S. Bertoia, J. Daum, A. Kelly, D. Williams, B. Pollard. Photo credit: David Cooper.

Mom’s The Word: For Crying Out Loud

By Linda A Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard & Deborah Williams

“Every day I start out Mary Poppins but I end up Cruella de Vil.”

From tots to teens the Moms have tackled them all and now they are back! The shockingly funny Moms reunite to bring us highlights from the smash hits Mom’s the Word and Mom’s the Word 2: Unhinged, their globetrotting, multi award-winning comedies. They’ve touched hearts and tickled funny bones from Australia to London’s West End with their true stories of the heartache and joy of motherhood. New mom or grandmother, male or female, the Moms will move you to laughter and put a lump in your throat.

“

★★★★ A standing ovation at a show this week was proof enough that it doesn’t matter whether you’ve seen the first two versions of 'Mom’s The Word', these women will make you laugh, perhaps cry, certainly reminisce, but mostly just feel good to know you aren’t alone in the challenges and curves life throws at you...There is not a weak or wasted moment in this two-hour show that should not be missed.

Joe Belanger, The London Free PressLondon, ON, Canada
“

The material feels no less fresh or clever and it remains screamingly funny. I can’t remember an audience enjoying itself as much. And I was right in there laughing my head off. : Anyone who currently has, once had, or plans ever to have children should see this show for the horrible, hilarious truths it tells about parenting—and for the remarkably astute and talented women who’ve turned messy motherhood into achingly funny art.

Jerry Wasserman, Vancouver PlaysVancouver, Canada
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You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. Your heart will be full. No wonder the first two shows in this semiautobiographical series have become international hits...This is the real deal.

Colin Thomas, The Georgia StraightVancouver, Canada
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There were delicately poignant, heartfelt, lump-in-your-throat parts. But then there were wonderfully hilarious, rip roaring 'did they just say/do that?' moments. It all contributed to a fantastic roller coaster ride that left me wanting more.

The Vancouver ProvinceVancouver, Canada
“

★★★★ out of 5 - Comedy and poignancy coexist very comfortably in the cluttered fridge-and-washing-machine world of Mom’s the Word, even if real life doesn’t always tie things up at the end quite as comfortably.

Bob Clark, Calgary HeraldAlberta, Canada

Production Details

5 Female

120 minutes with intermission

By Linda A Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard & Deborah Williams

Purchase Play Script

June 27, 2011

PAST EVENT: Mom’s The Word – London Community Players, The Palace Theatre (ON) February 27 – March 8, 2020

April 19, 2011

PAST EVENT: Mom’s The Word – Festival OFF d’Avignon (France) July 5-28, 2019

April 15, 2011

PAST EVENT: Mom’s The Word 3: Nest 1/2 Empty – Arts Club Theatre (Vancouver, BC) June 6 – July 20, 2019

March 21, 2011

PAST EVENT: Mom’s The Word 3: Nest 1/2 Empty – Western Canada Theatre (BC) March 28 to April 5, 2019

Moms dress 3-DC
David Cooper Photography 2009 [#Beginning of Shooting Data Section] Nikon D3 2009/09/23 20:36:46.89 World Time: UTC-8, DST:OFF Lossless Compressed RAW (14-bit) Image Size: L (4256 x 2832), FX Lens: VR 70-200mm F/2.8G Artist: Copyright: Focal Length: 90mm Exposure Mode: Manual Metering: Spot Shutter Speed: 1/800s Aperture: F/3.5 Exposure Comp.: -0.3EV Exposure Tuning: ISO Sensitivity: ISO 1600 Optimize Image: White Balance: Auto, 0, 0 Focus Mode: AF-S AF-Area Mode: Dynamic, 21 points AF Fine Tune: OFF VR: OFF Long Exposure NR: OFF High ISO NR: OFF Color Mode: Color Space: Adobe RGB Tone Comp.: Hue Adjustment: Saturation: Sharpening: Active D-Lighting: OFF Vignette Control: Normal Auto Distortion Control: Picture Control: [NL] NEUTRAL Base: [NL] NEUTRAL Quick Adjust: - Sharpening: 2 Contrast: 0 Brightness: 0 Saturation: 0 Hue: 0 Filter Effects: Toning: Flash Mode: Flash Exposure Comp.: Flash Sync Mode: Colored Gel Filter: Map Datum: Image Authentication: OFF Dust Removal: Image Comment: [#End of Shooting Data Section]
Moms dress 2-DC
Moms dress 4-DC

Production History

Twenty years ago, six professional actors found themselves fully employed but ironically unpaid in the shocking role of “new mothers”. They began meeting once a week to create a piece of theatre they hoped would explode some of the mommy-myths they’d encountered. There had been lots written about the glory of motherhood but little of the gory bits. They talked, they laughed, they cried, they whined, they complained, they laughed some more but they didn’t get anything down on paper. With a deadline looming, in the tradition of oral history, they remembered each other’s stories and decided on which stories HAD to be told. Thus was born Mom’s the Word.

The show became an instant success at home in Vancouver and went on to become an international sensation. To date, Moms the Word has united parents in 17 different countries and has been translated into 11 languages.

As their children grew older and taller, the “moms” grew older and wider. Suddenly thrust into the world of teenagers they again sought protection, using the only tool they had: Public Exposure! This second show was called Mom’s The Word 2: Unhinged.

Now the “Moms” have combined both shows in Moms the Word: For Crying Out Loud to give you the full journey of parenting from “the toothless to the ruthless.” 

Mom’s the Word:  For Crying Out Loud was originally produced with the title ‘Mom’s the Word – Remixed’ in Vancouver, BC in 2009 at the Arts Club Theatre Company (Granville Island Stage).

Arts Club, The cast of Mom's the Word Remixed. Photo by David Cooper

More Plays By The Moms

  • The Day Before Christmas

    By Stacey Kaser & Alison Kelly

  • Forget About Tomorrow

    By Jill Daum

  • Mom’s The Word

    By Linda A. Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard, and Deborah Williams

  • Mom’s the Word 2: Unhinged

    By Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard & Deborah Williams

  • Mom’s the Word: For Crying Out Loud

    By Linda A. Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard & Deborah Williams

  • Mom’s The Word 3: Nest ½ Empty

    By Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard, and Deborah Williams

  • Taking Off

    By Deborah Williams

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