Review: SHE WAS HERE at Austin Playhouse
An interesting plot with a lot of potential, still needs its final pages. Now playing through February 9th, 2025.
Raul Garza’s She Was Here ambitiously spans multiple generations of Latina mothers and daughters within the same Austin home, attempting to weave a narrative of familial legacy, cultural expectations, and evolving womanhood. While the premise is rich with potential, the script, still in its early stages, leaves too many threads untied, creating a sense of underdevelopment that dampens its emotional impact.
The play opens in 1955 with Elsa (Toni Knight), a widow, and her teenage daughter, Donna (Alyssa Hurtado). This era, marked by rigid gender roles and deep-rooted Catholic values, defines Elsa’s worldview—she prioritizes propriety, faith, and beauty. Donna, on the cusp of rebellion, chafes against her mother’s expectations but lacks either the agency or courage to break free entirely. The tension between them is palpable, but the dialogue often feels too modern, making it difficult to fully immerse in the historical authenticity of the period.
The story moves to 1975, a time of cultural revolution and feminist awakening. Donna, now an adult (played by Knight), is a mother to Nicole (Hurtado). The generational conflict shifts: Nicole is a passionate activist, critical of her mother’s perceived superficiality and lack of engagement in the broader women’s movement. Donna, in turn, is preoccupied with self-image and personal adventures—perhaps a reaction to the strict upbringing she endured or simply a reflection of her own values. This segment effectively captures the cultural gap between women raised in the conservative 1950s and those coming of age in the progressive 1970s, though at times, the dialogue leans into exposition rather than organic conflict.
The third mother-daughter pairing moves us to 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, where Amanda (Yesenia Garcia Herrington) and her teenage daughter, Gabi (Vivian Noble), now occupy the home. Unlike the previous pairs, they have no explicit connection to the original family, though the play suggests a spiritual or thematic link through objects left behind—a diary, a bracelet, and a ghostly presence. These elements remain frustratingly underexplored. However, the pandemic-era setting provides some of the most resonant moments, particularly for those who, like me, navigated the challenges of parenting teenagers in isolation. Amanda’s struggle to bond with her daughter feels raw and deeply personal, a reflection of the universal tension between tradition and modernity in Latina motherhood.
The final act returns to 1985, where Nicole (now played as an adult by Herrington) has come back to the house following Donna’s death. Now a divorced workaholic and activist, she faces the same struggles her mother did in connecting with her own daughter, Annie (Hurtado). This cyclical pattern of mother-daughter tension is one of the more compelling aspects of the play, emphasizing how cultural shifts impact each generation differently. However, like the rest of the story, it feels incomplete, with too many narrative threads left unresolved.
Despite the script’s shortcomings, this all-female cast brings authenticity and depth, elevating the material and leaving the audience with plenty to think about. Yesenia Garcia Herrington delivers a standout performance as Amanda, a pandemic-era mother whose journey feels deeply personal. Having also moved into a new home with teenage daughters post-divorce, Amanda’s struggle to connect through shared stories and cultural ties resonated powerfully. Toni Knight is delightful as Elsa, especially in the final scene, where she reveals the layers beneath her strict single-mother facade. Hurtado and Noble bring warmth and authenticity to their roles, rounding out a cast that makes the play feel lived-in and deeply felt.
At its core, She Was Here raises a crucial question: Is the idea of a shared "home" the binding force between these women, or is it the mother-daughter relationship that should take center stage? While the house serves as a witness to their stories, the more compelling narrative thread is the evolving experience of Latina mothers raising mixed-heritage daughters in an ever-changing society. If the play leans more fully into this theme—showing how each generation grapples with identity, cultural inheritance, and the weight of expectation—it could become a deeply moving exploration of the sacrifices and triumphs of Latina motherhood.
Ultimately, She Was Here has a solid foundation but remains a work in progress. The director’s notes acknowledge this, and it’s clear that the play would benefit from further development—particularly in resolving plotlines and clarifying character connections. As it stands, it offers a touching, if incomplete, meditation on heritage and identity. With refinement, it has the potential to become a much stronger and more compelling piece of theatre.
Duration: 1 hour and 30 min, no intermission!
She Was Here
Book by Raul Garza
Directed by Jerry Ruiz
Austin Playhouse (West Campus)
405 W. 22nd St.
Austin, TX 78705
Now playing through February 9, 2025
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm
Sunday, February & 9 at 2pm
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