←Recommendations of Stay Awhile

Poignant, heartbreaking, and achingly human. With STAY AWHILE, playwright DANA HALL invites us into the vulnerable inner world of a mother and daughter who are navigating some complex emotions together. The subject matter is compassionately handled without pulling too many punches, and its treatment of grief is relatable and raw. Beautiful work.

What a poignant piece about love and loss. Grief is an odd gremlin as it plays with your mind, your memories, and your heart. Thank you, DANA for creating a piece that shows the realities of losing a loved one.... those dead and those still living.

When Janice yells at her daughter not to "take away her pain" too, I felt that so much. Grief in losing a loved one feels like our pain needs to linger as a sacrifice, an homage to the lost love. While you're in the grief, sometimes it feels terrifying to imagine yourself WITHOUT the grief. And that kind of spiral can be difficult to manage alone. Absolutely heart-wrenching.

A touching, universal piece that mixes the complexities of grief, ageing and love --with a "pinch of sugar" for good measure. Perfect for the ZOOM medium. Brava.

Stay Awhile by Dana Hall is more than just a universal look into grief but also a look into grievers. Those left behind. A daughter worries about her mother response to her husband's death. It is sad, helpless and even terrifying. We're not sure if this is grief or dementia setting in - but the mother is dealing in a way that could ultimately be harmful and this thorn exacerbates the daughter's own grieving. This is very real and very well written. Kudos to Hall.

Dana Hall has written a touching and powerfully heartfelt play with STAY AWHILE. This two-hander is sure to make readers and audiences alike feel a cascade of emotions.

This piece hit close to home for me, and Dana Hall hits every nuance of dealing with grief in its many forms. The interaction between parent and child is deeply explored without being maudlin, and gives us a glimpse of the relationship over their lives in this moment. Perhaps it hit me hardest because I'm dealing with the same situation in my family, but Dana Hall's play is for all of us.

A gorgeous piece of writing, with two exceptionally rich roles for two women. Layered, nuanced, and deeply felt, this is a beautiful play.

Very touching, very emotional. I really felt for both characters, each with their own needs, in perfect conflict. The play kept me wanting to see what happens next, using just quiet moments between family. A great play for any festival.

DANA HALL’s short play, “Stay Awhile”, addresses the profound grief of losing a loved one. Opening up and expressing our true feelings is not easy. This is an emotional and meaningful piece. I loved watching it performed on Zoom in Two-Handler Slam. Bravo!