USI Theatre continues its 2023-24 season with Exit, Pursued by a Bear

University of Southern Indiana Theatre continues its 2023-24 season with Exit, Pursued by a Bear, a revenge comedy by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Joshua Robinson, Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre in the Philip H. Hagemann Performing Arts Department. Performances will run from Thursday, November 16 through Sunday, November 19 in the USI Performance Center.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear shows revenge is not only sweet, but hungry. Nan, a simple woman, has had enough. Enough of her rural life. Enough of her crushed dreams. But most importantly, she has had absolutely enough of her husband Kyle. Domestic bliss turns to domestic abuse, and now Nan is walking away. But not before giving Kyle one last glimpse at just how bad it’s been. With the help of her best friend Simon, and a stripper turned friend by chance, Sweetheart, Nan intends to make sure Kyle knows just exactly how much trouble he’s really in. And just how far she’ll go to even the score.

Billed as a “dark revenge comedy,” the production balances the serious with the absurd. Gunderson’s story of abuse and escape is all too real for those survivors of domestic abuse. While extreme, Exit, Pursued by a Bear shows that there are creative ways to find your voice and a path to a better life. By placing her abuser in a position to be forced to watch his sins be recounted, Nan gets a chance to extract a bit of catharsis mixed with revenge.

Director Robinson will be joined by a design team including Paul Weimer, Associate Professor and Chair of Theatre, as Scenic Designer; Shan Jensen, Professor of Theatre, as Costume Designer; Brandon Bagwell, Assistant Professor of Theatre, as Lighting Designer; Andy Hammond, Theatre Technical Coordinator, as Technical Director; as well as students, Grey Miller as Stage Manager and Mel Hanebutt as Sound Designer.

The cast of Exit, Pursued by a Bear includes USI students Chloe Kummer as Nan, Gavin Carter as Kyle, LillyBea Ireland as Sweetheart and Leo Rasche as Simon. Joining the stage crew will be Ian Palomino and Korbyn Taylor as Assistant Stage Managers.

USI Theatre will be using reserved seating, and ticket buyers can choose their own seats when purchasing online at https://usitheatre.universitytickets.com/ or by calling the box office at (812) 465-7110. Tickets are $2 for USI students, $10 for USI employees, $4 for non-USI students (student ID required), $10 seniors (60+) and $12 for adults.  Tickets are free to USI students with ID one hour before each performance begins based on availability. Shows begin at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee.