←Recommendations of WE'RE TRYING TO HEAL!!

What I love about this play is how Wellman deals head-on with the very serious subject of sexual abuse and its aftermath in a truthful, messy, and surprisingly comedic way. Balancing an ensemble while also breathing life into each character is no easy feat and Wellman does so masterfully. "We're Trying to Heal!" feels real and intense and urgent in the best way - I look forward to seeing this piece come to life on stage soon.

I have this play to be such an original take on the issue of sexual abuse. We don't often get to see what happens after victims receive closure and the complicated feelings that arise. This is a really great ensemble piece. I thought these characters were written with so much care and depth. I was hooked from the start knowing that things were going to go wrong during this trip but not knowing exactly how. The ending really packed a punch. This play will be cathartic for so many people.

We can be forever bonded by trauma to people with whom we otherwise have almost nothing in common. Ashley Rose Wellman's WE'RE TRYING TO HEAL! is an exploration of this theme focusing on a trauma so overwhelming that it should be unbearable to watch; instead, she gives us a rollicking comic road trip, a joyous exploration of its characters that lets them be fractious and messy even as it gives full measure to their grief, a testament to Wellman's immense grace and craftsmanship. A must-read.

I love how this play balances levity and tension and rage. I'm consistently laughing, even after hard moments that I think many writers would struggle to rescue the tone from. Plays about sexual assault are hard to do well and I love that this one so purposefully centers the connection between the women in this story. Parts are dark and painful, but it's never oppressive -- it's hopeful, it's mean, it's complicated, it's messy, it's sweet, DARE I SAY IT'S ACTUALLY CATHARTIC.