BOLD women share their stories in Birth, a play by Karen Brody

What do mothers want? What do mothers deserve? These and other tough questions are explored in BIRTH, the critically acclaimed play by Karen Brody. This September, more than 100 benefit performances of BIRTH (doubling the number performed last year alone) will take center stage as part of Birth On Labor Day (BOLD), a global movement to make maternity care mother-friendly.

Locally, the BOLD women of Northeast Ohio will host a performance of BIRTH at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, at the Lakewood Masonic Hall Ballroom. The production includes a number of Lakewood residents, including BOLD Cleveland Coordinator/Producer Amy Klomfas, Director Jaime Bouvier and actors Nicole Lublin and Catherine Beck.

To further the community connection, an interactive talk back session with a diverse panel of local birth professionals will directly follow the performance. Proceeds from this event will benefit Ohio Midwives Alliance (OMA), a nonprofit founded in 1984 to educate women about midwifery, prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum and newborn wellness.

The importance of raising awareness about birth as it is today cannot be understated. In a global maternal mortality crisis, one woman dies every minute from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes. There is a 30.2 percent cesarean rate in the United States, and there are rampant VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) misconceptions. For instance, most women in the United States who’ve had one c-section aren’t aware they can choose not to have another cesarean.

BIRTH has been called “the naked truth about childbirth” by City Lights Theater Company in San Jose, California. The story of eight women, BIRTH delivers a theatrical experience that melds the unbridled hilarity, the unexpected poignancy and the tragic truth about power in maternity care today.

The characters represent the birthing spectrum from liberal, “My body rocks!”-bleating Amanda (Jessica Jerome) to strong-willed, no-nonsense Vanessa (Sara Rouse), to career-driven Beth (Monica Honeycutt), violated Natalie (Mati Senerchia) and even angry, somewhat deflated Lisa (Anita Dacanay). But at the cornerstone of each story lies personal choice. And Janet’s epidural, Jillian’s home birth and Sandy’s cesarean section are all on display without judgment (Catherine Beck, Melissa Sablack Gonzales and Nicole Lublin, respectively).

“Maternity care today simply isn’t mother-friendly,” Brody says. “In many communities, pregnant mothers are faced with few options that support low or no-intervention birth choices; in other communities, women feel they went with the standard medical care and were treated poorly. BOLD encourages all people attending performances to learn the truth about childbirth, understand where power lurks in their maternity care system and make informed birth choices.”

Brody adds, “Can a play improve maternity care? It not only can—it is.” It’s time to start changing maternity care so it works for mothers. BOLD is leading the way.

What: A performance of Karen Brody’s play, BIRTH

When: Saturday, September 29, at 7 p.m.

Where: Lakewood Masonic Hall Ballroom, 15300 Detroit Ave.

Tickets: $12/advance, $15/door. Visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/19030 to purchase in advance.