Exit, Pursued by a Bear
at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program

Reviewed on February 18, 2022

Audrey Link
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

"And everything ends happily. Unless you're the guy that gets eaten by the bear." At first glance, this sums up the plot of H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program's production of "Exit, Pursued by a Bear." Compelling, right? But a deeper dive into this enthralling and educational tale proves that this story is in fact one of powerful friendships, finding the inner strength to stand up for oneself, and most importantly, female empowerment.

Written by playwright Lauren Gunderson, "Exit, Pursued by a Bear" was originally published in 2011. The piece gets its name from a stage direction written by William Shakespeare in "The Winter's Tale," which is famous for its amusing candor and difficulty to stage. Gunderson's work follows the story of Nan, a southern housewife who will no longer stay quiet and stand her husband's abuse. Therefore, she decides to duct tape her husband, Kyle, to a chair and force him to watch her reenact scenes from their past. In these reenactments, Nan enlists the help of Simon, her best friend and personal cheerleader, and Sweetheart, another close friend and aspiring actress. Through their carefully crafted performances, Nan and her friends are determined to teach Kyle a lesson and make him see the error of his ways.

Rebecca Walyus portrayed Nan and had the challenging role of taking on a character who experiences a rollercoaster of emotions in just one act, a challenge which she executed beautifully. Walyus embodied the character of Nan in such a natural way that the audience immediately trusted her, even after hearing her bold plan to unleash a bear upon her husband. Daniel Gessel was the passionate actor who played said husband, and although this character was destined to be hated from the beginning, Gessel was able to show a more vulnerable side of Kyle that allowed the audience to see where his abusive ways stemmed from.

Cady Carr brought a touching sincerity to the character of Sweetheart, as it was evident how much she really cared about Nan. Carr's bright light of comedy in this otherwise dark tale made her an audience favorite. Last but certainly not least was the character of Simon, portrayed by the charismatic Auggie McDonald. He was the refreshing voice of reason at times, but ultimately just wanted the best for Nan. McDonald brought playful energy to the stage and, like the rest of the cast, had great comedic timing.

As for the technical aspects of this production, the most impressive were the projections of stage directions on an expansive screen in the middle of the set, acting as almost a silent narrator. Designed by Mary Katherine Musick, these projections kept the audience engaged and helped them understand the actors' movements. The projection screen was also largely complimented by the immersive set, which was designed and constructed by Maddox Kromash. The set outlined the living room and kitchen of Nan and Kyle's house in which the entire play took place and included many details from hunting guns hanging on the walls to a picture of penguins on the fridge, making the world of the play seem even more realistic.

Despite its description as a dark revenge comedy, at the heart of H-B Woodlawn's "Exit, Pursued by a Bear" was the inspiring story of a young woman who broke free of a harmful relationship and learned that only she can determine her future with the power of her own voice, her two best friends, and a bear.

Miya Livingston
Dominion High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

What do baby penguins, Jimmy Carter, and Shakespeare's bizarre stage directions have in common? You'll have to ask H-B Woodlawn's theater department. After a successful run of Lauren Gunderson's 2011 one-act revenge comedy "Exit, Pursued by a Bear", the student-directed group of Alexandria teens-- with just 4 cast and 9 crew among them-- has proved their artistry in conquering the onerous challenge of juxtaposing underlying dark themes with political one-liners and slapstick humor, effectively providing a night of laughter for the audience and raising awareness for domestic abuse in the process.

Gunderson's play, set in modern day Georgia, tells the story of Nan Carter, animal-lover and victim of domestic violence, as she confronts her abusive husband Kyle for the first and last time. Aided in her cause by dramatic performances from the thespian stripper Sweetheart and emotional support from her flamboyant best friend Simon, Nan presents Kyle with reenactments of each event that led their marriage awry, before leaving him as a defenseless entree for the infamous bears of the North Georgia woodlands (incapacitated under a mountain of raw venison and honey) once and for all.

Through a consistent combination of tactful tone and body language, Nan Carter (Rebecca Walyus) battled a spectrum of emotions for all the audience to see. Walyus sensationally portrayed Nan's precarious wavering between enraged vengefulness and tender sentiment for happier memories in such a captivating, grounded way that the audience couldn't help but witness her murderous intent and agree mirthfully, "Good for her."

Kyle Carter (Daniel Gessel), too, fulfilled many different tropes of varying agreeability, from explicit bigotry to awkward young ignorance and gaslighting arguments in his favor that were, at times, on the verge of winning Nan and the audience over. Even with Kyle's vile behavior, Gessel's comedic timing successfully elicited several laughs from the audience, while his range left each patron to question their own moral stance on the character-- the work of a profound actor, indeed.

Simon Beaufort (Auggie McDonald) wore an ostentatious red cheerleader get-up, the only item in sight breaking the muted rustic color scheme, that served well in summarizing his role in the story: he's a little confused, but he's got the spirit. Playing the voice of reason, McDonald's nuanced expressions demonstrated his understandable turmoil between a desire to support his best friend and his basic human morals; in effect, Simon's character, despite being the most camp and outlandish, was the most realistic and reasonable by far. And Sweetheart (Cady Carr) had no easy task, being charged with playing the roles of 3 of 4 characters present in various scenes throughout the show. Carr rose to the occasion with distinct body language and expression to mimic each character she portrayed.

The success of the production equally owed itself to the behind-the-scenes work of the student directors and stage crew. Under the direction of Carly Cameron, the crew flawlessly delivered crisp sound and lighting throughout the black box, with simple but purposeful props (Emma Hogan) and set (Maddox Kromash), all with an endearingly homemade feel. The projector screen overlooking the set showed various video clips and headings throughout the play, clarified scenes for the audience, and added a deadpan element to the overall humorous effect of the performance.

After watching the delightful rendition of Gunderson's one-act play, patrons left the night at H-B Woodlawn in joyful chatter. The 15 high schoolers behind the school's production of "Exit, Pursued by a Bear" used their success in presenting a harmonic tragicomedy and donated part of their proceeds to My Sister's Place, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence.

Lareina Allred
Dominion High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

When the name of a production is "Exit, Pursued by a Bear," two immediate questions arise: first, who is exiting, and second, what did they do to anger the bear?

With a title drawn from a famous stage direction in William Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale," Lauren Gunderson's 2011 one act play fuses both comedy and tragedy. The play's protagonist, Nan, is a sensitive soul with a love for animals, finally at the end of her rope with her abusive husband Kyle. With a flair for dramatics and assistance from her two friends (longtime pal Simon and a young stripper named Sweetheart), Nan takes a completely reasonable course of action: she duct-tapes Kyle to an armchair in her living room. Throughout the rest of the play, Nan reenacts important scenes from her and Kyle's often-fraught relationship, trying to make Kyle understand the error of his ways while also trying to work up the nerve to leave him. Her plan's pièce de résistance is to cover the room in honey and surround Kyle with raw deer meat, leaving him to the hungry bears of the Georgia wilderness.

H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program's production handled the play's sensitive topics (ranging from addiction to domestic violence) with a commendable effort, spearheaded by the tireless efforts of student director Carly Cameron. With a cast of only four actors, each performance was integral to the success of the show. Rebecca Walyus' portrayal of Nan was nuanced and high-spirited, clear in everything from her body language during tense scenes to the inflection of her voice during her final soliloquy. Cady Carr's role as Sweetheart was done with equal skill. Her portrayal of Nan during a reenactment, tearfully admitting to Simon that she had been abused by Kyle, was a true high point of the show. Simon, the play's lighthearted soul, was played by Auggie McDonald with an earnestness that filled scenes to the brim with energy. Finally, as the linchpin of the production, Daniel Gessel played the role of Kyle. Gessel's comedic timing and physicality, even as he was duct taped to a chair, offered an important foil to Walyus' Nan, forming a realistic and troubled couple. Throughout the entire production the group acted with an intense enthusiasm and humor, inviting the audience to become a part of their world.

It would be remiss, however, to not discuss the technical aspects of the production. Everything from the staging to sound came together to form the rustic, rural world of "Exit, Pursued By a Bear." Various pictures and props were carefully placed on the set's walls, made of various angled flats that mimicked real wood. The specially installed tile floor additionally mimicked the look of a real living room, and Maddox Kromash truly created a beautiful set. All lighting and sound cues, of which there were many, were done with a promptness that belied the tech crew's young age. The various sound effects done by Mary Katherine Musick, like a telephone ringing or fireworks in the distance, combined with the changing spotlights and blue washes of color done by Collin Davis. These elements carefully delineated between flashbacks and real life, guiding the audience through the story with ease. The projector, done by Mary Katherine Musick, was also a welcome source of laughs as it narrated the actions of the characters, who used various props done by Emma Hogan and Charlie King and were outfitted in true Georgia fashion by Izzy Lloyd. Overall, H-B Woodlawn's production did a wonderful job of capturing the complexities (and ridiculousness) of human relationships, bringing Gunderson's script to life with wit and panache.

Shannon Sidwell
Centreville High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

With an impending threat of bears, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program's performance of "Exit, Pursued by a Bear", is a "revenge comedy" that wonderfully featured drama, a dead deer, honey, and a touch of duct tape.

"Exit, Pursued by a Bear", a play written by Lauren Gunderson, is about Nan, a woman deciding to finally leave her abusive husband, Kyle. However, she couldn't pass up a chance for good old-fashioned revenge and duct tapes her husband to a chair and performs scenes of moments from their past that have changed how Nan sees Kyle. With the help of Simon, an old friend, and Sweetheart, a new one (who just so happens to be a stripper), Nan establishes an elaborate scheme to lure in a bear with venison and honey.

Even while being duct taped to a chair, Kyle, portrayed by Daniel Gessel, had strong character moments. Gessel managed the balance of a hateable, but believable manipulator. The audience could see why Nan wanted to believe Kyle, but at the same time was utterly appalled by his actions and words.

A charismatic and charming cheerleader, Simon was played by Auggie McDonald. From the cheerleader outfit, to the larger-than-life moments, Simon was a lively and witty character that brought life to a grim show. Even in background moments, McDonald stayed authentic to the character and provided a delightful performance.

Nan, performed by Rebecca Walyus, was a character full of dynamic and realistic emotions which Walyus perfectly captured. When interacting with other characters Walyus confidently reacted and kept the audience engaged. Walyus spoke clearly, and helped the audience understand the context of each scene through physical choices.

Suspended pieces, charming details, and perfectly outdated furniture made the set, designed by Maddox Kromash, compelling while not distracting from the actors. The style of the set felt fitting for the characters. Decorative dated tile on the floor, old appliances, and even a suspended ceiling fan made the set feel real, while maintaining simplicity.

The lighting, designed by Colin Davis, was incredibly well executed and timely throughout the show. The lighting added clarity, by showing the audience when a scene was a reenactment versus a real time scene. In addition to clarity, the lights were engaging and helped lead the audience to the focal point of each moment.

H-B Woodlawn's performance of "Exit, Pursued By a Bear" confidently and delightfully engaged the audience in a comedic but thorough story of a dark and real topic.