Victoria Clark

Being a working mother is one of the world's hardest tasks. When a mom's job is being a Broadway star, the challenges and rewards are unique. In honor of Mother's Day, TheaterMania spoke with six remarkable women about how they balance their professional and personal lives, what they learned from their own mothers, and how they plan to celebrate on May 13.

Victoria Clark won a Tony for playing overprotective mother Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza and recently received acclaim for her portrayal of unhappy mom Sally Durant Plummer in Follies at City Center. Off-stage, she's a single parent, raising her 12-year-old son Tommy.

TM: How do you balance motherhood and your career?

VC: With great difficulty. Being a mom makes me a much better actress. There's no question about that. I used to do shows for Tommy when he was in a high chair. I'd reenact moments from theatrical history. He had a nonplussed expression, waiting for it to be over.

TM: What was the best advice or example that you were given by your own mother?

VC: "Keep everything in perspective." "Laugh at things, if you can." "Don't take things too seriously."

TM: What are your plans to celebrate Mother's Day this year?

VC: I'm going to be singing "God Bless America" at Shea Stadium. After that, Tommy is playing a big soccer game on Randall's Island. That's my life as a mother -- all about sports. We both get to support each other.