Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Tannen.
Michele, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am the daughter of a Jewish, mentally ill mother who, at five years old, escaped to the United States from Berlin, Germany with her family. It was 1939, and the US had very strict quotas on admitting Jewish immigrants and no refugee policy. So, as an actress and a descendant of people who escaped the Holocaust, I am drawn to telling stories that increase empathy for people in difficult circumstances, while helping those in distress to feel less alone. There are not nearly as many honest stories out there about people who were raised by mentally ill parents as there are about parents of children with special needs. But, research shows that 2.7 million parents (3.8%) have a serious mental illness. That means that millions of kids grow up navigating the world without the benefit of a mentally healthy mom and/or dad to care for them, and these children often experience abuse and neglect.
I was five years old the first time my mother was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Strangely, my most vivid memory of that time was going outside to play with wet hair. Treatment for severe mental health conditions in those days included electroshock therapy. It was brutal, and it really wiped-out my mother’s memory. Before her hospital stay, my mom was absolutely fixated on what would happen to me if I went outside to play with wet hair. She was certain that I would catch my death of pneumonia! She washed my hair the day after she returned home from Edgemont Psychiatric Hospital in East Hollywood, where she was treated for what they called “psychosis.” With sopping wet hair, I asked her, “Mommy, can I go out to play?” “Ok,” she said, and she opened the sliding glass door that led to our backyard. I ran, absolutely giddy with surprise, towards the swing set that was set up on our lawn. But it was a tainted joy. Because even at five years old, her out-of-character agreement to let me play outside with wet hair gave me the hollow feeling that something was not right with Mommy.
My solo show, Surviving Mother’s Day, illuminates the reality of being a child of a mentally ill parent, and lets others who share that experience know that they are not alone. The show has been accepted into the Whiteface Theatre Solofest, and its world premiere is on March 1, 2026. I wrote the show in Matt Hoverman’s Go Solo workshop. He’s a an Emmy-winning writer who teaches actors and others how to create a solo show. I have a wonderful director — Jonathan Levit. He has such creative ideas and a deep understanding of the show’s content. I was 10 years old when I first realized that I wanted to be an actress, but I was living in much too difficult circumstances to fully pursue it. I was almost 40 when I finally got back to the truth of what I had alway wanted to do with my life. Since then, I’ve appeared on stage, TV, and film, and it’s really pure joy. But writing and performing Surviving Mother’s Day feels like a promise kept to that little girl who wanted so badly to perform.
It’s an understatement to say that the wet hair incident was “tame” in comparison to what I experienced as my mother’s daughter. Surviving Mother’s Day doesn’t shy away from the truth of that experience. My younger sister and I were at risk when her driving became unsafe. It was terrifying when her mood switched from childlike playfulness to unreasonable fury in a millisecond, and I felt motherless when I went through the milestones of growing up. As I got older, she refused to take her psychiatric medication, and her condition worsened. She pulled the oven out of the wall with her bare hands because she thought it was poisoning her. Once, she held a knife to my stepsister’s throat. But, in spite of raw honesty, Surviving Mother’s Day is not at all a tragic story. I survived with a healthy sense of humor and a rock-solid relationship with my sister that was (and is) loving, full of giggles, and based upon consistent support in the face of any adversity. Having a less-than-ideal childhood also encouraged me to dig into my mother’s family history. Surviving Mother’s Day recounts how I discovered long-lost Jewish cousins from an international search, and all the love and connection that they have brought into my life — something that I deeply missed before. In the show, audiences will get to know them too, and see how finding them brought me from feeling shame to experiencing pride in where I come from. Ultimately, my aim in bringing these experiences to life on stage is to let others know that possibilities exist no matter who raised you. It’s all about choosing love and refusing to stop searching.
Here is some info about Surviving Mother’s Day:
Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 7pm
Whitefire Theatre
13500 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Ticket information:
[email protected]
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Before I discovered acting at age 10, I wanted to be a ballet dancer or an ice skater. It was always about performing. Honestly, I was born without the stage fright gene! As a child, I loved playing pretend and telling a story. (I still do!) But growing up in a home with little money and a family that I never felt like I could rely on made my more practical side take over. So I got a degree in communications and worked in non-profit PR. In my late 30s, my desire to act came back with a vengeance. I couldn’t deny it any longer. So, I started my own business in order to have a more flexible schedule and time for auditions. It’s been such a wonderful ride! Because I came back to acting later in life, every audition and every role feels like a day to play and do what I love. It fills me with gratitude! I will never turn away from it again. I’m in for the long haul!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a Los Angeles native, and I love my city! I’ve been performing on Los Angeles stages for 25 years, including leading and supporting roles at the Stella Adler Theater Hollywood, Two Roads Theater, and The Secret Rose. I am a member of Towne Street Theatre, Los Angeles’ premier African American Theatre Company, and The Decameron Project. In November 2024, I traveled with Decameron to Tokyo Japan, where I performed in 10 plays in their audience favorite The One-Minute Play Festival, along with performers from Japan and the United States. In 2023, I was was awarded Best Actress by the New York Equity Library Festival for my portrayal of Abby in Felix Racelis’ My Shayna Punim. I’ve also appeared in numerous films, television shows, and commercials. I’m incredibly fortunate in that I’ve been able to train with some LA’s best acting teachers. Darryl Hickman and Harry Mastrogeorge were geniuses who have since passed away. I also learned so much from Mark Tillman and Tess Kirsch.
As far as what I specialize in, I had one acting coach call me “the queen of ambiguity.” Not because I don’t know what I want, but because I have a knack for playing characters who are at a crossroads in life and don’t know which way to turn. I think whether it’s comedy or drama, playing that anguish of not knowing the right path to take really allows an actor to discover layers in a performance. A lot of people ask whether I prefer drama or comedy. Honestly, I really love doing both. (Does that sound ambiguous? Hmm …) Perhaps that is why Surviving Mother’s Day could be called a “dramedy.”
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I love a good risk! For two reasons: 1. I come from Holocaust survivors who risked everything, and that’s the reason I’m here today. 2. Life is delicious, and I don’t want to miss out. (Yes, a major case of FOMO!) So, I’m willing to do things that are out of my comfort zone. The most risky was probably when I went to the jungles of Colombia with a non-profit organization to help indigenous people reclaim their stolen lands from powerful agriculture and business interests. Then I participated in a presentation at the US Embassy to encourage more listening to and action for the people who were affected. That experience deepened my understanding of how little we hear of others’ suffering around the world while we are so caught up in our everyday lives. And — I admit it– I am a Jewish American princess. In my opinion, if there aren’t mints on the pillow, it’s camping! But, for two weeks I trudged through the jungle mud, bathed in a river, and slept in the dirt surrounded by Colombian soldiers with VERY big guns. But, I saw a beautiful way of life that is at-risk. That changed me. Much is sacrificed in the name of “progress.” What is destroyed and who suffers in the name of consumerism is sadly overlooked, and once it’s gone, we can’t get it back.
Other fun risks included getting a Master’s degree in public diplomacy from USC in mid-life, traveling solo to Ecuador, skydiving, and starting my own business. Of course, most people consider acting to be risky, too. But, to me, it’s well worth it!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikkiskittys/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.tannen/
- Other: [email protected]
