top of page
be bold
this mother's day weekend
Friday & Saturday
May 12 & 13, 2017
7PM
West End Studio Theatre
​959 Islington St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

A play about birth sparks 
a movement to be BOLD...
 

In 1999, after having her first child, writer and women's empowerment leader Karen Brody met an alarming number of low-risk mothers having babies with a high level of interventions. In response to what she noticed Karen was determined to use her skills as a writer to let mothers voices tell the story of birth today.  She wrote the play Birth, a documentary play about how low risk women were giving birth, and in 2006 the play kick started BOLD, a global movement to raise awareness and money to improve birth.
Meet our Director
 
Jo Kilburn is from North Berwick, Maine. She is an active homebirth labor doula, childbirth educator, and the editor of the Facebook page, Seacoast Birth Network.  In 2010, Jo acted in the play “Birth” as Sandy in San Diego, California.
​
Jo met Taylor Davis in the summer of 2015, where they shared a passion for the local birth community. They brainstormed about bringing Karen Brody’s play to the Seacoast, this production is the product of their efforts with the help of birth supporters and practitioners in New Hampshire and Maine.

BOLD 2008 San Francisco, CA

To Benefit Hope on Haven Hill

BIRTHTHE PLAY

             beBOLD

beBOLD
Talk Back
Meet our Assistant Director
 
Taylor Davis is from Dover, NH.  She is a mother of 3 beautiful little boys, a birth doula, doula trainer, and leader of ICAN of the Seacoast (International Cesarean Awareness Network).  Taylor is passionate about families birthing in an environment of respect, trust, and dignity, and especially passionate about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) education and access for families who have previously birthed via cesarean.   
 
In 2012, Taylor acted in BIRTH, the play in Syracuse as Natalie.  With no previous acting experience, she thoroughly loved it and was moved by the power of community theater to tell important stories and build community.  Taylor is so excited to be producing this play here on the Seacoast.  She is grateful for the many excellent birth professionals on the Seacoast and hopes the play will start important conversations about continuing to build optimal birthing environments in our community.  You can learn more about Taylor at www.taylordavisdoula.com.
Talk back

Join us after the show for a panel discussion featuring:

​
Colene Arnold, MD OB/GYN
Co-Founder of Hope on Haven Hill
 
Colene grew up in New England and after graduating as a PA from  Yale University she spent 12 years in Oklahoma with the National Health Service Corp and the Indian Health Service. She was drawn to Women's Health which led her to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for Medical School and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program.

She ultimately returned to New England and sought out programs that recognized that addiction is a mental illness and found that a comprehensive prenatal approach that incorporated addiction services created a stronger community. In 2016, responding to this need in the community, Colene donated her home and together with Kerry Norton, RN co-founded Hope On Haven Hill.
​
Janet Perkins, MD, MPH
OB/GYN with Garrison Women's Health
 

Dr. Perkins grew up in New England, earning the Bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. She left New England for Chicago Medical School, where she received her master’s degree in Public Health. She completed her medical degree and residency at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

 

Dr. Perkin’s special passion is obstetrics as well as advanced laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. She also has a strong interest and expertise in exercise and pregnancy, sports gynecology, exercise and weight loss, and exercise-induced menstrual irregularities.
 

Dr. Perkins is an avid marathon runner in her spare time. She spent two years in the Peace Corps in Thailand and speaks some French, Spanish and Thai. She now travels to Haiti once a year donating her time and skill to the Haitian Health Foundation.

​
Krystina Friedlander
Doula, Childbirth Educator, & Herbalist
​

Krystina Friedlander is a childbirth doula and student home birth midwife, currently in a clinical midwifery apprenticeship at the Concord Birth Center is Concord, NH. She has an herbal practice where she sees women for pregnancy and reproductive health related issues, and teaches classes on holistic fertility, pregnancy and postpartum wellness. Her website is www.barakabirth.com.

​
​
Cilia Bannenberg
CPM, NHCM

 

A NH Certified Midwife and native of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, she was born at home like her 7 siblings. Her daughter was born at home in Amsterdam and her son 6 years later in Barrington, New Hampshire. After her midwifery training in the Netherlands, she has been practicing as a Certified New Hampshire Midwife, doing home births, in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire and Maine since 1993.

​

She was president of the NH Midwifery Association for 2 terms and sat 8 years on the New Hampshire Midwifery Council Board.  She strongly believes pregnant moms should have a choice on where and how they want to give birth; be it at a hospital, a birth center or at home. And by giving birth in water or on a birth stool if that is moms choice.  She provides pre-natal care with informed choices, home birth and post partum services, which include oximetry testing, hearing and PKU screening. She is one of about 25 Certified New Hampshire Midwives practicing in NH today.

​

​

Hope on Haven Hill
Buy Tickets

abouthope
on haven hill

Located in Rochester, NH Hope on Haven Hill is a 501c3 that is a Level 3.5 licensed Residential Recovery Facility for pregnant women with substance use disorder, and their babies, for up to one year postpartum. 

Thanks to Karen and BOLD for continuing to be bold in childbirth. The BOLD movement is so needed and your play portrays the reality of birth today. 

​

Ina May Gaskin, author of Spiritual Midwifery & Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

Meet Our GOLD Sponsors

support Our Sponsors

bottom of page