[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Michele Tannen brings her solo show Surviving Mother’s Day to Whitefire Theatre’s Solofest 2026 on March 1.
About Surviving Mother’s Day
For perfectionistic, over-achiever Michele, having a mom with severe mental illness means that Mother’s Day triggers an avalanche of dread and shame.
“Doesn’t Hallmark make ANY cards for crazy moms?!”
Michele struggles, through comedic twists and dramatic turns, just to make the holiday tolerable. Her driving need to break away from her identity as the “daughter of the crazy lady” becomes a pressure cooker, and she pushes herself hard to collect life achievements that she believes will save her from where she comes from. Until it backfires, and all that is left is exhaustion and shame. Then, a deep dive into her Jewish ancestry reveals the truth about where her mother came from. Michele’s mother and her ancestors throughout generations were the savviest of survivors throughout the worst of human history. A journey of laughter and tears that stretches from modern US suburbia, through the depths of holocaust-era Berlin, Germany, and back again, Surviving Mother’s Day will leave audiences with renewed empathy for people with mental health struggles and hope about a daughter’s love for a less-than-ideal mother.
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