From the personal to the political

A new book, From the Personal to the Political: Towards a New Theory of Maternal Narrative, includes a chapter by Beth Osnes, co-founder of MAU and creator of the Mother Tour. Beth’s chapter talks about using experiences of mothering and political action in creating performances that incite conversations about mother leadership. From the book: Because of the actor’s powers of persuasion, and her capacity to move hearts and minds of her audience, suffragette Harriot Stanton Blatch declared the vital and strategic importance of the female actor to the cause. Consider ordering a copy and ask your library to order a copy. Keep the idea of mothers ACTING on their most passionate concerns alive in our collective conversations.

Beth also created and leads the Mother Tour, a program that uses theatre as a way to inspire, educate, and empower mother voices for effective advocacy. In partnership with the Philanthropiece Foundation, MAU is traveling the world to create a global community of mothers all moving from concern to action on behalf of the world’s children. There are two main elements of the Mother Tour. One is a performance called, (M)other, written and performed by MAU co-founder Beth Osnes. The show explores what it might just take for the mothers of one country to authentically care about the mothers and children of another country. The second element is a MAU Vocal Empowerment Workshop providing the tools, skills, practice and confidence needed for voicing concerns regarding issues facing the world’s children.

Click for more about the Mother Tour. Click to order From the Personal to the Political. Edited by Andrea O’Reilly and Silvia Caporale Bizzini, Selinsgrove: Susquehanna University.