Lessons from Motherhood

(for all who are wondering, or who may be seriously disturbed by my choice of title, please, keep reading. I have no children. No worries.)

I am in a play called Cheaper by the Dozen, in which I play the mother. Its a cute show about a family in the 20's with 12 children. What's interesting is that it is based on a true story of an actual family back then. Cool stuff, right? Anyway, I play the mother. Its been an interesting experience kind of becoming "Mother," aka. Lillian Moller Gilbreth.
I think I started off as just being Heather, acting like what I imagined a mother would act like. We have had no shortage of troubles with this production so far, let me assure you, but I think that those same trials helped us to pull together as a cast and truly become a family. Along those same lines, I feel that I have become my character. Like, I really care about my "family." I'm going to be sad when this play is over, if only for the sake of seeing all those lovely people every day. Backstage, its not uncommon to see a few of us all sitting in a corner running lines or joking with one another. Backstage, I have found myself having serious talks, comforting cast members and occasionally reprimanding someone. At those times, I feel like Mom. I certainly don't claim to know what being a real mother is like, but I can definitely say I have a slightly better idea as of late.