When soulful, melodic music meets tender and rib-tickling tales, you’re in for a memorable evening, and that is what the audience is guaranteed when MOMNIPRESENT comes to The Colony Theatre in Burbank on Sunday, May 31 at 5:00pm. And, given that May is both the month of Mother’s Day and Mental Health Awareness month, it is fitting that proceeds from the show will go to support the meaningful work of Family Service Agency of Burbank.
The show will open at 5:00pm with LIVE music by Burbank’s own NashBerry Family Band, featuring Ken Berry, a guitar player who has been writing music for television for 30+ years, and toured with and continues to work in the studio with Barry Manilow. His wife Connie Nassios is a keyboard/bass player who toured with Aureus, and their daughter, Abbi Berry, is an award-winning jazz and pop vocalist, pianist, guitarist, songwriter and teacher.
Then eight storytellers will share a beautiful blend of raw, humorous, surprising and touching true tales about their mothers or about being moms. The featured storytellers include an art museum administrator, a playwright, an R&B singer, plus several a couple of comedians and MOTH Grand Slam winners. Courtney Crane, Pattie Fitzgerald, Mary Huth, Julia Lechner, Kevin McGeehan, Cat Ski, Chambers Stevens, and Bren Hill Tully promise to move the audience with their words.
Momnipresent is the sixteenth storytelling show at The Colony Theater produced by Suzanne Weerts, Producing Artistic Director of JAM Creative, and her shows have raised over $60,000 to support local non-profits. “It feels more important than ever that people to come together to listen to stories and to connect with one another,” said Weerts, “Our world can feel really detached these days, but through stories, we realize that we are not alone, both in the laugh-out-loud moments and in the raw ones too.”
Last week, many of the cast members had the opportunity to tour Family Service Agency and learn more about the mental health and counseling services they’ve been providing for Burbank students, families, couples, domestic violence survivors and veterans since 1953.
Julia Lechner, winner of the Burbank Public Library’s inaugural Story Slam in January 2026, is one of the storytellers who visited FSA. “I’m really honored to be part of Momnipresent and to support an organization like FSA, which does such incredible work in our community,” said Lechner, “Not everyone gets the chance to tell their story on stage – though I hope they do someday – so my hope is that through these stories, we can give voice to a wide range of experiences, triumphs, and heartbreaks, and help people feel a little more seen and a little less alone.”
General admission tickets are $25 and can be purchased at jamcreativestories.com. Sponsors for MOMNIPRESENT include Schafer Electric, Cusumano Real Estate Group, Jack O’Neill, Community Chevrolet, Volpei-Gussow-Barnes Real Estate Group, UMe Federal Credit Union, The Circle Christopher Rizzotti Real Estate, Color Images Copy and Print, Towers in the Window and Susy Shearer Photography. Set design for the show is provided by Olga Onofriichuk and Giant Flowers LA.
For more information about MOMNIPRESENT contact Suzanne Weerts at jamcreativestories@gmail.com. Additional information, cast bios and tickets are available on the website: jamcreativestories.com.
