March 2006...BIRTH cast performs at local high school in California

After the 2-week run at City Lights the BIRTH cast performed the play at Alta Vista High School located in Mountain View , California. They are a continuation high school of 150 students who didn’t thrive in the mainstream programs. There are currently 4 mothers and 3 pregnant girls attending the school.

I was overwhelmed with emotion when I heard the news that BIRTH was going to be performed at Alta Vista and especially when I got feedback from the performance. This is my dream: that we bring BIRTH to students (high school, college).

Here are some of the comments recorded from the students:

What did you like about the play?

· How they didn't leave any detail out.
· How they tell you everything that could happen from the rights and wrongs.
· I liked how it conveyed people's various birth experiences and their assorted opinions on birth.
· I liked how each girl had different stories about their labor.
· They told all the gruesome parts, but it's all worth it.
· I liked the stories because they were all different and all were very interesting.
· The acting was good and the play was pro-woman. They sold it instead of sounding preachy. They need more plays like this.
· I liked that it was personal feelings and how they went into detail.
· Everything! How basic! You realize how to make your future decisions. Very educational, learned much.
· How they explained their stories really well.
· It seemed that they told the truth. I heard things I never knew and now have more insight.
· It seemed so real.
· The play was really fun. It was very exciting.
· It taught me a lot about birth that I didn't know. Also told us about a lot of options that you could do like have an epidural or a c-section. The actresses did a very good job in showing us the difficulties and what could go wrong when giving birth.
· How each character described their birth experiences and gave information on what birth is really like. The characters explained a lot with detail.
· That everybody was real with what happens.
· I liked the reality and the truth behind it.
· The feel of the play was relatable.
· It was informative in a way. Not in a factual sort of way but in a…I learned through people's experiences so now I know that if I want to have a baby I should ask questions, follow instincts, not settle…etc.

What didn't you like about the play?

· Maybe the fact that the boys came J
· Sound effects and overexaggerating.
· They didn't say what it was like after the baby was born.
· There were no real babies.


How has this play made you think about your future birth experiences?

· How it's not only an easy ride. How you really can't prepare just be ready.
· It made me think about the pain the girl that I get pregnant is going to go through.
· Take it step by step and to take the right steps to a safe and healthy birth/pregnancy.
· How many ways you can give birth.
· I am mildly terrified.
· I learned a lot of facts and I am open to an epidural. I don't want to not have any meds and I want the right doctors.
· So many decisions. So many ways you can give birth. Very serious.
· I will think of going all natural.
· I just want a normal birth. No c-sections to natural births. I just want a safe birth and a healthy baby.
· It showed me the different sides and effects that certain procedures can take. You want the best.
· That I am going to give birth naturally.
· I want to make sure I get what I want.
· I know how women are when they're pregnant. I have to stay on their side.
· I think before I wanted to get an epidural, but now I think I would want to go natural.
· That when I have my birth it won't be as hard as the doctors try to make it seem. And you can't always get what you want.
· Use condoms.
· I've already been through it and all my kids are going to be natural just like my first. Well, in the hospital just no epidural or drugs.
· I don't know. I'm only 17. I'm not really thinking about that yet. I'm still scared of the pain.

February 24 - March 5, 2006...City Lights Theater Company in San Jose, California

Thank you Patricia Madden and Bay Area Birth Information (www.bayareabirthinfo.org)for bringing BIRTH to San Jose, California! It's funny how things happen. Patricia, a doula and former actress in San Jose, heard about BIRTH from another area doula who had attended the staged reading of BIRTH in February 2005. Patricia requested a script, read it, loved it, flew to the DONA conference where BIRTH was again presented as a staged reading, loved it again, and got her director-friend Ross Nelson on board. They took it to City Lights Theater Company and produced it for two weeks in February and March 2006.

Patricia co-directed the show with Ross and also played the character Jillian. It was wonderful having so much contact with a director. This rarely happens now that BIRTH is out in the world. While the show was very-much Patricia and Ross' "baby," I loved hearing about the deep connection the cast made both on and off the stage. This touched me deeply. And I loved getting to know Patricia and Ross. Fabulous people.

Oh... I heard the audience liked it too! In fact, commercially, it was quite successful with the audience attendance high for the 2-week run.

Again, thank you BABI and Patricia!

February 1-16, 2006...StageWest Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa

Thanks to Des Moines-based midwife Dana Ericson, a staged reading of BIRTH took place at StageWest Theatre in Des Moines over a 3 week period in February 2006. Dana has a successful midwifery and doula service practice in Des Moines and as I quickly learned is beloved by many for providing empowering hospital-based care for women that upholds the midwifery model of care. It's tricky these days to be a hospital-based midwife and particular in Des Moines where tensions are high and midwives have been fired from some of the local hospitals. It's nice to know Dana exists!

I was quite disappointed to not make it out there for opening night. The local NBC affliate television station in Des Moines covered the show. And the next night ICAN of Des Moines held a very successful fundraiser. Jill Lucinda of the newly-formed consumer group MOMs organized t-shirt sales.

I had hoped to meet with people in the De Moines birth community. What I did learn about Des Moines is that the birth community is active and vibrant, and a little tense. Midwife Cary Ann Ryan has opened a successful birth center although tension have run high between Cary Ann and the local hopitals. There are strong supports for and against Cary Ann's approach to midwifery care and the hospital's approach to dealing with her. Hopefully there will be some resolution and peace for everyone soon, a sentiment many women I spoke to via phone in Des Moines expressed to me.

The exciting part of Des Moines' recent birth history is that so many people care about birth in that community, they care deeply for upholding mother-friendly birth and making it available and desirable for all women.