←Recommendations of Mountain Mamas

Saw a reading of this piece at Florida Rep PlayLab. Tightly-drawn character study. Bold and self-assured, Fazio knows about the power of distillation.

Florida Rep was happy to showcase Daryl's work again in our 2023 PlayLab Festival. Mountain Mamas looks at a specific subset of southern women - coal miners in West Virginia. She tackles a huge issue with heart and humor (as always with Daryl). She makes you cry and laugh and shines a light on the special bonds between mothers and daughters. I highly recommend considering this play for your theatre and the actresses in your circle of artists.

This play opened my eyes to the inner workings of the American coal-mining family, awakening cognitive dissonance within myself as Fazio humanizes and expands upon the areas of grey of the rural working class family in such a decisive time as now. Poignant commentary on labor rights and climate change, this play is a wonderful family drama with a ton of heart and soul. Truly down to earth and authentic.

The family connection of Mountain Mamas is the immediately captivating heart of this play. I'm particularly struck by the nuanced discussion of legacy - what we pass on to our family, both intentionally and unintentionally, and how you can be proud of your life path yet see things in a different light when a loved one is walking toward the same journey. Always love a new play with richly drawn characters above the age of 50!

In a play about coal miners, I would expect the crux of the story to be black lung. But instead, it is ever present in the background. The characters cough and sometimes mention black lung, but it is not the main issue. Which feels so authentic. It's a reminder of how this disease effects everyone who goes into the mine. But it is so difficult to get compensation for it and the health issues that result from coal dust go ignored. This is a deeply important play about labor, family, and pride.

I found this play extremely moving in a way that I didn't expect; the subject matter is rich, the characters all feel sharply defined and alive, and the theatricality of Patsy's struggle to regain her life is really effective, particularly in her relationship with her mother Wanda, a powerhouse of a character. It makes the naïve reader understand what one could possibly get out of going down a coal shaft. This is begging to be staged.

Playwrights Foundation highly recommends MOUNTAIN MAMAS, which excelled to the Finalist round (top 35) for the 44th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival out of 755 plays. Our community of readers felt this play best represented the mission of our festival. This work engaged us, inspired us, moved us, and was and outstanding example of transformative storytelling. Our local Bay Area Literary Council commends MOUNTAIN MAMAS as a compelling, relevant, cathartic new work which should be produced now. Congratulations! #BAPF2021