草榴视频

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 18, 2022

In poignant performance, Lorraine Rodr铆guez-Reyes examines motherhood through real life stories

草榴视频 State University鈥檚 Department of Theatre and Performance Studies (TPS) welcomes actor, producer, and writer to the stage with her award-winning show Mami Confessions February 10-12 at the Stillwell Theater. Constructed from real life interviews over a decade, Mami Confessions takes the audience through an unrestricted examination of motherhood. From childbirth to the empty-nest and everything in between, the emotional rollercoaster ride of maternal love is brought to life through stories from women of all ages and circumstances. 

Lorraine portrays ten mothers whom she describes as 鈥渇ierce, funny, protective, loving, sad, joyous, proud, unapologetic, remorseful, provocative, and amazing women.鈥� She didn鈥檛 realize that so many women experienced motherhood differently. Her first pregnancy was a breeze, and she took her son 鈥渟trapped on my back鈥� as she worked on the play Glass Cord, a play about a young girl struggling with culture, love, and unwanted teen pregnancy. The playwright told her that she knew a lot of women who had no connection to their babies, and it stunned Lorraine. 

She wanted to know more, so she began talking to more women about their experiences. 鈥淚 felt like I was listening to secrets! All these problems came out; it was a revelation to me that not everyone had this glorious experience,鈥� said Lorraine. When women would tell her their stories, she 鈥渏otted it down. I felt the need to document the stories.鈥� She began cultivating more stories, and, in 2013, bundled them up and submitted them to the ONE Festival in New York City; she took home the top prize. 

She began working with director Susan G. Reid, who recommended working with a dramaturg, former TPS professor Jane Barnette. Jane helped Lorraine focus the material into a journey of motherhood, although 鈥渋f you read the play from 2014, it鈥檚 so different now; she鈥檚 grown,鈥� said Lorraine, referring to Mami Confessions as one would refer to a close friend. 

Mami Confessions has its roots firmly planted in the Caribbean. 鈥淚 talk with a lot of women from other ethnicities, not just Latino; the majority of them are Caribbean. We have a lot of the same commonalities, we鈥檙e all a mix, but we share underlying religion and cultures,鈥� she said. She added that there is 鈥渟ome Spanglish in the play, and I include a vocabulary listing in the program so that audience members will understand, as I will do some cultural references.鈥� 

Being a mother is not required to empathize with the characters. 鈥淚鈥檝e heard that a lot of times, you need to be a mother鈥攖hat you have to have these things to understand what I鈥檓 going through鈥攁nd I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 true. We all love and that鈥檚 huge, maybe there are things I can never comprehend, but I can empathize.鈥� 

She hopes that audience members will walk away with greater empathy for others. 鈥淗ave empathy for each other! You have no idea of what is going on in someone鈥檚 life. They may have the perfect Instagram or Facebook page, but you have no idea of what they are battling inside. When you see someone who has lost a child, who doesn鈥檛 want a child, who can鈥檛 have a child, then say, okay, that鈥檚 perfect, that鈥檚 for you. Every culture handles things differently. Don鈥檛 be judgmental about it. Be open because everyone handles motherhood differently.鈥�

Lorraine has performed in theatre all over the world and has numerous credits in both film and television. She holds a master鈥檚 degree from Harvard鈥檚 American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.)/Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training.

Mami Confessions will be performed February 10-12 at the Stillwell Theater on the 草榴视频 campus; Tickets are $12-20 for this in-person event; buy tickets or call Patron Services at 470-578-6650.