Written and submitted by Stephanie Baker, Associate Director, Outer Banks Hotline
The Theatre of Dare presented a check in the amount of $1,675 to Outer Banks Hotline, Dare County’s only interpersonal violence (domestic abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking) crisis intervention and prevention agency following the run of ‘Exit, Pursued By A Bear’ in January and the charity evening dedicated to support Hotline’s services.
The Theater of Dare realized the issue of domestic violence, while a dark subject matter, needs to be brought to the light to help educate the public and honor survivors. Tim Hass, the Theater of Dare Director, and Director of ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’, pitched it to the Theater of Dare Board of Directors in late 2021 and it was placed in the 2022-2023 schedule.
“I had read a review of a production of ‘Exit’ done in another city and then decided to read the play for myself. After I read it, I saw a chance to do a great dark comedy with an important message,” said Hass. “I also brought the idea of doing an extra performance as a fundraiser for Hotline to help domestic abuse victims to the Board, and they supported me in those efforts. I’m glad we are able to do these types of things, I think it helps us put the ‘community’ in ‘community theater’.”
The play, written by Lauren Gunderson, tells the story of a woman who concocts an elaborate, if not ridiculous, plan to teach her abusive husband a lesson. She enlists the help of her best friend and an aspiring actress/part time stripper she met and befriended. The husband is duct-taped to his recliner and forced to watch reenacted scenes from their painful past. The victim/survivor wife’s plan of revenge ends with her and her crew luring nearby bears to come make a meal out of him.
Executive Director of Outer Banks Hotline, Bronwyn Thornton and Hotline staff and volunteers attended the charity performance held on January 26. “It was an amazing effort on behalf of the actors in the show. They did a great job in giving a performance that both gave credence to the seriousness of the issue, while bringing levity to the way in which the characters handled the scheme,” said Thornton. “We are honored that the Theater of Dare took this on and shed light on the important work Outer Banks Hotline does and the people we serve.”
Hass believes the actors were able to get the audience to invest in the story and these characters. “I do think it prompted discussion and awareness of the domestic violence issue close to home. And, I hope that if there was anyone in the audience currently in an abusive relationship, they will have gained the resolve and the resources (through our partnership with Hotline) to get out of it.”
For more information regarding this article or Outer Banks Hotline, contact Stephanie at Outer Banks Hotline: 252-473-5121 or via email at stephanie@obhotline.org.