The Worst Mother in the World

New mom Nina has a healthy baby boy, a loving husband...and is struggling with terrifying nightmares and anxiety attacks. Her therapist, Bonnie, is trying to help her discover how she can be a better mother to her infant son. In the meantime, Bonnie's estranged daughter, Mary, arrives home with some life changing news. When Nina and Mary become friends, Bonnie's professional and personal life gets a lot more complicated.
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The Worst Mother in the World

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    25 Aug. 2021
    A moving look at parenthood beyond the veil of perfection women struggle to live up too. The truth of it is a lot more complicated. Well done.
  • Gabriella Bonamici:
    24 Jun. 2019
    Society's expectations of motherhood often require superhuman perfection, despite the fact that part of parenting is being human. This play beautifully captures the common doubts and fears of motherhood, and the powerful vulnerability it takes to express those doubts and fears.
  • Brian James Polak:
    26 Apr. 2019
    I saw "The Worst Mother in the World" produced by Halcyon in Chicago. This play shows the anxiety of parenthood in ways I've never seen before. It's rare that a play gets me feeling the feelings of the characters, but I felt unbelievably anxious for these mothers. Neither being a parent nor being a child is always easy, and in this play we get to see that yearning to be better, but feeling incapable of changing. Kari Bentley-Quinn shows us the complexity of real life and avoids any cliche trappings of parent/child relationships. It's a smart and powerful play.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Lark Play Development Center
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Mission to (dit)Mars - Launch Pad Reading Series
    ,
    2016

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Halcyon Theater
    ,
    2019

Awards

Finalist
,
Artemisia Fall Festival
,
Artemisia Theatre
,
2018
Semi-Finalist
,
National Playwrights Conference
,
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
,
2017
Finalist
,
Leah Ryan FEWW Prize
,
2017
Finalist
,
Bay Area Playwrights Festival
,
Playwrights Foundation
,
2017
Finalist
,
Ashland New Plays Festival
,
2017
Semi-Finalist
,
Princess Grace Award
,
Princess Grace Foundation
,
2016