k (or more if you’re an over-achiever).

As soon as we have more details I’ll share them.

Oh, did I mention this:

LTYM is thrilled to announce BlogHer, Inc.’s continued National Media Sponsorship for 2012: BlogHer is the largest community of women who blog: 25+ million unique visitors per month, and hosts the world’s largest conference for women in social media –BlogHer.com/about

More info here.