Temple Theater to Present Ike Holter's EXIT STRATEGY This Winter

By the end of the year, Chicago's Tumbldn High School will be shut down - but a lot can happen before school's out forever. In Ike Holter's EXIT STRATEGY, Ricky, an ambitious and idealistic vice-principal, joins forces with a driven student activist to try to do something - anything he can - to stop his underperforming school from becoming just another number on the city's balance sheet. But as Ricky's motives and methods are called into question, his fellow teachers must acknowledge what they really owe their students.

EXIT STRATEGY, directed by Christopher Windom, will be performed live and in person from January 26 to February 5, 2023, at Randall Theater, 2020 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA. Tickets can be purchased through this ticketing link: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/temple-university-school-of-tfma/62b32618216a1d4714b4be54

Windom has previously taught as a part of Temple's acting department and says he is thrilled to return, especially with a project this multifaceted and complex. He says the teachers portrayed in the play - as well as the one student represented, Donnie - each holds a unique and valid point of view, which allows the audience to engage with the story on multiple levels.

"On one level, it's a story about the costs of apathy," says Windom. "On another, we see the generational continuum of advocacy. And I believe the playwright wants us to feel along with Donnie. He has an easily recognizable struggle, being a student who deeply cares, living in an environment that seems to want to forget about him."

Temple Theaters has produced Holter's work before - his drama, HIT THE WALL, surrounding the Stonewall uprising, was the first show of the 2017-18 season - but EXIT STRATEGY is the first play produced (and second chronologically) as a part of his seven-play "Rightlynd Saga," which illuminates the real communities and struggles of Chicago through a fictional neighborhood.

In limiting its frame to the educators of Tumbldn - setting the play's action in offices, staff rooms, and empty classrooms - Holter's play leaves some critical moments offstage, instead depicting scenes of preparation and aftermath. Windom sees this as an advantage and an opportunity.

"The goal is to engage the audience's imagination," says Windom, "to give them space to use their power of creativity to paint an image of those offstage events in a way that feels impressive to them. In this way, the audience won't feel like they've missed anything."

The questions that EXIT STRATEGY raises about what to do with public education are not easy to answer. Historically these have been treated with indecision and inaction. The play works to reject that kind of impassivity. Says Windom, "I expect audiences will walk away inspired to reflect on the ways in which we, as a community and as individuals, either advocate for our youth or willfully ignore their needs now and in the future."

Content Note: EXIT STRATEGY features strong language and discussions of racism and suicide. The play also contains off-stage gun violence including a gun shot.

Temple University is currently hosting events in compliance with regional, city-wide and CDC guidelines, and is following the city of Philadelphia's Aug. 13, 2021 mandate requiring full vaccination at higher education institutions for all students, staff, faculty and contractors (unless specifically exempt). We encourage audience members to be masked, and recommend audiences be prepared for the possibility of mandatory masking if protocols change. Visit the university's COVID-19 Resource Hub, or check Temple Theaters' website or social media accounts for updates before attending your performance.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director: Christopher Windom

Scenic Designer: April Thomson

Costume Designer: Chelsi Hahn 

Lighting Designer: Josiah Perez 

Sound Designer: Julia Garibaldi

Stage Manager/Asst. Director: Maddie Haughwout

CAST

Ricky: Zachary Brod

Pam: Jennifer Garcia

Arnold: Manny Rimmer

Luce: Alfonso Valdespino

Sadie: Jayla Phelps

Jania: Gabriella Velasquez

Donnie: Justin Smith

Understudies: Muhammad Ahmer (Arnold), Zachary Alvarado (Luce), Megan Chiodo (Pam), Ryan Duske (Ricky), Jennifer Garcia (Jania), Adeleke Goring (Donnie), Semaja Murphy (Sadie)

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