Motherhood, The Musical

Motherhood, The Musical is a hilarious, 90-minute, musical journey through the lives of four women. There’s Barb, the over-worked, underpaid, stressed-out mother of five. There’s Catherine, the lawyer, who works too much and barely sees her kids. There’s Jenna, a single mom who’s struggling to juggle it all. And Julie, the naïve 20-something about to have her first child.

As the three friends throw Julie a baby shower, the truth about motherhood, (the good, the bad and the ugly) all come out into the open: The diapers, the dirty laundry, the lazy husbands and everything in between.

Although the show is mostly musical comedy, there are a few poignant moments about parenting and breast cancer, that will move you to tears.

Motherhood, The Musical includes 18 songs: 14 are original numbers written or co-written by Sue and the other 4 are parodies.

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REVIEW OF MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL:

"Usually when I start getting heavy, I just get pregnant again - because it's so much easier than going on a diet" - MOTHERHOOD - THE MUSICAL

It may have just been a reading, but the folks who gathered at The Looby Theater last night couldn't have cared less. I don't know when I have heard an audience laugh so hard or as much as they did at the truly witty collection of songs which local songwriter Sue Fabisch has fashioned into the delightful tale of three friends giving a baby shower for a first time mother - and giving her the low down on what she is in for.

Fabisch has taken what seems like an obvious move for a Nashville songwriter, and put 18 brilliant songs by herself and her songwriting partners in to a book musical. The premise of the baby shower is perfect for this assortment of wigged out mommies to vent the spectrum of joys and frustrations that come with motherhood.

Most of the numbers - MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY; IF I HAD TIME; I NEED A WIFE; OOPS, I'M PREGNANT AGAIN - are just flat out funny because they are so grounded in reality. A couple - DANNY'S MOM; MY SISTER - got everyone all misty, and the closing number - WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN - just plain out moved everyone to tears.

The characters and their different takes on motherhood were beautifully portrayed by an amazing cast of local actresses. As Barb, Lynda Cameron-Bayer was off the hook as the cynical mother of six. Cameron-Bayer has a way with both vocal and facial antics which on their own were worth the trip to the theater, but her rendition of DANNY'S MOM really tugged at the heart strings and almost (ALmost) made me wish I had kids.

Jewel Lucien, as Jenna, the single mother of two, was somehow also the sanest and most grounded of the four, serving as the "straight man" for everybody else's kookiness. Her baby shower gift was a blanket knitted by her late sister and the song that come out of that was one of the most poignant moments of the evening. Lucien, who comes out of a gospel background, has a stunning voice and her recent turns in DREAMGIRLS, CHICAGO and SWEENY TODD have shown that she has the acting chops to go with the voice and make her a major asset to Nashville's musical theater scene.

Janna Landry, as Catherine, the wealthy mom who had the benefit of nannies and housekeepers, was outrageous, and her lament OOPS I'M PREGNANT AGAIN (hysterically choreographed by Ruth Rosen) gave us a sense of the shows potential for an over the top good time.

As Julie, the first time mother to be. Kymberlee Thompson made the role her own. She has a sweet voice and a vacuous deadpan that blossoms into emotion in a way that captured all the naivete and expectation of a young girl who hasn't had to deal with diapers and poo and scouts and ballet classes, but just can't wait to be a mother.

MOTHERHOOD - THE MUSICAL is a great good time and the reading - part of the Tennessee Women's Theater Project's Women's Work Showcase - was a savvy first step.And in a very Oprah like moment, as we were exiting the theater, everyone in the audience got a mom-friendly microwaveable pouch of Ragu traditional tomato basil pasta sauce. Shows like this aren't just art or entertainment - they are also commercial enterprises that if properly approached have the potential to serve as serious marketing tools for sponsors from all levels.

Readings of new plays are the backbone of the New York theater scene, because they bring the writers' friends and associates in to the project at the ground level and leave everyone waiting on pins and needles to see what will happen next with the show. Fabisch has done a super job of creating a property with an almost unstoppable future and undeniable potential for success. MOTEHRHOOD should be seen by all Nashville songwriters who have a drawer full of good material which no one is going to pitch to Reba but which deserve a better fate than the trash bin. It's not just a great show - it's a landmark show, one which should serve as a model for both the songwriting and theater communities here in Music City USA and will hopefully inspire a whole new era in the cultural evolution of our city. The smartest thing Nashville could do right now is get behind this artist and her show and PUSH!

Jaz Dorsey

The Dramaturgy Project

Nashville, Tennessee


	By Sue Fabisch Motherhood, The Musical is a hilarious, 90-minute, musical journey through the lives of four women. There’s Barb, the over-worked, underpaid, stressed-out mother of five. There’s Catherine, the lawyer, who works too much and barely sees her kids. There’s Jenna, a single mom who’s struggling to juggle it all. And Julie, the naïve 20-something about to have her first child. As the three friends throw Julie a baby shower, the truth about motherhood, (the good, the bad and the ugly) all come out into the open: The diapers, the dirty laundry, the lazy husbands and everything in between. Although the show is mostly musical comedy, there are a few poignant moments about parenting and breast cancer, that will move you to tears. Motherhood, The Musical includes 18 songs: 14 are original numbers written or co-written by Sue and the other 4 are parodies. Listen to these! - clip- -clip- REVIEW OF MOTHERHOOD THE MUSICAL: "Usually when I start getting heavy, I just get pregnant again - because it's so much easier than going on a diet" - MOTHERHOOD - THE MUSICAL It may have just been a reading, but the folks who gathered at The Looby Theater last night couldn't have cared less. I don't know when I have heard an audience laugh so hard or as much as they did at the truly witty collection of songs which local songwriter Sue Fabisch has fashioned into the delightful tale of three friends giving a baby shower for a first time mother - and giving her the low down on what she is in for. Fabisch has taken what seems like an obvious move for a Nashville songwriter, and put 18 brilliant songs by herself and her songwriting partners in to a book musical. The premise of the baby shower is perfect for this assortment of wigged out mommies to vent the spectrum of joys and frustrations that come with motherhood. Most of the numbers - MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY; IF I HAD TIME; I NEED A WIFE; OOPS, I'M PREGNANT AGAIN - are just flat out funny because they are so grounded in reality. A couple - DANNY'S MOM; MY SISTER - got everyone all misty, and the closing number - WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN - just plain out moved everyone to tears. The characters and their different takes on motherhood were beautifully portrayed by an amazing cast of local actresses. As Barb, Lynda Cameron-Bayer was off the hook as the cynical mother of six. Cameron-Bayer has a way with both vocal and facial antics which on their own were worth the trip to the theater, but her rendition of DANNY'S MOM really tugged at the heart strings and almost (ALmost) made me wish I had kids. Jewel Lucien, as Jenna, the single mother of two, was somehow also the sanest and most grounded of the four, serving as the "straight man" for everybody else's kookiness. Her baby shower gift was a blanket knitted by her late sister and the song that come out of that was one of the most poignant moments of the evening. Lucien, who comes out of a gospel background, has a stunning voice and her recent turns in DREAMGIRLS, CHICAGO and SWEENY TODD have shown that she has the acting chops to go with the voice and make her a major asset to Nashville's musical theater scene. Janna Landry, as Catherine, the wealthy mom who had the benefit of nannies and housekeepers, was outrageous, and her lament OOPS I'M PREGNANT AGAIN (hysterically choreographed by Ruth Rosen) gave us a sense of the shows potential for an over the top good time. As Julie, the first time mother to be. Kymberlee Thompson made the role her own. She has a sweet voice and a vacuous deadpan that blossoms into emotion in a way that captured all the naivete and expectation of a young girl who hasn't had to deal with diapers and poo and scouts and ballet classes, but just can't wait to be a mother. MOTHERHOOD - THE MUSICAL is a great good time and the reading - part of the Tennessee Women's Theater Project's Women's Work Showcase - was a savvy first step.And in a very Oprah like moment, as we were exiting the theater, everyone in the audience got a mom-friendly microwaveable pouch of Ragu traditional tomato basil pasta sauce. Shows like this aren't just art or entertainment - they are also commercial enterprises that if properly approached have the potential to serve as serious marketing tools for sponsors from all levels. Readings of new plays are the backbone of the New York theater scene, because they bring the writers' friends and associates in to the project at the ground level and leave everyone waiting on pins and needles to see what will happen next with the show. Fabisch has done a super job of creating a property with an almost unstoppable future and undeniable potential for success. MOTEHRHOOD should be seen by all Nashville songwriters who have a drawer full of good material which no one is going to pitch to Reba but which deserve a better fate than the trash bin. It's not just a great show - it's a landmark show, one which should serve as a model for both the songwriting and theater communities here in Music City USA and will hopefully inspire a whole new era in the cultural evolution of our city. The smartest thing Nashville could do right now is get behind this artist and her show and PUSH! Jaz Dorsey The Dramaturgy Project Nashville, Tennessee
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