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Theater Mon Oct 21 2013
Mom Baby God: A Play Designed to Expose Anti-Choice Tactics
Mom Baby God, a political theater piece about anti-choice politics, hits Chicago this week for the Midwest premiere of its national tour. Produced by Northampton, Massachusetts' Double LTR Productions, a company dedicated to performance and activism, the story follows an ambitious teenaged anti-abortion activist as she meets the characters and explores the political terrain at a fictional Students for Life of America conference.
Mom Baby God was written and is performed solo by Madeleine Burrows, who funded the national tour with a $7800 Kickstarter campaign. It was directed by New York-based, award-winning director Emma Weinstein, and Allison Smartt serves as production manager and sound designer.
Burrows did a year of intense research, including attending anti-abortion conferences, fundraisers and rallies. Her play is inspired by the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision and current legislative attempts to restrict abortion rights, such as Texas House Bill 2 and the Illinois Supreme Court ruling enforcing parental notification laws. She writes about how the play came together in her article titled "Why We Need Political Theater." Describing her research experience, she says: "I nearly hit my limit interviewing a priest who awkwardly explained to me the science behind Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's offensive claim that women can't get pregnant from rape."
Mom Baby God will be presented at 9pm Thursday, October 24, and 3pm Saturday, October 26, at Gorilla Tango Bucktown, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are $17-$25 and can be purchased online or by calling 773-598-4549.
