Stage Notes

Hartford Stage’s world premiere production of Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse and extraordinary experiences of motherhood in every shape and size. As part of the celebration of all things “mom,” we asked local mothers to share some of their experiences and stories with us.

Click here to share your motherhood stories with Hartford Stage!

Meet Tricia.  She is from Enfield.

Tricia, please tell us a little bit about you and your family.

My son is the reason I am who I am today. He saved me… literally. Never has anyone opened my eyes wider to help me realize my own potential… worth… ability to love… As a victim of domestic violence prior to and during my pregnancy, I’m not sure that I can honestly say I had a reason or willingness to leave, except that my son didn’t deserve to live that sort of life. Even though he hadn’t been born yet… he saved me from ruining my life. It’s amazing how such a little person can bring such dramatic and positive change to your life. I can go on and on about the wonderful ways in which he has brought a smile to my face, taught me a lesson, made the worries of the world seem like an ant hill or just made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. But, I’ll share just two. When I heard his heartbeat for the first time, I cried and my heart melted. I don’t mean an “Aaaaaw” type of melt… I mean my heart dissolved! It was at that moment that I grasped that I was responsible for this little life… for keeping him happy, healthy and safe. As a single parent, it has not been easy, but I do my best and every time he says “I love you mommy”, I feel a burst of energy to continue to be great. I want him to be proud of me… proud to say “That’s my mommy”. A more recent time was last week and my heart melted for the umpteenth time. Out of the blue, he said “Thank you mommy” and I asked “For what, Jev?” and he answered “For my clothes”. I cried with that feeling in my chest… that melting I mentioned earlier. Even at three (whether he understood what he was saying or not) he appreciates me. And I appreciate him for saving me. I appreciate having an opportunity to grow and learn with him and to love him. I appreciate motherhood and I want to say it out loud!

Hartford Stage’s world premiere production of Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse and extraordinary experiences of motherhood in every shape and size. As part of the celebration of all things “mom,” we asked local mothers to share some of their experiences and stories with us.

Click here to share your motherhood stories with Hartford Stage!

Meet Carol. She is from West Hartford.

Would you please tell us a little bit about you and your family, Carol?

In July 1989, after two years of infertility treatment that was the emotional equivalent of an amusement park’s roller coaster ride, I became a mother through the process of adoption. My friends said I was lucky to not have endured the cumbrance of a pregnancy, labor and delivery. But unless they had experienced months of shots, ultrasounds, surgery and disappointment, there was no one to compare their process of becoming a mother to mine. After finally closing the door to a biological child and quickly opening it to creating a family through adoption, I became a mother in 16 short weeks. “Can you travel to Mexico in three days?” a Mexican attorney said in a call that was not expected for at least another year. “I have a six week old boy for you in foster care if you can get to Guadalajara quickly!” It was the day I had “labored” for and I had become a mother! My son’s father and I quickly packed clothes, baby bottles and finalized our travel and adoption paperwork. We were handed our olive skinned son twelve days later in Mexico. We were elated and the feeling was no different than being handed a child in the delivery room. The subsequent six weeks were spent legalizing the adoption before our return to the United States. As much as we missed our family and friends, we embraced our private time as a family. Now, twenty years later, my son is a junior at the University of Vermont. He is a wonderful, kind and sensitive young man who is more than either of us could have asked for in a child. I understand the process of adoption because my birthmother made an adoption plan for me in 1956. After spending sixteen weeks in foster care, my parents were handed me in the same way I was handed my son. I have had the unusual experience of embracing two sides of adoption and on Mother’s Day my son and I honor our birthmother’s for without them we would not be here. I have looked for my birthmother for most of my adult life but have not found her. If my son is interested in finding his birthmother he knows we will be on the next plane to Mexico. In the meantime, we are grateful for the miracle of becoming a mother through process of adoption.

Hartford Stage’s world premiere production of Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse and extraordinary experiences of motherhood in every shape and size. As part of the celebration of all things “mom,” we asked local mothers to share some of their experiences and stories with us.

Click here to share your motherhood stories with Hartford Stage!

Meet Amber. She is from Avon.

Amber, please tell us a little bit about you and your family.

My son is Marc Hilyard, II. I have been blessed with the wonderful opportunity to witness my greatest inspiration transition into a fine and well rounded young man. As a single mother the journey of motherhood has had many hurdles and challenges. However, it has been the most rewarding experience offering so many moments of joy and excitement. My family is a close knit family that consists of mostly women who are the Matriarch of their immediate families. Each year we look forward to celebrating a huge Thanksgiving Dinner where everyone especially my son looks forward to Nana’s sweet potato pie. The day is filled with fun, games, dancing and the celebration of family. A tradition held with my immediate family is a Christmas sleepover. On Christmas Eve my mother comes over and we eat seafood, play UNO and dance to old favorite tunes and my son puts on a fabulous show of the latest dances for both my mother and I. This is the one time of year I sleep in my son’s room on the bunk beds and watch videos until he falls off to sleep. OK, I’ll be honest I usually fall off to sleep before he does. My son and I go out to eat once a week where I teach him things about chivalry, manners and etiquette. I strongly believe even in the absence of his father he should know and understand what is expected of him as a well rounded young man. It is my goal to help fill the void of his father’s absence by giving him the tools to help him feel secure and confident.

Hartford Stage’s world premiere production of Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse and extraordinary experiences of motherhood in every shape and size. As part of the celebration of all things “mom,” we asked local mothers to share some of their experiences and stories with us.

Click here to share your motherhood stories with Hartford Stage!

Meet Gail, and her daughter Katie (age 25). They are from Enfield. Katie works in the Box Office at Hartford Stage.

Gail, please tell us a little bit about you and your family.

My dear, sweet daughter indulges my love of Walt Disney World and goes back with me every year. It has become our annual mother/daughter trip.

Hartford Stage’s world premiere production of Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse and extraordinary experiences of motherhood in every shape and size. As part of the celebration of all things “mom,” we asked local mothers to share some of their experiences and stories with us.

Click here to share your motherhood stories with Hartford Stage!

Meet Lee. She’s from Plantsville.

Lee, please tell us a little bit about you and your family.

Since I was 18 years old, I have experienced some life threatening illnesses and I have had the grace of god to overcome them all. I was first diagnosed with a rare heart condition when I was 18, due to this condition, when I became pregnant with my daughter years later; I had to be on medication throughout my pregnancy. Unfortunately when Amber, my daughter, was born she was addicted to the medication and I was not able to hold her for the first 24 hours of her life. I am so happy to say that it she made it through with flying colors and I cannot even imagine putting into words the overwhelming feeling of joy that filled my heart the first time I got to hold her in my arms. I still remember it to this day. A couple years after Amber was born, along came her darling little brother, Brian. He was the happiest little boy, even throughout dealing with severe reflux he smiled through it all. Then 7 months after he was born, I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. Quite a shock to the family but after surgery we tried to get our lives back to normal. We made the commitment to each other to have family dinners together every night and to have our family game nights as much as possible. Just spending time laughing together keeps us a close knit family. Then five years ago I suffered a stroke and once again our lives had to change. With the help from my family you would never know that anything had ever happened. Learning to deal with illness and ups and downs have kept us so close to each other and we have learned that love and laughter can help you to overcome many trials & tribulations. So I am on my way to pursuing my Acting career, my son is in his first year of high school and my daughter in her last year of high school, and as for my husband He & I have been together for 24 years and wouldn’t change a thing. Sometimes you need to accept what life hands you and smile through as much as you can. My family keeps me smiling. My daughter will be leaving home in September to go to college and our traditions will have to change. Now we will adjust as life goes on, we will continue to make the commitment to each other to try to spend time together, love together and laugh together as much as we possibly can.