A Note from the Director

The voices you are about to hear in Motherhood Out Loud reflect the heart-wrenching and humorous labor of caretaking. In a world that often undervalues this quiet labor, relegating it as private domestic life, listening publicly becomes a radical act of care itself. Thank you for gathering here, honoring these stories that share out loud the importance of caring and being cared for.

Jackie Gianico

Director

Directorial debut! This is Jackie’s third involvement with Sock & Buskin’s play readings at the Speakeasy. Jackie has performed in community theatre since catching the acting bug in 2012, appearing with SCCT, The Next Stage, Tyrone Community Players, Love and Light Productions, and Nittany Theatre at the Barn. Favorite past credits include: Cheryl in Evil Dead: the Musical, Madame Arcati in Blythe Spirit, and Elsa in The Sound of Music. She is a member of Happy Valley Improv, performing with several teams and the duo I’m Sorry, What? at the Blue Brick Theatre in downtown State College. More recently, she has joined State College Choral Society, performing under director Erik Clayton. For her day job, Jackie teaches writing and public speaking for international students at Penn State. You can also find her leading sip-and-paints at the Arena Bar & Grill. Since 2022, Jack’s mom has been her favorite role.

Dawn Rosenbaum

Dawn Rosenbaum is the Leadership Development Director of Happy Valley Improv. They have been doing improv since 2004 with a specialty in interactive theatre, spanning from Pennsylvania to New England. Dawn has also performed in stage productions, most notably The Importance of Being Earnest, Oklahoma, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, and an Edgar Allen Poe Cabaret. When not on the stage, Dawn spends time enjoying all food-related tasks, and outdoor activities with their friends and dogs.

Lauren Schneider

Lauren Schneider leads brand and product marketing at Compt by day, is a wife and mom of two basically all the other hours, and does improv because it turns out that being a full-time silly pants is a need, not a hobby. Motherhood Out Loud is where her primary research and her performance overlap almost completely. She is choosing to call this method acting. Lauren is a member of Happy Valley Improv, where she performs with several teams at the Blue Brick Theatre. She is grateful for this cast, this stage, and the existence of shows that let her be loud and weird for a valid reason. She hopes you laugh. She also hopes someone brought snacks.

Special Thanks

Josh Marcinkevage