Even though no live bears made an appearance at Monday night’s performance, the last show in University Theatre’s Open Door Series delivered an evening of laughs, comedy and thrills.

Named after the one of Shakespeare’s most notable stage directions, “Exit, Pursued By a Bear” by Lauren Gunderson, is a play about Nan Carter, a woman planning to leave her sexist spouse and oppressive relationship with the help of her friends.

The show was a raw portrayal of relationship abuse in a redeeming comedy that left you laughing and on the edge of your seat. Since it was a staged reading, actors had a short time to prepare for the show and performed it with their lines in front of them, which added an additional challenge.

“It takes away an aspect of the connection on stage,” said Austin Mcclure, a junior studying electrical engineering who played Simon Beaufort, Nan’s supportive best friend. “So it puts a heightened emphasis on your language and your ability to talk through what’s happening and what you’re going through rather than gestures and interactions on stage.”  

The vibrant energy of the cast filled the small, intimate space in Thompson Rehearsal Hall. Lauren Knott, a sophomore studying psychology, brought the main character, Nan Carter, to life in an honest, dynamic performance that encouraged the audience to connect with a woman trying to escape an abusive marriage.  

“I’m one of those women that you look at and think, ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’” Knott said during the show while portraying Nan Carter. “Well, I didn’t leave until now because I’m broke, and I’m stuck and I’m scared. I am scared.”

Even though this show was rehearsed for only a week before it was performed in front of a live audience, the cast conducted in-depth research to accurately depict the world of “Exit, Pursued By a Bear.” To prepare for this show, actors worked on perfecting a north Georgian accent and building realistic characters.

“[To develop Nan’s character] I did a lot of reading of first-hand accounts of people who escaped domestic violence,” Knott said.

After the performance, the cast and director, Rachel Klem, hosted a talkback with the audience to discuss the themes and decisions that went into the play. One of the main topics was domestic abuse, how it was addressed in the comedy and how we can combat it in society. Klem noted how the theater provides a safe space to explore these topics and provides exposure to intense physical and emotional scenarios without putting anyone in danger.

“You can watch it and see it and understand it but don’t get so moved,” Klem said. “So seeing a man hit [Nan], even though it’s pretend, at the beginning … gives us some distance.”

The Open Door Series was a new initiative in University Theatre to produce shows that address social ideas and awareness. These smaller shows are outside the mainstage lineup and explore how art and society are mixed. Other shows performed this year include “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde,” a reading of “Baltimore” and the Creative Artist Award performance of “Of Ghosts and Strangers.”

All university productions showcase the talent and energy of students participating in the arts as an extracurricular. As per our charter as a land-grant institution, we are prohibited from creating performing arts majors. This fact adds to the extraordinary abilities of student performers who take the stage even though their main studies are outside of the theater.