Mother’s Day Play

By Mary Casey-Sturk

Mother’s Day this year is on May 11^th. For all you moms out there (and mother figures), this is your day to do nothing but relax! Well, in theory anyway. From breakfast in bed to trips to a museum, Mother’s Day is a great time to go out and celebrate!

Here are some fun ideas for Mother’s Day:

Buy the book: Does your mom have a favorite genre or bookstore?  Treat her to a gift certificate and a shopping trip or perhaps sign up to go to a book club together (or start your own). You can even purchase and install a Little Free Library in honor of her and all the neighborhood moms. This non-profit’s mission is to provide books for all with their “take a book, leave a book” motto.

Museums: Mother’s Day often finds families visiting local museums and Cincinnati has many to choose from. At the Cincinnati Art Museum, the exhibition Cycle Thru! The Art of the Bike (open through August 24^th) features many examples including a cast iron velocipede designed in the mid-1800s, a 1901 Wolff-American Ice Bicycle engineered to traverse a frozen course, a seafoam green 1950s Huffy Radiobike designed so riders could cruise to their tunes of choice, and Pee-wee Herman’s customized 1953 Schwinn DX Cruiser starring in Tim Burton’s 1985 film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. If you plan on dining at the Terrace Café while at the Museum, be sure to make a reservation in advance.

At the Cincinnati Museum Center, take in Barbie™: A Cultural Icon. Moms and kids can bond over their love of this famed doll and explore her six-decade evolution. The exhibition celebrates Barbie as a reflection of culture, featuring a priceless collection of over 300 artifacts from the 66-year history of Barbie, including the very first 1959 doll, an original Barbie™ Dreamhouse, behind the scenes prototypes, as well as some of the most infamous Barbie dolls throughout history. The exhibition runs through September 1^st.

Visit a garden center: While this one might ultimately lead to work for mom (and nobody likes weeding), this is a great opportunity to go together and let mom pick out her favorite blooms. Win “best kid award” by planting them yourself. From herb and kitchen gardens to colorful flower beds, spring is in the air and it’s a great time to plant.

A World Premier: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company presents Mrs. Dalloway: A New Musical,  May 23^rd – June 15^th.

Mrs. Dalloway hosts tonight and it’s to be the soiree of the century (and a new musical adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s classic novel). It is 1923 and the pandemic and WWI have ravaged Europe, but Clarissa Dalloway is determined to throw the greatest party London has ever seen. While she buys the flowers and makes last-minute preparations, serendipitous reunions force her to confront the past. As she dismantles the façade she tirelessly upholds, she rekindles connections with friends and lovers, awakening her inner desires for the words she never spoke and the paths of love she never took. This is the World Premiere of Virginia Woolf’s iconic introspective novel reimagined for the stage as a musical with a sweeping neo-golden age score underpinned with a contemporary folk pop sensibility.

Surprise mom with tickets to this upcoming musical and take her dinner or lunch before the show. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is just a short hop on the Cincinnati Connector Streetcar from many downtown restaurants and Findlay Market.

Picnic in the Park: Whether in the backyard, or a local park, picnics are a great way to enjoy nature and each other. Gather some tasty treats in advance and bring the basket and supplies straight to mom. Does she have a favorite food? A favorite cuisine? Pack a spread that would make Parisians jealous and create your new annual tradition. Check in advance if a reservation is required for a shelter or table at the chosen park.

This year and every year, celebrate the mothers and mother-figures in your life!