- My Mother's Story: North Vancouver, a staged reading and presentation on how to write your mother's story, Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m. Free, RSVP to 604-990-3474. Info: www.phtheatre.org.

The woman's story was captivating.

While attending a wedding reception in 2004, Marilyn Norry, an actor, writer and story editor currently based in New Westminster, was listening to a friend tell a story.

"She said, 'To know this, you have to know my mother's story,' and told me her mother's story in about five minutes," says Norry.

It was an unbelievable tale and it prompted Norry to wonder if she could tell her own mother's story in the same amount of time; as well, if it would have the same charm, as her mother lived a less adventurous life than that of her friend's.

"I gave it a whirl and my friend thought it was fascinating because, well, it was so unlike her story," she says. "I was just thinking about, certainly, we take our mothers for granted but I think everybody assumes in some way that their mother is either the same as every other mother or so totally unique that you can't talk about her."

Ever since, Norry has continued to encourage women to follow suit, launching the Mothership Stories Society, which over the years has presented writing workshops, as well as works of theatre, weaving the stories together in a format she refers to as "collage."

Now, the society has partnered with Presentation House Theatre for My Mother's Story: North Vancouver. City and district residents are encouraged to submit their mother's stories in 2,000 words or less. In March 2012, the theatre will present nine of the stories, woven into a work performed by female actors. To learn more, attend a free staged reading and presentation Saturday, June 25 at Presentation House.

For more information, visit www.mymothersstory.org.