It is a chance to tell our story and to break the stereotypes for everyone. What ensues is Giardina’s fictionalized treatment of the 1920 Matewan Massacre. The narrative presents an opportunity to tell a noteworthy and often forgotten WestVirginia story on a wider stage, impacting both state and national perceptions of West Virginia history and its history. Their struggle to survive in the face of the coal company’s suppression erupts into a battle, the Battle of Blair Mountain, which irrevocably changes each of their lives. Based on Denise Giardina’s award-winning novel, the story of the Coal Wars of West Virginia is portrayed through the eyes of five members of a small mining community. Itis about the backbone of the WV story, its people. It touches on the grit, strength, and endurance of the West Virginia people. Multifaceted challenges regarding industry, job opportunities, and economic hardships have always been part of the West Virginia story, but this musical celebrates one of the state’s greatest accomplishments. It seems very fitting that the first production be done in West Virginia because the show brings a powerful West Virginia story to life for contemporary audiences. They collaborated with Tracy Lawrence and FlipAnderson on the music to create a clear Appalachian sound. The play was written by Katy Blake and Peter Davenport.

If we are very lucky, every few years there. Giardina, whose previous novels Storming Heaven (1987) and The Unquiet Earth. Denise Giardina tells the miners stirring story with a fierceness and passion. Storming Heaven BlurbIn January 2019 West Virginia Public Theatre produced a staged reading of Storming Heaven: The Musical which garnered deep and widespread community support and interest. Saints and Villains is a 1998 novel by Denise Giardina.

Storming heaven denise giardina summary