Before the onslaught of celebrity teen moms and stand-up funny men, mothers were the original comedians.

While mom-coms continue gaining popularity in Hollywood, the originators, a group of mothers from the Lower Mainland, are gearing up for their third installment of Mom鈥檚 The Word 鈥� Nest 1/2 Empty, which hits the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Nov. 8.

鈥淚t continues to follow our painful little lives,鈥� laughed founding member and Okanagan product Deborah Williams. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still lots of comedy, but it follows lots of hard subjects.鈥�

The show, which follows the timeline of the mothers, is set around the time that their children begin to leave the nest. But when the kids leave parental duties are far from over, as the need transfers to parents and even spouses.

With roots in the 鈥�90s, Mom鈥檚 The Word originated when Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard and Williams joined forces to tackle the problems faced in parenthood with a comedic twist.

鈥淎bout 25 years ago, we were all actors in our 20s and 30s who had kids and noticed a lack of work,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淧arenting was very uncool at that time. 鈥�

But now, 25 years and two installments later, the moms have received international acclaim, with their show appearing in 19 countries across the globe in 14 different languages.

鈥淣one of us dreamed it was a possibility,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been huge. People say they鈥檝e been waiting for this one (Nest 1/2 Empty). They feel there鈥檚 a sense of camaraderie with us because they know about our lives. It鈥檚 been really wonderful. It鈥檚 very exciting.鈥�

Live theatre and live comedy is a tough nut to crack, but Williams believes the success the moms have seen stems from the relatability of their subject matter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard art form,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been a theatre of recognition. There鈥檚 a sense of relief, of being off the hook.鈥�

Moreover, the moms share personal comedic stories that Williams feels helps them connect with the audience.

鈥淚t feels like we鈥檙e in a circle 鈥� anyone could come up and share their stores,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a sense of sharing. It feels like it鈥檚 honouring parenting.鈥�

While the moms share intimate stories of parenthood, embarrassing secrets, bodies backfiring and heartfelt tales, it鈥檚 not a story made simply for mothers. It鈥檚 a widely accessible comedic tour through life鈥檚 challenges, parent or otherwise.

鈥淓ven for people who don鈥檛 have children, it鈥檚 a wider range of what life is,鈥� Williams said.

And it鈥檚 an internationally-renowned installment, falling 10 years after the second and just over 20 years after the first, that the moms and Summerland鈥檚 own Williams are looking forward to bringing to the Okanagan.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited to be coming to Vernon.鈥�

Mom鈥檚 The Word III 鈥� Nest 1/2 Empty rolls into the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $40 adult, $37 senior and $35 student through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, . Discounts are available for members of the . Mom鈥檚 The Word III 鈥� Nest 1/2 Empty is the second of five shows in the society鈥檚 2017/18 theatre series.

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
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