NEW YORK, February 10, 2026 — Water, a potent symbol of life, trauma, and ancestral connection, takes center stage in Phanésia Pharel’s new play, The Waterfall, now showing at Off-Broadway’s WP Theater in a co-production with Thrown Stone Theatre Company through March 1. The play explores how water carries not just physical journeys, but also dreams and the weight of history.
A Family’s Currents: Exploring Identity and Motherhood
Pharel’s “The Waterfall” dives into the complex relationship between a Haitian-born mother and her American-raised daughter, using the imagery of a sacred waterfall as a central metaphor.
- The play centers on Emiliene (Emi), who experienced visions near a waterfall in her Haitian hometown of Croix-des-Bouquets, and her daughter, Bean, who has never visited the island.
- The Waterfall grapples with themes of motherhood, cultural identity, and the immigrant experience.
- Pharel was inspired by her mother’s stories of the waterfall and her own reflections on the pressures and expectations surrounding motherhood.
- The play subtly addresses broader demographic trends, including falling U.S. birthrates and overpopulation in Haiti.
“My mom has said, and I do believe this, that water carries power,” Pharel explained. “Water can transport you and water has the power to cleanse. I’ve never been to Haiti, but I have fantasized about being there while on beaches in Miami.”
In The Waterfall, Emi, born in Haiti, experienced visions near a waterfall in Croix-des-Bouquets as a child. Her daughter, Bean, skeptical of the waterfall’s power, has never been to the island. This difference in perspective fuels the play’s intimate and dialogue-driven drama.
The Waterfall as Metaphor and Catalyst
Pharel first explored the watery imagery while workshopping a one-act at the University of California at San Diego’s Wagner New Play Festival. “I knew these two characters needed a special place,” she said. “With some gentle pulling, my mother told me about the waterfall that’s really in the town of Croix-des-Bouquets, where she’s from. My grandmother’s surname is Dessources,” which translates to “from the springs” or “from the source.”
Initially, the waterfall served a structural purpose, helping Pharel track the characters’ emotional states. But the symbolism evolved, becoming central to the play’s exploration of Bean’s decision not to have children.
“That’s a really challenging conversation,” Pharel said, “between a mother who gives her child everything, and the child who may want to go in a different direction. Then it becomes even deeper, right? It’s about more than just the children. It’s asking: What does it mean that I came to this country and I have a vision of what your life should be? What does it mean that you want to be different?’”
The tension between Emi and Bean’s viewpoints drives the play. Pharel’s exploration of motherhood was sparked by Israeli sociologist Orna Donath’s Regretting Motherhood, which shares accounts of women who experience remorse about becoming mothers.
A story within the book—about an Ethiopian mother in Israel facing racism, a trauma intensified by parenthood—resonated with Pharel. “I found that story fascinating, because my mom had the same experience, but her approach was the opposite,” she explained. “After coming to the U.S., my mom had the mindset of, ‘I’ve experienced racism. I’ve been looked down upon. I’m going to raise these excellent children as a response.’”
The play’s most poignant moment arrives when Bean explains her choice not to become a mother:
That’s how I know
If I had a bad mother maybe I would be able to stomp out this feeling
And blame it on her
But I had the best mother
That’s how I know
I’m not supposed to be a mother.
Cultural Context and Generational Divide
Bean’s stance resonates with current trends, as U.S. birthrates have fallen to record lows. This contrasts sharply with Haiti, which is grappling with overpopulation and unsustainable resource demands. These demographic realities underscore the differing perspectives of Emi and Bean.
“My mom is a really lovely person and gave so much to me in my childhood. If I were to tell my mom I don’t want to be a mom…” Pharel paused, laughing. “Essentially, I think the final boss of the child-free movement would be a Haitian mom.”
The play also highlights the complexities of the Haitian experience. Haiti, the first free Black republic, has faced both triumph and abuse. Both Emi and Bean confront the mockery and cruelty they’ve experienced in the U.S. due to their heritage, and share a longing for a homeland they’ve never fully known.
“Because this play is about a mother and daughter, that relationship is our primary focus,” said Taylor Reynolds, the play’s director. “But throughout the process, we’re learning and exploring how identifying as Haitian, as a Haitian immigrant, and as a Haitian American adult child is both different and similar, and how complex those experiences are.”
Reynolds, formerly the producing artistic leader of the Harlem-based Movement Theatre Company, has a history of directing new plays by Black writers, including Aleshea Harris and Vivian Barnes. “I prioritize stories of Black women first and foremost,” Reynolds said, adding that she is drawn to “working on plays from writers of Caribbean or West African descent—these cultures that I feel connected to, especially living in New York.” She noted a serendipitous connection between Pharel and actor Natalie Paul, discovering they share familial ties just weeks into rehearsals.
Pharel confirmed: “My dad’s from a close town to where Natalie’s family is from. Very close—like, 20 minutes away.”
“Honestly,” Reynolds added, “I’m surprised it took us until week two to figure it out.”
