←Recommendations of An Ode to Hurricane Maria

At the 2018 Samuel French festival, I saw this short one-woman monologue about her fight against one of history's worse hurricanes while also dealing with the damages it left behind. She was fearless, honest, vulnerable and even more importantly so, hopeful. Diaz-Marcano won't let the world forget about Puerto Rico.

A powerhouse of a monologue! I was most struck with the magic of the piece, and the lyric nature of the language. The heart beating toward the end brought me to tears. All and all, a great piece for an actor to sink their teeth into, and to move an audience with. Well done!

Such a beautiful ode to a homeland that's seen such destruction . Such power of words that strike at the heart of the reader. The last scene is achingly beautiful where Rocio hears the beating heart of the island once again. Thank you for sharing this.

Raw, full of poetry and fury. Every time I read this play my heart swells and my eyes tear up. It's short and powerful. Thank you so much for this.

A brilliant piece that really captures the personal and the communal loss. These storms, they take more than your trees, your homes-- it takes your smiles. There is so much energy and life and incredible nerve to be had here! It would be such an honor to play Rocio! Such a strong willed character with so much history and life! A page into this play and I felt as though I'd known her for years. Wonderful magic exists here-- read it immediately.

A play of beautiful, justified fury. You will cheer for Rocio up until the end. I would love to see this performed, I am sure that it is utterly captivating. Diaz-Marcano writes a play about true courage--grit, determination, vulnerability, fear, and RAGING against that which tries to destroy us.

I don't know what else to say except I saw this piece performed and I cried and laughed and cheered and it's so powerful and just read it, okay?

This monologue play will definitely get a standing ovation for Racio, Puerto Rico, for all survivors and dreamers. A play for those that don't give up after any tragedy, natural or otherwise. This is not an eulogy-monologue, it's a survivor's epiphany. Bold, beautiful, powerful and physical, one of the most memorable monologues I've read on the page. Our (in)ability of transcending trauma and responding to tragedy, how to move beyond anger after losing so much, (re)claiming identity and humanity, these are some universal themes at work by Diaz-Marcano.

Wow - a beautiful one-woman short play about fury, homeland, and hope. Diaz-Marcano weaves poetry, magic, and deep, deep anger into this piece in such a careful, artful way. RABIOSA is as moving and powerful as a hurricane; if any human being can stand up to a storm, it's Rocio.