Award-winning actor Purva Bedi tried to be practical by double-majoring in Economics and Theatre as an undergrad, but with acting and performing running through her bloodlines, a life on stage and screen was inevitable. In the final episode of Season 2, Purva tells Melanie and Katie incredible stories of her family and how she carries that lineage forward.  She shares about her early career as a bicoastal actor crashing with her parents, the bold declaration she made on her first date with her future husband, and how her biggest challenge as an actor has been saying No. From her own creative projects poking fun at pregnancy and marriage, to her life as a fixture on the New York theatre scene and her many on-screen performances, to the mothering of her two children, Purva brings her heart, humor, and the ability to pivot fast to everything she does.

More on Purva:

https://www.purvabedi.com

@purvabedi

I'm Having a Baby video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXdKeBv_cfs&list=RDMXdKeBv_cfs&start_radio=1

https://www.targetmargin.org

https://www.facebook.com/shrinkagetheshow/mentions/?_rdr

As a single gay actor going from out of town job to out of town job, J. Paul Boehmer didn’t think having children was in the realm of possibility for him. Then he met his husband, bought a house and, after a fortuitous conversation, began looking for an egg donor and a surrogate. 

In this very special Fathers’ Day episode, Paul shares the fatigue of life on the road and the reality of 8-week friendships, how he grew his audiobook side hustle into a full-time gig, and how he and his husband found their way to parenting twin girls at the start of a global pandemic. Paul describes the prejudices they faced as a same-sex couple wanting to have children, how deeply they bonded with their surrogate, what his daughters think of his work, and why they outsourced potty training. 

This is an episode honoring all the amazing dads in the business- hats off to you and all you do.

More on Paul:

a few of his audiobook titles here:

https://www.audiobooksnow.com/search/paul%20boehmer/

For any additional questions about the episode please get in touch with us via DM @actlikeamotherpodcast

Actor, producer, coach, union organizer and mom to a 13-year old boy, Hilary Ward shares with Katie and Melanie her beautiful perspective on life and work. She speaks about acknowledging the “almosts” and the failures as an actor and not just the wins, how her career doesn’t define her worth, and how theatre can be relevant to the community it takes place in. Hilary explains why Primary Trust is the play of the moment and how she negotiated with her family to leave town not once but twice to perform in it.

Hilary has built a thriving career in LA and she speaks to the ups and downs of that including what it was like to get dumped by her agent, how the business is determined to teach her that she’s not in control and how running a theatre company is what actually keeps her sane.

As a military wife with a husband who spent time on active duty overseas, Hilary had plenty of experience with uncertainty. She shares how she cares for and centers herself, what’s important to her as a mother, and how she sorted out who she is rather than who the business expected her to be. 

More on Hilary:

https://www.hilarywardofficial.com

@imhilaryward

https://www.chalkrep.com

https://www.sagaftra.org

https://www.sagaftra.org/los-angeles/local-programs/los-angeles-conservatory

https://theatre.ucsd.edu/academics/graduate/acting-mfa.html

https://twhartford.org

https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/96908/primary-trust

https://www.penguinrandomhouseretail.com/book/?isbn=9780143129257

Mary Bacon is an award-winning actor and a writer who has collaborated with countless esteemed playwrights, directors and theatres. From multiple world premieres to a canon of classical roles, Mary is a celebrated and beloved member of the New York and regional theatre communities. 

In this episode, Melanie and Katie speak with Mary about the last 2 decades: from the series of beautiful synchronicities that led to the adoption of her Ethiopian son Abadi, now 15, through a thriving career as an actor mama, to the sudden and tragic loss of her husband, Andrew Leynse of Primary Stages, in 2023. Mary’s story is one of the power of endurance and the choice to trust in life. She opens up about how she found her voice after unthinkable loss and how writing has helped her to reflect on and articulate her grief. 

Mary recounts the roles she played that ended up helping her through her darkest time, what she learns by watching sports documentaries with her son, and that by living and creating,  she is honoring her husband’s legacy.

More on Mary and her resources:

https://www.marybacon.net

@marybacon7

https://thewidowbacon.substack.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/style/tiny-modern-love-stories-the-wrong-parent-died.html?searchResultPosition=16

https://www.bcwtreehouse.org

https://experiencecamps.org

https://www.moliereinthepark.org

https://www.primarystages.org

Growing up as a latchkey kid with 2 working actor parents, there was little doubt that Amanda would follow in the family business. Now the mother of a 20-year-old daughter who has decided to tread the boards, Amanda shares with Katie and Melanie how she found her formula for the work/mom life, and what went down when she left her child and husband behind to hit the road with a show that called to her like no other.  Now as an empty nester, Amanda is looking forward to all kinds of juicy character roles. Amanda’s life has shown that the best laid plans often take a u-turn, and even though she doesn’t believe in vision boards, many of her dreams have already come true. 

More on Amanda:

@instanaught

https://www.amazon.com/Remember-WENN-Season-1/dp/B09QFHMBWD

Award -winning actor, director, writer and educator Annie Torsiglieri talks to Melanie and Katie about raising her twin boys while holding onto her artistic life after one of her children received an early autism diagnosis. As life's trajectory continued to unfold in unexpected ways, Annie’s humor, curiosity and fierce mama mojo led her family through the darkness and into the light. For 21 years, Annie has worked to understand, celebrate and advocate for her kids while all the time digging deeper into her creative self. 

You’ll hear a Zen parable, laugh-til-you-cry song lyrics, and a few artfully used F-bombs in an unforgettable story about the life-changing power of theatre. And spoiler alert: you’ll never think of strawberries the same way. 

More on Annie:

@annietorsi

https://www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu/people/anne-torsiglieri

https://www.atraintheplay.com

https://the-art-of-autism.com

https://52project.org

NOTE BEFORE: In this episode there is a brief reference to suicide which may be a sensitive subject for some.

Actor, writer, producer, educator and single mom Vivia Font speaks with Katie and Melanie about all things single parenting. From freezing her eggs to shopping for a sperm donor to the ins and outs of insemination and beyond, Vivia's zest for life and figure-it-out-as-you-go attitude infuses everything she does. After the unexpected death of a dear friend, Vivia turned to her creativity to process her grief and pain. The result: a beautiful film that fell into place one piece at a time. Hear how the resilience she's gained through motherhood has helped her move through tough times, what she holds as her greatest hope for her son, and why she feels she's at a new peak in her creative power and artistic strength.

More on Vivia, her film and high quality sperm:

@vivia_font

www.viviafont.co

http://www.viviafont.com/honk-the-film.html

https://www.cryobank.com

@cryobank

Alysia Reiner is an actor, producer, activist, volunteer firefighter, foster parent, mother of a teenager, and a force to be reckoned with. In this episode, she speaks with Melanie and Katie about how she manages her multi-hyphenate life, the long and winding road to motherhood, and why she believes storytelling can save the world. Whether it's FaceTime dinners with her family while on location or opening her arms and home to those in need, Alysia's commitment to bridging divides began long before her star turn as Natalie "Fig" Figueroa on Orange Is The New Black. This woman is a powerhouse who refuses to sit around waiting for the phone to ring.

More on Alysia, her projects and passions

https://www.alysiareiner.com

@alysiareiner

https://www.scr.org/plays/productions/24-25-season/you-are-cordially-invited-to-the-end-of-the-world/

https://www.earthdayinitiative.org

https://www.theturnawayplay.com

https://wearemama.org

https://www.ineedana.com

Brand new mom Jacque Wilke speaks with Katie and Melanie about what it's like taking on the tour de force lead in What the Constitution Means to Me while figuring out parenting for the first time. Jacque shares the pressure she put on herself to be a supermom and the liberation she found when she embraced how motherhood had rearranged her. From learning her lines during stroller walks to allowing herself to be less than perfect and a bit exhausted, Jacque digs deep into an incredible role which means even more to her now that she's mother to a daughter. With effervescent humor, Jacque takes us from the rehearsal room to story time at the library and reminds us why coffee is the best thing that's ever happened to working moms.

More on Jacque:

https://www.jacquewilke.com

Info on her show at North Coast Repertory Theatre

https://northcoastrep.org/production/what-the-constitution-means-to-me/

The play:

What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck

In the first episode of Season 2, Katie talks with Melanie about the realities of staying committed to her career while growing a big family. They discuss what Melanie has to consider before even auditioning for a job, how she keeps her energy up while rehearsing/performing and how she stays grounded in the face of life's inevitable curve balls. Currently playing Brooke in Other Desert Cities, Melanie shares how much fun it is to turn off her empathetic mama brain in order to play a character who is single, childless and entirely self-focused.

For more on Melanie and her recommendations:

melanielora.com

@missmelanielora

cygnettheatre.org

Yoga Nidra: allyboothroyd.com (also available on youtube)

Cold Plunge: breathedegrees.com (at home or in studio)

Breathwork: revelationbreathwork.com