Get your tickets for May 9th now!

This week we’re featuring a piece from the 2025 Listen to Your Mother Boulder show. Sarah Clark’s essay is one of those rare pieces of writing that came through her—and it shows. It’s stuck with me for the past year and makes me cry every single time.

In this episode:

• Sarah reads her essay, “When I Found Out You Were a Girl”

• We talk about what it was like to write and perform it—and how it feels when a story “just flows through you.”

• What it feels like to depend on the women in your life: “Maybe it's not my root day, but someone else has got me."

• Why gathering in community right now matters more than ever, and how as a cast and an audience, we can “root down” together.

🎟️ Get your tickets for Listen to Your Mother Boulder — Saturday, May 9th, 7pm, First United Methodist Church, Downtown Boulder here. Livestream + replay link here.

🌹 Meet our sponsor, Rocky Mountain Rose Lab — and the ‘Listen to Your Mother’ rose here.

Order the ‘Listen to Your Mother’ rose online through High Country Roses here.

$1 from every rose sold the night of the show goes to SPAN — Safe House Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence

Feeling inspired to do some writing of your own? We have a beautiful drop-in workshop for that.

Are you noticing how heavy the world seems these days? Feeling squeezed from all directions by home, work, and the pressures of living in the modern era? Are you tired of waking up tired? Me too!

Let’s take a few minutes for ourselves to reflect on good things in our lives and environments, and practice skills to help us tune into joy and joyful things. In the Let’s Write About Joy workshop, instructor Karen T. Smith will guide participants through writing exercises designed to help develop and hone skills to better access joy. Through these exercises, we’ll focus on building resilience in our mindsets and attitudes, which will benefit us far beyond the page. Join us on May 6th at 10 am MST/noon EST CDT for a hands-on writing workshop, Let’s Write About Joy. This workshop is appropriate for everyone, from beginners to experts. We all benefit from tapping into joy.

Grab a spot

Grab tickets here!

When Sue Longhini reached out to me to tell me about her rose variety, “Listen To Your Mother,” it felt like kismet. When I saw them, I swooned! A woman-owned small breeding lab whose rose shared a name with this show was a cosmic YES. I am beyond excited to introduce our newest microphone level sponsor, Rocky Mountain Rose Lab! And if you are stuck as usual on finding a Mother’s Day gift—or, cough, your partner or children could use a little help—I think I have the perfect suggestion. 😉

Grab a plant at the show, or order online in advance!

If you HAVE a mom, KNOW a mom or ARE a mom, this limited-edition rose will make the perfect gift!

There are limited quantities of the ‘Listen To Your Mother’ rose available! There will be approximately 20 of the small potted roses for sale the night of the show, but they will be sold on a first come/first served basis. Each rose will include a care sheet, stickers and customized “Happy Mother’s Day” certificate perfect for gift-giving. Plus, $1 from every rose sold the night of the show will go to SPAN. There will also be fun rose merchandise like tote bags, buttons, keychains & gourmet rose salt for sale. Payment can be made with cash or Venmo.

You can also order the rose online through the High Country Roses website (along with the 4 other rare varieties released by Sue Longhini/Rocky Mountain Rose Lab this year.) Online orders can either be shipped directly to your home or you can make arrangements to pick them up from the High Country greenhouse in Broomfield, but online orders are not available for pick up at the Listen To Your Mother show.

The story of the Listen To Your Mother rose

Rocky Mountain Rose Lab is a woman-owned rose breeding boutique based in Boulder, Colorado that specializes in unique, small batch roses. Founder Sue Longhini began her hybridizing journey in 2019 after germinating a single rose from seed. She named it ‘Ellen May’ after her grandmother and has been hooked on creating roses ever since. A 2025 partnership with High Country Roses nursery led to the release of five distinctive varieties into commerce, including a fragrant watermelon-pink bloom named ‘Listen To Your Mother.’

Sue laughs whenever she’s asked about the rose’s name. “It was a lighthearted phrase that my mom used to say to me when I was growing up…usually whenever I realized she might just be right about something. Such timeless words of advice seemed to be the perfect name for a rose designed to honor my mom.”

Do you have a business you’d like to share?

Buy a $100 ad in the LTYM Boulder program—it comes with a ticket to see the show, and it’s a great way to promote your local business. If you are a therapist, body care worker, boutique owner, or have products or services you’d like to share with our fantastic audience of Denver/Boulder area moms +, email Steph at rabbitholeprodsinc@gmail.com. Spots are limited, and we’ll finalize ads next week, so don’t wait!

If you want to snag one of the LTYM roses the night of the show, get there early to grab yours! (I already ordered mine; I’m fantastic at picking the perfect gift for myself!)

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below. If you’re out of town, you can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week.

Grab tickets here!

Thank you to ALL our amazing sponsors!

We couldn’t do this show without you!

Ellen Nordberg is one of my favorite people. We met as cast members in the 2015 LTYM Boulder show, and the following year we began producing the show together. This season marks a whole DECADE since our first show season, and I’m thrilled that Ellen is reading in the 2026 show on May 9th. Her trademark wit infused with heart make her an audience favorite, and I’m delighted that you get to hear her read her piece from ten years ago—”At Least Your Hair Looks Gorgeous”—on the podcast today. I hadn’t heard it in years, and I love it even more now than I did then—fortunately I muted myself while we were recording, or there would have been an awkward laugh track of one in the background. ;)

I hope you’ll catch this episode—it’s a super short one at just 15 minutes, and it will make you laugh out loud. After she reads, Ellen and I discuss the value of funny stories in the show, and what it takes to write a stand-out humor essay, so stick around!

I also chat with Laura of SoBo Homes about the experience of working with a boutique builder whose staff is 50% women during a remodel—a stark contrast to many of our experiences with home renovations! (raises hand) You can learn more about what makes SoBo special on their website.

Tickets are now on sale!

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below. If you’re out of town, you can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week.

Grab tickets here!

Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

We couldn’t do this show without you!

It is exactly ONE MONTH until Listen To Your Mother Boulder 2026! We had our first rehearsal this week, and I say it every year: first read-through is my favorite day of the entire show season. It’s hard to describe what a thrill it is to witness the magic as the cast gets their first glimpse behind the curtain—the moment they see how their stories connect.

This year did not disappoint—I get constant goosebumps every time a group of beautiful humans connect through the power of storytelling—many of them have never met before, some of us are former cast mates or comedy pals, and in an incredible twist of fate, two of our cast members have actually known each other for decades but had no idea they'd both auditioned—until they saw the cast list!

Every first read-through brings collective laughter and tears, but this one felt even more powerful as cast members rallied around readers they had only just met, lending support for vulnerable stories. It was beautiful, and it made me feel impossibly impatient for the May 9th show!

You can meet these incredible storytellers here.

The 2026 cast of LTYM Boulder

Priscilla Dann-Courtney
Ashley Paige Fetyko
Orah Fireman
Sage Hobbs
Michael Lopez-Jensen
Amanda Mascarelli
Ellen Nordberg
Susan Salzman
Kari Stern
Jenna Waters
Jack Wolflink

Producer Steph Sprenger will also be reading, and Jessey Smithwick is emceeing the show.

Tickets are now on sale!

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below. If you’re out of town, you can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week.

Grab tickets here!

Introducing our newest LTYM Boulder sponsor,
Alpenglow Custom Builders

I am so excited to introduce our new local sponsor—and they have an extra special connection to LTYM!

Alpenglow Custom Builders is a Front Range–based construction company owned by husband-and-wife team Scott and Megan Vos. (Yes, that Megan! Beloved former co-producer and my forever kindred spirit.) From kitchens and bathrooms to full-home renovations, we help homeowners bring new life to the spaces they already love. We’re thrilled to partner with Listen to Your Mother this year! You can find us on Instagram or visit our website to learn more about our work.

Learn more about Alpenglow

It’s going to be a fantastic show, and we can’t wait to see you there on May 9th!

XO,
Steph

Buy tickets here

I am thrilled to invite you to meet the cast of this year’s LTYM Boulder show! We have an extraordinarily talented crew, and I can’t wait for you to hear their stories this year.

Priscilla Dann-Courtney is a psychologist and writer. She and her husband of 42 years raised three children. And she likes to say even though we are all growing older, the emphasis has to be on the growing and doing new things. So at 68, she started standup comedy to remember the importance of laughter and the challenge of making ourselves BIG and center stage. Her columns have appeared in numerous national publications, and her book, Room to Grow, Stories of Life and Family (Norlights Press, 2009) is a collection of her essays. She dreams of becoming a peach farmer, bringing sweetness and healing to a struggling world.

Ashley Paige Fetyko is a writer/podcaster who dabbles in lawyering and is the mother to two brilliant kids (ages three and five) and the wife of the best man on the planet. She co-hosts the podcast, “The Normal Mess” alongside her best friend, about all things working motherhood, and is a partner at a national law firm as well as a co-founder and consultant for a defense consulting firm. When not living out her childhood dream of being paid to talk, she travels, eats, and ugly cries to the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”

Orah is a recovering familial micromanager who continues to work on finding herself and discovering ways to contribute and connect as she approaches 56. She loves mining for strengths in others as a long-term clinical social worker and therapist. She also has been raising, with her husband of 30 years, two astounding young adults who teach, challenge and delight her endlessly. Now that their old bedrooms are in search of new purposes, she too is diving into new endeavors. In addition to hiking as much as possible, Orah is searching for steady ground through writing in the hopes of reducing the dizziness she sometimes feels from the twists and turns that life throws at her.

Sage Hobbs is the author of Naked Communication and a trusted coach, facilitator, and speaker on communication, emotional intelligence, and the conversations most people avoid—but need most. She partners with leaders and organizations to build stronger relationships and more human-centered cultures where people can do their best work. A “retired” school counselor, Sage brings over 20 years of experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on maximizing human potential, building trust, and strengthening connections. She’s also hosted the “Race, Culture & Beyond” and “Principal Pep Talks” podcasts and lives for having truly good conversations. At home, Sage is a mom of two awesome humans, a happy life partner, a cancer survivor, a beach-loving book nerd, and a kitchen dance party aficionado. She’s obsessed with her people and believes our relationships and communities are our greatest accomplishments.

In 1980, Michael Lopez-Jensen was the sole fifth-grade boy at Franzen Elementary interested in serving as one of the kindergarten teacher’s Special Helpers. Michael’s supportive Free to Be You and Me groovy parents were delighted. Mrs. Dimeo (shocked and visibly uncomfortable) found this quite unconventional. Michael and his wife Silvia have been together over thirty years. They are parents of two twenty-something marvels. One marvel is a data scientist and the other a playwright. Professionally, Michael is a clinical social worker specializing in families and relationships. He also teaches, guides, and mentors new therapists at Denver Family Institute and DU’s Graduate School of Social Work. The Empty Nestaissance brought Michael the chance to write and perform stories in Denver at Unsent, The Narrators, and The Moth. Before graduate school, Michael attempted to teach kindergarten for three years, failing spectacularly. Which may make Mrs. Dimeo the real hero of this story?

Amanda Mascarelli is a mom to three spirited teens and is the senior health and medicine editor at The Conversation, an online publication that runs news and analysis pieces written by academics for the public. In other words, she waves her magic wand to produce stories that everyday people (might) want to read. In her past life as a freelance science journalist she wrote for outlets like Audubon, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New York Times, and the Washington Post. In her ‘spare’ time, she teaches hot yoga and pulls all-nighters making iced cookies or knitting. In fall 2025 she launched “Llamamama Knits,” a small business that appears on Instagram and in popup markets around Denver, where she sells cozy handknit beanies (and no, they’re not made from llama wool, unfortunately). She attended the first-ever LTYM Boulder show and was deeply moved by it—until she had to make a hasty exit with her crying newborn baby, who’s now 13 and is her small-business assistant.

Ellen Nordberg is a freelance writer and storyteller who has performed her stand-up comedy and essays in Moms Unhinged, the Listen to Your Mother Show, the Narrators, and the Boulder Story Collective. Her works have been featured by Stories on Stage. Ellen lives in Louisville where she teaches water aerobics and collects cat towers.

Susan Salzman is an executive leader, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor known for building and scaling mission-driven initiatives and high-impact brands. She founded a seven-figure lifestyle company with international recognition, including media exposure connected to Oprah and a published book. She is the host of The Power of the Pivot podcast and a sought-after speaker on transformation, reinvention, and leadership, helping individuals and organizations navigate change with clarity, strategy, and depth.

Kari Stern is a Denver-based comedian, writer, and mom of three who brings relatable storytelling and chaotic energy to every stage she steps on. Blending a sharp East Coast attitude with laid-back West Coast energy, she dives into the beautifully unhinged moments of motherhood, marriage, and modern life. She has performed nationally, including at the Boulder, Plano, and Loons on the Lake Comedy Festivals, and is the self-appointed, absolutely unofficial spokeswoman for the KIA Telluride. Whether on stage or online, Kari’s anecdotes are equal parts relatable, irreverent, and just a little too honest.

Jenna Waters is a theater major, eldest daughter, and mother of two adult daughters who settled in Erie after going back and forth between Colorado and San Diego for five years. She recently retired (or recovered?) from three decades of teaching. Since then, she’s supported folks in hospice, fellow grievers and volunteers, LGBTQ youth, and little doggies in need of permanent homes. She currently serves as community program director at Thana, a local nonprofit providing end of life education and support. She’s working on a one woman show about her experiences caring for her parents and resolving complicated family relationships. She is also the author of the first volume of a three-volume satirical novel that needs to be revised before it can be published or continued. She loves walking, dancing, reading, laughing, crying, and holding space for you.

Jack Wolflink is a biracial Filipine writer of literary and speculative fiction based in Denver. His work appears in Kinsman Quarterly, the Lighthouse Anthology, Solarpunk Magazine, and Suspect, and has been nominated for the Best of the Net & Pushcart prizes. He also edited the Winds of Asia anthology for Kinsman Quarterly, available now, and he can be found at www.jackwolflink.com. When he’s not writing, he’s trying to solve the housing crisis. And when he’s not doing that, he’s having treats bullied out of him by his shih tzu, Buko.

Steph Sprenger is a writer, editor, and host of the Peri-Normal podcast. She has been producing LTYM Boulder since 2016. Steph is the founder of The Pause, a creative community for midlife women, and teaches a variety of writing workshops throughout the year. Steph’s work has been published in O Magazine, The Washington Post, Mutha Magazine, The Belladonna Comedy, Motherwell, and other places. She is editor-in-chief of THREE, a literary magazine dedicated to women’s untold stories, and her memoir, NOSTALGIA JUNKIE, will be published in December 2026 by Third Rail Press.

Tickets are now on sale!

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below. If you’re out of town, you can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week. It’s going to be a fantastic show—hope to see you there!

XO,
Steph

Grab tickets here!

Do you have a small business, service, or practice you’d like to promote? Sponsorship opportunities close next week, so email Steph at rabbitholeprodsinc@gmail.com if you’d like more information.

Buy tickets here

It is my great honor to share the cast of LTYM Boulder 2026! With so many fantastic auditions this year, it was difficult as always to choose this year’s “quilt” of stories. In the coming weeks, you’ll get to meet these writers more, and I simply cannot wait for you to hear their pieces on May 9th!

The 2026 cast of LTYM Boulder

Priscilla Dann-Courtney
Ashley Paige Fetyko
Orah Fireman
Sage Hobbs
Michael Lopez-Jensen
Amanda Mascarelli
Ellen Nordberg
Susan Salzman
Kari Stern
Jenna Waters
Jack Wolflink

Producer Steph Sprenger will also be reading, and Jessey Smithwick is emceeing the show.

Tickets are now on sale!

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below. If you’re out of town, you can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week.

Grab tickets here!

Thanks to our amazing LTYM Boulder sponsor,
SoBo Homes

Shoutout to SoBo Homes for their support! If you love your neighborhood but not your home anymore, check them out at sobohomes.com or follow them on IG (@sobohomes).

SoBo Homes specializes in reimagining homes through remodels, additions, and ADUs in and around Boulder, Colorado. Their sweet spot is helping homeowners update their home to make it work better for modern family life. They fix cramped kitchens, untangle poor layouts, and create primary suites filled with thoughtful design.

As a boutique operation (think 15-20 jobs per year) with a team that’s half women, when you work with SoBo, you'll be seen and heard through every step of the process, from design to build.

Learn more about SoBo Homes

Exciting opportunity from our national founder, Ann Imig!

Ann Imig is AH-MAZING. Not only is she the founder of LTYM, she is my mentor and coach, and I have the honor of collaborating with her on a spring workshop. This April, you can join us for five weeks of learning to understand and work with your personal saboteurs and superpowers to maximize your creative flow. Learn more here.

Learn more and register

Catch an amazing storytelling show this weekend!

Stories on Stage has TWO shows this weekend, and their theme is Wild Women: Hear Us Roar. Both shows feature stories from two LTYM Boulder alumni—Ellen Nordberg and Kelly Stainback-Tracy! You can grab tickets for either show here.

Saturday, March 14, 2026 @ 7:00pm - Nomad Playhouse

Sunday, March 15 @ 2:00pm - Su Teatro

XO,
Steph

At such a divisive, difficult cultural moment, spending hours listening to stories about motherhood, meeting new people, and reconnecting with old friends felt like a true gift. I feel like every year, gathering together to connect through storytelling and remember our shared humanity becomes more and more essential.

Tickets are now on sale!

You can purchase tickets for LTYM Boulder 2026 on Saturday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Boulder below:

Grab tickets here!

What’s that? You live out of state or have a fabulous cruise planned?

Not a problem! You can livestream the event and have access to the replay for one week by purchasing a live stream ticket below.

LIVESTREAM tix here

Thanks to our amazing LTYM Boulder sponsor,
J Lounge

JLounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa is an incredible Boulder day spa owned by Jennifer Zrubek—and they’ve been a loyal LTYM Boulder sponsor since our first show at the Dairy Center in May 2013!

JLounge offers a full range of superior day spa treatments in a delightful and relaxing setting that’s fresh, welcoming, and sparkling-clean. Focused on using sustainable products, and clean ingredients with health and wellness in mind, they focus on building a community by offering amazing, quality services, they are your one stop shop, for all things beautiful.

Check out all their services and book your next treatment here.

Visit Jlounge Spa's website

Feeling inspired to write your OWN story?

Join a drop-in workshop this morning at 10 am MST: New Frames for Old Stories: A Storytelling Workshop. We’ll explore a technique called “emotional timestamping” that I am seriously psyched to learn about.

Our guest instructor, Michaela Blei (total guru, see below), will cover:

• How to identify the stories you’ve been telling on autopilot

• Techniques for bringing your current wisdom to past experiences

• Ways to discover what your former self can still teach you

• Permission to tell a new story about your life

• This workshop is for midlife women writers who are ready to let their stories evolve alongside them. Come ready to connect, get creative, and see your own life with new curiosity.

Micaela is a Portland, Maine-based storytelling expert, memoir author, and educator who has appeared on This American Life, The Moth Radio Hour, and other major platforms. A two-time Moth GrandSLAM champion and founder of The Moth's Education Program, she developed storytelling curriculum used worldwide and provides workshops for organizations ranging from universities to corporate teams. Her Audible Original memoir "You Will Not Recognize Your Life" became a word-of-mouth hit. She's currently working on her full-length, “coming-of-middle-age” memoir for HarperOne.

This workshop WILL be recorded, so if you can’t make it live, sign up to receive the replay and any handouts after the session!

New Frames for Old Stories

Calling all midlife women writers!

If you’re looking for a writing community that feels like home, check out The Pause: A creative community for midlife women. Whether you’re perimenopausal or post, there is space for you here to find accountability, inspiration, community, and learn new skills. Together, we improve our craft and deepen our writing practice while also coming home to ourselves. T

his is a space where we openly share our: neurodivergence; parenting challenges; joy; divorce stories; publishing successes and obstacles; chronic health conditions; big ideas; questions. It is a dynamic space, and there is room for you here. Learn more below.

Check out The Pause

Looking forward to a fantastic LTYM show season!

XO,
Steph

Submit your story here

We survived January! Deep breath.

All of a sudden it’s February, which means the first round of written submissions for LTYM Boulder closes next Thursday: February 12th! If you’ve been tossing around an idea or dreaming of joining the cast, shake off your doubts and get writing!

For those of you who think there is no way that YOU have a story to share, we want to remind you:

If you have a mother, know a mother, or are a mother, you have a story to tell about motherhood.

Your story may be the one that touches someone in the audience who needed to hear it. Your story is unique. Your story is needed.

You can learn more about the submission guidelines, what we are looking for, and how to submit right here.

Grab a spot

Want to learn more about how to pitch your writing?

Most writers detest pitching. Maybe I’m projecting, but sending your word babies into the cosmos is scary! Most writers are all too familiar with the drill: crafting and polishing a piece of writing, sending it to editors, and then getting either crickets or the dreaded: Thanks, but no thanks. It’s rough. And many of us aren’t sure where to begin.

If you want to crack the pitching code, Natalie Serianni is bringing us a 90-minute workshop on Friday (February 6th) at 11:30 MST/ 1:30 pm EST. It WILL be recorded, so if you can’t make it live but want to catch the juicy details, register anyway and the recording and handouts will be emailed out over the weekend. Natalie will give writers generative exercises, workshop some pitches in real time, share resources + the “magic formula” of pitching, and answer all your pressing questions in a thorough Q&A. She is SO warm and lovely, in addition to being widely published, and is the perfect guide through this scary territory.

Pitch with Confidence

Do you have a small business you’d like to promote to our amazing audience?

Our spring show is coming up on Saturday, May 9th, and we are officially open to new sponsors! With audiences ranging from 250-600 per show and a mailing list of over 1500, LTYM Boulder provides small business owners—therapists, dentists, dance studios, salons, boutiques, and more—with a unique opportunity for marketing. Sponsorship opportunities are available at many levels and start at just $100. Get your business in front of a highly engaged audience of primarily women in Boulder county and the Denver metro area. We pride ourselves on sharing women-owned businesses as well as shops and services that benefit the mothers who attend our show.

If that sounds like something you are interested in, email Steph at rabbitholeprodsinc@gmail.com to learn more about the different options.

Don’t miss The Unsent Show this Saturday evening!

This incredible storytelling show is the true meaning of community coming together to witness and support one another. It’s the sex edition, so you definitely want to be there! LTYM alum Britt Ballard is the producer of this dynamic show—if you haven’t experienced it before, come out and join us Saturday!

Grab Unsent tix for 2/7

And don’t forget to submit your story by February 12!

You can read the full guidelines here, and submit your piece with this link. Answers to your FAQ and all the details you need can be found on the submission page, including:

• How long should my piece be? (approx 5 minutes!)

• When do submissions close? (February 12th)

• What happens if I make it to the next round? (you’ll get an email by February 17th)

• When are in-person auditions? (February 28th and March 3rd)

• When are rehearsals? (April 7th and April 30th)

• What else do I need to know? (Visit this page, and read it carefully!)

Learn more and submit

XO,
Steph Sprenger
Executive Producer of LTYM Boulder

Learn more and register!

January, you guys.

In some ways we start it all shiny and bright-eyed and full of hope, and by the end of the month, it seems like the news and cold snaps (not to mention cold and flu) have completely deflated us. Or maybe I’m projecting. Either way, it’s been a doozy, and I am ready for January to kindly excuse itself, please and thank you (and don’t let the door hit you on your way out).

As I’ve struggled to find my flow, manage my time, extend some kindness to myself (and my loved ones), and prioritize creativity AND productivity, I have needed every single tool in my toolbox. From the color-coded schedule system our family therapist taught me to my absolutely non-negotiable morning and evening rituals to my Morning Pages, it has been all hands on the self-care deck. And some of my favorite practices, habits, and strategies are the ones I learned from my mentor, who just happens to be the national founder of Listen To Your Mother (it’s ok; you can fangirl. I still do.), the one and only Ann Imig.

Meet Ann Imig tomorrow at noon for a virtual workshop!

I am so honored to present a one-time workshop with Ann Imig, who is also an MSW and certified coach. Tomorrow at noon MST, Ann is bringing us a 90-minute workshop (for just $30, which is amazing) that will help each of us better understand our superpowers and the specific patterns that hold us back (see also: saboteurs).

Whether you are a writer—a LTYM former cast member, or hopeful auditioner!—or are a WTYM subscriber because you have been to a show, there is something for you in this workshop. You’ll get an introduction to the 9 saboteurs that add stress to life’s challenges, limit our options, and negatively impact our relationships, performance, and wellbeing, and you’ll leave with a better understanding not only of what gets in your way, but how to disrupt it and reclaim the ease, flow, and strength underneath it.

That sounds pretty good right about now, doesn’t it? Also, it’s totally worth it just to bask in the glorious energy that is Ann. Details: Wednesday, 1/28 (tomorrow!) at noon MST / 2 EST, and it WILL be recorded if you can’t attend live.

Reserve your spot

The Unsent Show is coming back!

And yep, it’s the Sex Edition. Don’t be scared! I was honored to read a story with that exact topic in 2024, and I had the pleasure of reading a story in the holiday show this year, too. It was one of my absolute favorite storytelling experiences, ever, which is saying a lot! Brittany Ballard, the host and creator, is a LTYM alumni from our November show, and she is incredible at curating heartfelt, vulnerable, OMG me too vibes programs. The community she’s created will leave you feeling like the best version of yourself, whether you’re a reader or an audience member. And we have our own LTYM alumni in several of the upcoming shows, so don’t miss out! Tickets for the next show—February 7th from 7-9 pm in Denver—and all the details are below. I already have my tickets, and I’ll see you there!

Grab Unsent tix for 2/7

Do you have a small business you’d like to promote to our amazing audience?

Our spring show is coming up on Saturday, May 9th, and we are officially open to new sponsors! With audiences ranging from 250-600 per show and a mailing list of over 1500, LTYM Boulder provides small business owners—therapists, dentists, dance studios, salons, boutiques, and more—with a unique opportunity for marketing. Sponsorship opportunities are available at many levels and start at just $100. Get your business in front of a highly engaged audience of primarily women in Boulder county and the Denver metro area. We pride ourselves on sharing women-owned businesses as well as shops and services that benefit the mothers who attend our show.

If that sounds like something you are interested in, email Steph at rabbitholeprodsinc@gmail.com to learn more about the different options.

And don’t forget—first round of LTYM auditions closes on February 12!

Auditions are officially open! You can read the full guidelines here, and submit your piece with this link. Answers to your FAQ and all the details you need can be found on the submission page, including:

• How long should my piece be? (approx 5 minutes!)

• When do submissions close? (February 12th)

• What happens if I make it to the next round? (you’ll get an email by February 17th)

• When are in-person auditions? (February 28th and March 3rd)

• When are rehearsals? (April 7th and April 30th)

• What else do I need to know? (Visit this page, and read it carefully!)

Learn more and submit

Sending lots of love and healing vibes,

Steph Sprenger
Executive Producer of LTYM Boulder

Auditions are officially open! You can read the full guidelines here, and submit your piece with this link. Answers to your FAQ and all the details you need can be found on the submission page, including:

• How long should my piece be? (approx 5 minutes!)

• When do submissions close? (February 12th)

• What happens if I make it to the next round? (you’ll get an email by February 17th)

• When are in-person auditions? (February 28th and March 3rd)

• When are rehearsals? (April 7th and April 30th)

• What else do I need to know? (Visit this page, and read it carefully!)

Learn more and submit

Need some help writing your story?

If you have the seed of an idea for a story, or a draft of an essay you’re uncertain about, I’m offering a $30 virtual essay workshop next week on Thursday, January 22nd at noon to help you out!

Learn more and register here

In this 75-minute interactive workshop, we’ll discuss what makes a fantastic personal essay, brainstorm, and begin drafting our stories together.

Come with an idea or two for an essay you’ve been *meaning* to write but haven’t gotten around to. Steph will guide us through the bones of brainstorming ideas for topics and scenes, crafting a solid premise statement that reflects the inner and outer story of your piece, and identifying the lighthouse that serves as your essay’s theme.

We’ll cover the building blocks to turn your essay idea into a compelling story with a clear narrative arc, scenes, and a clear writer’s voice. Bring your ideas—anything from seedlings to bones to more fleshed out stories—and we’ll workshop together! Learn more and grab a spot here—space is limited, so register in advance

I cannot wait to read your story! Looking forward to another magical season!

XO,
Steph
Executive Producer of LTYM Boulder

Submit to LTYM Boulder here

It’s been 13 years since the first LTYM Boulder show (!!), and while we technically had a virtual show in 2020 (Socially Distant Mother, get it?) and no show at all in 2021 due to the pandemic, I’m not sure whether to say it’s the “13th annual, or maybe the 12th, or the 11th,” . . . but you get the idea: LTYM Boulder has been around a LONG time, and it’s such an honor to bring this show to our community once again this year.

For those who might not be crystal clear on what Listen To Your Mother is, the tagline is “giving Mother’s Day a microphone.” Founded by Ann Imig in 2010, LTYM is a live storytelling show featuring a dozen local writers reading their original stories about motherhood—the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is NOT a Hallmark Mother’s Day show, and it is also not just for moms! LTYM readers share stories about having a mom, not having a mom, being a mom, and not being a mom. It’s all about community, connection, and celebrating the stories that bring us together, and we can all use more of that right now.

Auditions are Coming!

We are about to kick off the 2026 season by opening up the first round of written submissions for auditions next week! So it’s time to get writing, and next week you can officially submit your essay for the spring show.

If you have the seed of an idea for a story, or a draft of an essay you’re uncertain about, there is a $30 virtual essay workshop next week on Thursday, January 22nd at noon to help you out!

Learn more and register here

In this 75-minute interactive workshop, we’ll discuss what makes a fantastic personal essay, brainstorm, and begin drafting our stories together.

Come with an idea or two for an essay you’ve been *meaning* to write but haven’t gotten around to. Steph will guide us through the bones of brainstorming ideas for topics and scenes, crafting a solid premise statement that reflects the inner and outer story of your piece, and identifying the lighthouse that serves as your essay’s theme.

We’ll cover the building blocks to turn your essay idea into a compelling story with a clear narrative arc, scenes, and a clear writer’s voice. Bring your ideas—anything from seedlings to bones to more fleshed out stories—and we’ll workshop together! Learn more and grab a spot here—space is limited, so register in advance!

Before you get writing, here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind.

LTYM Boulder’s spring show is May 9th at FUMC

Interested in auditioning? Here’s what you need to know!

• The first round of auditions will be the submission of your written piece and the second round of auditions will take place in person in Boulder or over Zoom.

• Your piece should be approximately 5 minutes when read aloud. This is roughly 600-1100 words, but will vary widely depending on content and speaking style. PLEASE PRACTICE BEFORE AUDITIONING, time yourself, and edit appropriately to achieve the desired time.

• The deadline to submit your application form is February 12th—if you advance to the in-person audition round, we will invite you to sign up online for an audition date and 15-minute time slot.

• In-person auditions will take place on Saturday, February 28th between 10-3 and the evening of Tuesday, March 3rd. You will have your choice of these days/times when we email you the online sign up form. If you are absolutely unable to make it on either of those dates, virtual auditions will be available.

Here are a few more things to keep in mind before auditioning:

• The central theme of the story must be motherhood. We always aim for a diverse mix of stories—we look for funny essays, poignant essays, and everything in between. We welcome all stories of motherhood from all people and celebrate diversity in our cast.

• You DO NOT have to be a mother (or even a woman!) to audition.

• You do not have to have your piece memorized. In fact, we prefer it if you do not, as this show is a series of live readings (not performances).

• You do not have to consider yourself a writer or have experience as a stage perform—we welcome all levels of experience with writing and speaking.

• We recommend you check out videos of past shows, including Boulder’s 2013-2016 shows, which you may find here.

• Previously published work may be accepted as long as you have full rights to read it at this event.

For those of you who think there is no way that YOU have a story to share, we want to remind you:

If you have a mother, know a mother, or are a mother, you have a story to tell about motherhood.

Your story may be the one that touches someone in the audience who needed to hear it. Your story is unique. Your story is needed.

If you’re feeling stuck or uncertain about what makes an essay stand out, grab a spot in the January 22nd workshop here. For $30, we’ll brainstorm together and cover all the essential elements of bringing your story to life. Sign up below.

Brainstorm & Build Your Essay

Stay tuned for submission details next week! Looking forward to another magical season!

XO,
Steph
Executive Producer of LTYM Boulder

• The spring Listen To Your Mother Boulder season is around the corner! We’ll be announcing auditions in January, so stay tuned, and start writing!

• On that note, if you’re feeling inspired to write a holiday show for next year’s show, do it NOW! You will not be interested in revisiting the winter holidays in July, I promise! Next week we’ll share an online workshop to help you brainstorm and build a personal essay that could serve as an audition piece—stay tuned!

• Register for The Artist’s Way for the Midlife Woman in January! This 12-week workshop will help you get back in touch with your own creativity, whether you are a writer, an artist, a crafter, a daydreamer, or a museum-wanderer. The connection and inspiration of exploring this iconic book in the company of other midlife women makes it extra special! Learn more and join us here.

• Join a writing community just for midlife women: MidCircle features guest presentations, co-working sessions, writing prompts, and an online forum for discussion and sharing.

• Work 1:1 with Steph on a writing project—big ideas or small, everything from brainstorming a book to revising a personal essay—by booking a session here.

Huge thanks to our local sponsors!

What’s next?

• The spring Listen To Your Mother Boulder season is around the corner! We’ll be announcing auditions in January, so stay tuned, and start writing!

• Join The Artist’s Way for the Midlife Woman in January! This 12-week workshop will help you get back in touch with your own creativity, whether you are a writer, an artist, a crafter, a daydreamer, or a museum-wanderer. The connection and inspiration of exploring this iconic book in the company of other midlife women makes it extra special! Learn more and join us here.

• Join a writing community just for midlife women: MidCircle features guest presentations, co-working sessions, writing prompts, and an online forum for discussion and sharing.

• Work 1:1 with Steph on a writing project—big ideas or small, everything from brainstorming a book to revising a personal essay—by booking a session here.

Huge thanks to our local sponsors!

We truly could not do a show like this without them!

We’ll be sharing one of the stories from our holiday show in our next podcast episode, as well as an opportunity for you to start crafting a submission piece of your own for a future LTYM show!

XO,
Steph

Thank you to our new sponsor, Friends School!

We are thrilled to welcome Friends School as a sponsor for our holiday show—a number of our cast members and audience are already part of this community, and we are excited to introduce you to them today. At Friends School, learning is joyful, purposeful, and deeply connected to the world around us. From preschoolers to eighth graders, students are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas, and discover their unique voices.

Friends School believes that education is most powerful when it engages the whole child—intellectually,socially, and emotionally. Small class sizes and caring relationships ensure that every student is known and supported. The result is a community where children feel safe to take risks, think creatively, and grow into capable, compassionate learners and citizens.

• Their preschool and pre-K programs nurture curiosity, creativity, and confidence. In warm, thoughtfully designed classrooms, children explore their world through play-based learning and hands-on experiences—building early literacy and math foundations, developing social skills, and learning to express themselves.

• In the elementary years, students deepen their understanding of the world through project-based learning, science-based literacy and math instruction, and individualized instruction to challenge and support each learner, fostering independence, problem-solving, and collaboration.

• Their middle school program empowers students to think critically, act compassionately, and engage deeply with their learning with interdisciplinary projects in humanities and STEM, develop their voices through writing and presentation, and strengthen leadership through service and community engagement.

Visit them online at: https://friendsschoolboulder.org/

And now for an unexpected announcement: The LTYM Boulder Holiday show is officially sold out! If you have a ticket already and are unable to attend, please email us at wordtoyourmother.arts@gmail.com or let the Dairy Center Box Office know so that they can open up the waitlist. Thank you!

Just over two weeks (!!) until the second annual LTYM Boulder Holiday show, and we are well over half sold out! Don’t miss out, and grab your tickets today before you get swept up in Thanksgiving craziness. Our second rehearsal is later this week, and we can’t wait for you to hear these incredible stories. Stay tuned for some photos and behind-the-scenes glimpses of our rehearsals next week.

Get your tix now!

Thanks to our amazing sponsor, Pelvicore Therapeutics

Pelvicore Therapeutics provides in-home pelvic floor therapy, supporting women who face the often overwhelming challenges of pelvic health.

Their mission is rooted in the belief that every woman deserves to feel empowered and connected to her body, ensuring she is informed and confident at every stage of her life.

Serving Denver, Longmont, Boulder, and Surrounding Neighborhoods, Pelvicore Therapeutics can help with bladder and bowel issues, orthopedic conditions, pelvic pain, and pregnancy and postpartum challenges.

Calling All Swifties . . . and actually, non-Swifties, too!

I am so excited to announce a new session of one of The HerStories Project’s most popular writing workshops of all time. Yep, our most highly attended writing prompt workshop was based around Taylor Swift’s song lyrics.

Learn more and register

This 3-week workshop will explore the different eras of our lives through writing prompts based on song lyrics, but being a Taylor fan or music lover at all is NOT required. Writing prompts are a magical formula for unlocking our creativity—you just never know what memory or idea might come tumbling out. If you’ve been feeling creatively blocked or just want to generate some extra flow, join us in December for a unique community writing experience.

Workshops for writers of all levels:

These workshops are FREE for MidCircle members—a writing community for midlife women, including co-working sessions, writing circles, prompts, and more. If you’ve been looking for a community of like-minded women for accountability, connection, and inspiration, try MidCircle for a month and enjoy all these workshops for your $39 monthly membership fee OR attend any of the following as a drop-in.

**All workshops will be recorded for those unable to attend live!

• November 14th: The 10-step Revision Strategy with Susanna Daniel

• November 17th: Submitting to Literary Journals: Get Your Work Published with Catherine Stratton

• November 20th: The Quiet Memoir: Finding “Conflict” in a Quiet Life with Kate Meadows

• November 21st: Elevator Pitching for You and Your Writing with Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Join MidCircle

Thanks to our other returning sponsors!

We can’t wait to see you at the Dairy Arts Center on Saturday, 11/29. Remember to bring all your out of town guests . . . OR sneak out and meet your besties if you’re maxed out on pumpkin pie and political arguments. ;) It’s going to be an unforgettable night!

XO,
Steph

Get tickets here

Buy your tickets today!

• LTYM Boulder 2025 cast member Sage Hobbs reads her beautiful essay, “Dear Mom,” and we unpack what it was like to write and read the story.

• Reimagining “Time heals all wounds: “healing” doesn’t necessarily mean fixing or erasing a loss.

• “Listen to Your Mother” isn’t just a feel-good, Hallmark-y show. It’s real, with both hilarious and heartbreaking stories, and that’s what makes it special. There is a place for our grief stories in this show—they matter.

• “I am not who I was.” The loss of loved ones—especially parents—feels like it can change us on a cellular level.

• Empathy matters: Even if you haven’t lived someone else’s story, you can try to imagine it, rather than saying, “I can’t imagine.” Sharing our stories is a way to help the audience not only imagine our lived experience, but feel less alone in theirs.

Being part of the LTYM community is a beautiful way to return to the old traditions of “gathering around the fire” to share stories, to listen, to witness, and to connect.

Comedy Coven is Thursday!

Comedy Coven returns on Thursday, October 30th at the Dairy Center. Celebrate spooky season with the antidote to the patriarchy—laughing with other women. Featuring a mix of local comics and touring professionals, this is the perfect night out right before trick-or-treating madness. We’re so progressive, we even have one token male.

Get tickets here

Shoutout to Sobo Homes for their support!

If you love your neighborhood but not your home anymore, check them out at sobohomes.com or follow them on IG (@sobohomes).

SoBo Homes specializes in reimagining homes through remodels, additions, and ADUs in and around Boulder, Colorado. Their sweet spot is helping homeowners update their home to make it work better for modern family life. They fix cramped kitchens, untangle poor layouts, and create primary suites filled with thoughtful design.

As a boutique operation (think 15-20 jobs per year) with a team that’s half women, when you work with SoBo, you’ll be seen and heard through every step of the process, from design to build.

Thanks to our other returning sponsors!

Buy your tickets today!

Last week I was thrilled to announce that my memoir, NOSTALGIA JUNKIE, is going to be published in December 2026 by Third Rail Press, and the timing perfectly aligns with our annual workshop for aspiring authors. Whether you have a draft you’re working on or merely the seed of an idea and big curiosity about the publication process, I’d for to join me, starting tomorrow, for It’s Time for Your Book. Read on for details and a 50% discount code!

Grab your spot here

This 4-week workshop will guide you through the process, and includes 5 dynamic guest instructor workshops, including LTYM Boulder’s own Shana Kelly!

With the right mindset, other women cheering you on, and a clear plan, it’s the right time for you to publish your book. In this workshop, you’ll get clear on the following questions:

• Why do you want to publish this book?

• Who is your audience?

• What’s your genre and subgenre and why does it matter?

• What’s your book’s “big idea”?

• How will you structure your book?

• How will you publish?

• How will you stay organized while writing your book?

After four weeks, you’ll be better able to answer those questions—and get craft tips and expert advice on querying, revision, and the world of publishing—and be ready to write your book. In addition to weekly exercises and meetups, the following fantastic industry experts will guide you:

• The Business of Book Publishing with Shana Kelly
  10/18 (12-3 EST)

• Taking the Scary Out of the Query with Liz Alterman
  10/30 (1-2:30 EST)

• How to Draft and Craft Memorable Scenes in Your Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing with Áine Greaney
  11/3 (noon-1 EST)

• Character Building with Natalie Serber
  11/10 (noon-1 EST)

• The 10-step Revision Strategy with Susanna Daniel
  11/14 (noon-1:30 EST)

Want more info? Click the button below, and use the code BOOK50 to save 50% on this workshop!

Learn more and register here

Want to catch Saturday’s The Business of Book Publishing but aren’t ready for a whole 4-week workshop?

You can sign up for Shana Kelly’s 3-hour workshop as a drop-in session for $50 here. Here are more details:

Few topics are as mystifying and overwhelming as navigating the publishing industry. This workshop is designed to take the mystery out of the details and give writers a chance to ask their questions to an industry expert—former William Morris literary agent Shana Kelly.

This three-hour workshop will focus on the business side of publishing, providing practical advice for taking a book manuscript to market. You will leave the workshop with an understanding of the traditional publishing industry, as well as a handout prepared by Shana. There will be an opportunity for specific Q&A during the session. This workshop is Saturday, 10/18, 10:00 MST, noon EST!

Register here

Support women in comedy!

Comedy Coven returns on Thursday, October 30th at the Dairy Center. Celebrate spooky season with the antidote to the patriarchy—laughing with other women. Featuring a mix of local comics and touring professionals, this is the perfect night out right before trick-or-treating madness.

Get tickets here

XO,
Steph

Buy your tickets today!

I’m having a (book) baby!

Last week I was thrilled to announce that my memoir, NOSTALGIA JUNKIE, is going to be published in December 2026 by Third Rail Press, an absolutely gorgeous women-owned boutique press that I am obsessed with. I want to tell you all about this process—which began 12 years ago with a crazy idea I couldn’t let go of, but sat dormant for an entire decade. I began writing this book in winter 2023 after having lost my voice eight times in one year—I finally realized I couldn’t ignore what my body was trying to tell me any longer.

I quit my job teaching early childhood music classes. I started writing the book. I got a divorce. I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 45.

And my entire life changed—in fact, I fully believe that this book wrote me.

I want to invite any other aspiring authors—whether you have a draft you’re working on or merely the seed of an idea and big curiosity about the publication process—to join the 3rd annual It’s Time for Your Book fall workshop beginning October 13th.

Grab your spot here

This 4-week workshop will guide you through the process, and includes 5 dynamic guest instructor workshops, including LTYM Boulder’s own Shana Kelly!

With the right mindset, other women cheering you on, and a clear plan, it’s the right time for you to publish your book. In this workshop, you’ll get clear on the following questions:

• Why do you want to publish this book?

• Who is your audience?

• What’s your genre and subgenre and why does it matter?

• What’s your book’s “big idea”?

• How will you structure your book?

• How will you publish?

• How will you stay organized while writing your book?

After four weeks, you’ll be better able to answer those questions—and get craft tips and expert advice on querying, revision, and the world of publishing—and be ready to write your book. In addition to weekly exercises and meetups, the following fantastic industry experts will guide you:

• The Business of Book Publishing with Shana Kelly
  10/18 (12-3 EST)

• Taking the Scary Out of the Query with Liz Alterman
  10/30 (1-2:30 EST)

• How to Draft and Craft Memorable Scenes in Your Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing with Áine Greaney
  11/3 (noon-1 EST)

• Character Building with Natalie Serber
  11/10 (noon-1 EST)

• The 10-step Revision Strategy with Susanna Daniel
  11/14 (noon-1:30 EST)

Want more info? Click the button below:

Learn more and register here

Want to join a smaller workshop just for writing personal essays? I’ve got you.

For four Wednesdays—10/15; 10/22; 10/29, and 11/5—I’ll be guiding a small group of women writers (5 spots only!) to brainstorm, craft, and revise a personal essay. We’ll also learn about the powerful experience of writing groups, discovering how to effectively workshop in community through weekly Zoom meetings. On our final week, personal essay expert Natalie Serianni will offer personalized feedback on your essay and give tips and ideas for how and where to pitch it for publication. We are down to our final two spots, so if you want one, grab one ASAP! (If it fills up, add your name to the waitlist for future sessions!)

Give me that spot!!

I would love to write with you and work together! If you are interested in a 1:1 coaching session with me, you can book one here. I work with writers on big ideas and small—revising essays, brainstorming books and other projects, and helping to find the lighthouse of your own powerful voice to guide you.

XO,
Steph

Our holiday show on Saturday, November 29th is going to be AMAZING. Next week, we get to have our first read-through, which is always my actual favorite part of the entire show season. It’s pure magic. Today, in addition to reminding you to buy tickets, like, NOW!, because there is limited seating at the Dairy Center, and we sold out last year, we get to introduce you to this beautiful cast. Grab tickets below before you forget, and then come back and meet them!

Get your tix now!

Our stellar cast

Britt is a mother, writer, filmmaker, host of Unsent live show and podcast, and co-founder of the new healing arts non profit Three Things with her husband, rap artist Old Man Saxon. She’s a trained End of Life Doula through Peaceful Presence, and she guides older adults through 3rd Act Life Review Interviews as part of her legacy work offerings. She makes music as Baby Luck (she’s not a singer but she can sing!) and more music will be pouring out of her soon. She really loves hosting Unsent Show and is expanding the show in exciting ways, so stay tuned! She’s grappling with grief and freedom, so she’s currently writing a film about a daughter whose mom asks her to help her die, and a TV series about a barber turned death doula that she pitched at SeriesFest Pitch-a-thon and won, amongst many other short stories and essays! She also writes The Overflow on Substack, which is her happy place.

Priscilla Dann-Courtney is a psychologist and writer. She and her husband of 42 years raised three children. And she likes to say, even though we are all growing older, the emphasis has to be on the growing and doing new things. So in her 20’s she biked across the country. In her 30’s she went bungee jumping and had three kids. In her 40’s she survived their adolescence and started running competitively and in her 50’s she took up yoga, and now in her 60’s she started stand-up comedy to remember the importance of laughter and the challenge of making ourselves BIG and center stage. Her columns have appeared in numerous national publications and her book, Room to Grow, Stories of Life and Family(Norlights Press, 2009), is a collection of her essays. She dreams of becoming a peach farmer bringing sweetness and healing to a struggling world.

Megan DeRosa is a writer, educator, and pathfinder with an eye on wellbeing in midlife. Over the years, she has gleaned insight from various day jobs, including roles as a: NASA scholar, managing editor, monthly columnist, yoga therapist, workshop leader, and pediatric-life-coach-household-CEO (a.k.a., mom). Her work has been featured in Yoga Journal, Insight Timer, The Science Teacher, Yoga Anytime, and Thrive Global. Megan leans into mindfulish living and long hugs with her son, husband, and aspiring lapdog. She carves out ample time for meandering walkabouts on crisp, sunny mornings, and early evening gatherings on her screened-in porch.

Melanie Gruenwald is a writer, storyteller, and community builder who finds joy in weaving humor and heart into everyday experiences. As Executive Director of Kabbalah Experience in Denver, she guides students through transformative explorations of Jewish mysticism, while also carving out space for her own creative expression. Melanie’s journey into performance has taken surprising turns—this past spring (2025) she stepped onto the comedy stage with the JCC Denver, sharing her voice and wit in a stand-up show that left her eager for more laughter-filled moments. Whether she’s teaching, writing, or performing, Melanie draws from her roles as a spouse, mom of twins, daughter, and friend—always seeking connection through stories that reveal both vulnerability and resilience. She believes that stories create bridges between people, and she is delighted to share hers this November.

Kerry Maiorca is all about hats. Specifically, wearing different ones. She and her husband opened Chicago’s Bloom Yoga Studio in 2004, then welcomed the first of their three children a couple years later. In the ensuing years she spent a lot of time holding sleeping babies while typing one-handed emails. Determined to be a full-time mom AND a full-time small business owner, she never had quite enough childcare and often felt on the verge of collapse but somehow only has sweet, tender memories of those years (thanks, nature!). Since moving to Boulder in 2018, she’s gone back to grad school again, become a sound bath practitioner, and launched a private practice offering somatic therapy for individuals and couples. She’s working on a book about mindfulness and is always trying to master the art of saying no to fun things when the hats start piling up too high.

Morgan Marilley McGarvey is a Boulder-based mother, domestic violence survivor-advocate, and unapologetic magic-maker. She’s raising two spirited, elementary-aged elves who embrace mischief and wonder in equal measure—and who never hesitate to point out when she’s not Mom-ing to standard. A founding member of Collective Advocacy & Partnership, Morgan is passionate about unveiling the hidden sides of domestic abuse through direct advocacy, system coordination, and legislative progress. A former client and now regular volunteer with SPAN: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence, she’s seen how the smallest spark of magic can brighten even the darkest days. Morgan finds joy in her rockstar support system, dancing to occasionally questionable music, a nightly spoonful of Nutella, sprinkles of dark humor, and getting her heart rate up outdoors—while trying not to make yet another call to her orthopedist.

Ellen Nordberg is a freelance writer and storyteller who has performed her stand-up comedy and essays in Moms Unhinged, the Listen to Your Mother Show, the Narrators, and the Boulder Story Collective. Her works have been featured by Stories on Stage. Ellen lives in Louisville where she teaches water aerobics and collects cat towers.

Petra Perkins is a Highlands Ranch author of poetry, essay, memoir, fiction, humor, stageplay, and is currently experimenting on a screenplay. Drama is her middle name! Her favorite author and muse is Nora Ephron. Petra has won several writing awards but says her real claim to fame is that she originated the saying “Mean People Suck!” in the 1990s at a party in Washington DC after which it went viral and got plastered onto a million bumper stickers. In several former lives, Petra was a marching band drum major, opera singer, piccolo-ist, sculptor, skier, sailor, and pilot. She retired from aerospace engineering—an industry of exact science—and decided to devote the rest of her life to the messy pursuit of Creativity Unplugged. (She has not made her bed or cleaned her closet since!) To learn more about her writing, please check out Petra’s website: petrapetra.com.

Kelly’s love of children began when she was a teenage camp counselor and morphed into a thirty-year career in maternal and child health. Her writing talents began with passionate journal entries and dramatic notes discreetly passed in the hallways of middle school, and ended (for a time) after her stint writing angsty poems in high school. As a mother with no time of her own, Kelly relished the writing of other mothers who described the utter chaos of parenthood with wit, wisdom and grace. Recently recommitted to creativity, Kelly now dabbles in prose and poetry and is delighted to be on stage telling a story of her own. Kelly’s other creative endeavors include gardening and playing guitar while singing in a circle of kind friends who think off-key is cool. Kelly also enjoys most anything outdoors with her supportive husband and the two beautiful humans who define and challenge her as a mom.

Jenn Yee is a writer, artist, educator, comedian, and mother. Her writing has recently earned her an Honorable Mention for Creative Non-Fiction from The Bacopa Literary Review and a juried spot in The Book Project at The Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, where she is working on her debut novel. She is proud to once again be in the cast of Listen To Your Mother, and has performed on storytelling and comedy stages small and large from from Colorado to Alaska. You can learn more about her performances, writing, and creative work at jennyee.me.

Production Team:

Steph Sprenger is a writer, podcaster, producer of live storytelling and comedy shows, and single mom to two teenage girls. Her writing has been featured in O Magazine, The Washington Post, Mutha Magazine, The Belladonna Comedy, and more. She is the Executive Producer of Listen To Your Mother Boulder and podcasts at Peri-Normal, a show about midlife neurodivergence, hormones, and happiness. Steph teaches writing workshops for midlife women at MidCircle. You can follow her Substack, The Reclamation Era, or connect with her on her website. Steph’s memoir, NOSTALGIA JUNKIE, is forthcoming from Third Rail Press in December 2026.

Nikki Howley lives and works in Boulder, as a massage therapist and is a full time single mom to three teenagers, and also shares her home with three dogs, two cats and three bunnies. She loves her children, her rescue animals, talking on the phone and running, which brings her ultimate freedom. By showtime, she will have just run the New York City Marathon as a personal comeback to rebuilding her life, her strength and her confidence. Nikki has been a LTYM cast member twice, and is excited to join the production team this year. If you need an emcee for your comedy show, function, or funeral, Nikki is your girl!

Get tickets here

Thanks to our returning sponsors!

Buy Tickets for 9/28

Thanks to our sponsor, SoBo Homes

Shoutout to Sobo Homes for their support! If you love beautiful, functional homes, check them out at sobohomes.com or follow them on IG (@sobohomes).

SoBo Homes specializes in transforming homes through extensive remodels, additions, and ADU’s in and around Boulder, Colorado. Their sweet spot is reimagining dwellings through architecture, design, and construction that ultimately enhance the homeowner’s lifestyle.

As a boutique operation (think 10-16 jobs per year) with a team that’s 50% women, when you work with SoBo, you will be seen and heard through every step of the process, from design to build. (Plus, they’ll make sure the process is FUN!)