Tricia Matthews in 'Mountain Mamas'
In "Mountain Mamas," three generations of women find themselves back under the same roof; a place that’s seen its fair share of arguments, grief, and laughter. But beneath the worn out floor and strong black coffee sits something even more enduring: love.
The new work by Atlanta-based playwright Daryl Lisa Fazio made its initial debut during a reading at the 2021 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights, and Barter presents the world premiere this summer in Smith Theatre.
Set deep in the coalfields of West Virginia, "Mountain Mamas"is the kind of production that feels uniquely at home in our region. “Everybody in the audience is likely to have had some contact with someone who knows this world,” Fazio said. The play follows Wanda, a retired coal miner and union leader; Patsy, her restless, grieving daughter; and Livvy, Patsy’s teenage daughter searching to find her place in the world. It’s a multi-generational family drama rooted in the emotional and physical struggle of the mines.
While coal country isn’t familiar territory for Fazio, the idea began with a simple, unexpected question: “Do women mine coal?” The answer, a resounding “yes”, launched a deep dive into research. “I looked at the images, and every fiber of my playwright being was locked in,” Fazio said. “These tough women, smoking cigarettes, their faces black with coal dust; I just knew there were stories there.” From documentaries to biographies and first-person interviews, she gathered rich, detailed insights into the lives of women in the mines. The result is a play that isn’t about coal itself, but about what it means to the people, particularly the women, who live with its legacy.
For Tricia Matthews, a longtime member of Barter’s Resident Acting Company, stepping into the role of Wanda presents an opportunity to explore a character who is both weathered and deeply grounded. “She has some history, but she loves her family, and she loves the people she worked with.” As Wanda, Matthews brings a calm but powerful presence to the center of the family dynamic.
Ashley Campos, who plays Patsy, describes her character as “a live wire.” “She’s grieving. She’s holding so much in. And she’s really struggling to find a way forward with her daughter and her mother,” Campos says. “There’s so much pressure for these women to be everything for everyone.”
Campos and Matthews agree that one of the play’s most poignant elements is the honest, complicated relationship between the three women. “They all want to be seen and understood by each other,” says Campos. “And sometimes they’re missing, but they’re trying.” That emotional honesty is what makes the story feel grounded and so true to life.
Although the play explores complex themes such as labor rights, climate changeand generational trauma, it never loses sight of its human core. Fazio, who grew up in Mississippi, says she has always been drawn to the stories of Southern, working-class women whose tales are often left untold. “I want to write [about] women who are messy and funny and complicated and making terrible decisions but still showing up for each other,” she said.
That energy radiates throughoutMountain Mamas, a production built on tough love, unresolved griefand deep, enduring connection. For audiences in Appalachia, the story feels like home. For those beyond it, "Mountain Mamas" opens a door to lives and legacies that are rarely honored in the spotlight.
Barter Theatre’s production of "Mountain Mamas" runs until Aug.9at Barter’s Smith Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. Tickets can be purchased online atwww.bartertheatre.comor by calling the Box Office at 276-628-3991.
