BWW INTERVIEWS: Creators of My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding was a surprise hit at Toronto's Fringe Festival last summer, and now Mirvish has added it to its current season. Playing at the Panasonic Theatre, this "little play that could" is getting rave reviews and delighting audiences every night. The show is based on the true story of creator David Hein, who wrote the title song as a gift to his mother about her real life wedding. After that, David got together with his wife Irene (Carl Sankoff) and they started putting together a musical about the stories they are constantly asked to tell, topics such as what life is like with two moms, the "facts of life" talk that Irene received from her in-laws, and how David's mom first came out of the closet.

With hit songs that are both heartfelt ("If You Love Me"), hilarious ("You Don't Need a Penis" and "Don't Take Your Lesbian Mom to Hooters") and educational ("A Short History on Gay Marriage in Canada") this play is turning into the sleeper hit of the winter season! BWW got the chance to sit down and talk with David and Irene, and will be following up with them after the show has its' official opening night later this month.

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding was the surprise hit of the 2009 Fringe Festival and has now been picked up by Mirvish. How do you feel about your show gaining a wider audience?

It is wonderful. Half way through our first week of previews and we have already played to more than double the audience we had for the entire Fringe. We love the way the show connects with specific people - like the email we just received from an Orthodox Jewish man who loved the show so much that he invited us to a Sabbath dinner at his house. Or there was the 70 year old grandmother who after seeing the show told us she now accepts her granddaughter as a lesbian. These are the moments that make it worth it - and we now have so many more of those moments.

Can you give our readers a taste of what they can expect if they come out to see the show?

Basically, it is some of the quirkier moments of our lives with two moms played out on stage - combined with fun dance numbers, wacky lyrics and a great ensemble. At its heart, it is a love story that happens to be about two women in their 40's who are lesbians. It is about a mother coming out to her son as a lesbian... and a Jew. There are romantic songs, political songs like "A Short History of Gay Marriage in Canada" and hilarious songs like "You Don't Need a Penis" and "Don't Take Your Lesbian Moms to Hooters" - all based on our moms' true story!

What is it like working with your spouse in such a creative (and demanding) capacity?

It's easier than not working together! After years of being 'ships in the night' - seeing each other at three in the morning while juggling day jobs and pursuing our acting and music careers, it's great to work together. That is what we set out to do when we started this project. Plus, it is such a relief to know that you are working with someone who you can completely trust and is totally by your side.

Finally, early buzz is that there hasn't been a show like this since The Drowsy Chaperone (also a hit at Fringe which went on to bigger success in Toronto and on Broadway). Do you have your sights set on one day lighting up the Great White Way?

We are really focused on putting on the best show possible each night, since that is how we got here - but it would be amazing one day to do the show on Broadway. A big part of the show comes from being proud to live in a country where anyone can get married - so maybe playing in the US would help inspire some change. Whenever David's played the title song in the States, people love it, so who knows?

When and Where?

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding
The Panasonic Theatre 651 Yonge St

Tuesday - Saturday 8PM and Saturday/Sunday at 2PM

Tickets start at just $25 and can be purchased in person at the box office, by phone at 416.872.1212 or 1.800.461.3333 or online at www.mirvish.com

For more information visit Mirvish at www.mirvish.com or the official website by clicking here

 

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