“Have I raised a monster?” A chilling question a mother asks herself after her child does the unthinkable.
Exit Wounds follows the story of Linda Sadowski (Suanne Spoke), her son Matt (Michael Polak), and his son Danny (Hayden Kharrazi) as they relive a terrible tragedy that occurred 25 years prior.
The set resembles a scene from the popular Hoarders reality series that is Linda’s reality. She has isolated herself from the world and her family after her youngest son Ryan and one of his classmates made national headlines in the first recorded high school shooting massacre that left nearly two dozen of his classmates dead.
Linda hasn’t seen Matt since the tragedy as he and his father left town, and changed their names to avoid the barrage of reporters descending upon the family home asking questions that none of them could answer. Matt has returned because he has meticulously documented Danny’s behavior and thinks he’s the next “school shooter”.
Can Mom help?
As the story unfolds, Linda welcomes Danny into her home after he is “released” to her custody after being arrested for launching a cyberattack against the school and vandalizing a bully’s locker. He doesn’t realize he is living with his grandmother as they bond over Danny’s anger issues while they attempt to declutter Linda’s home.
She’s forced to relive her own pain, and Ryan’s, as she gains a better understanding of the root of Danny’s problems.
She recounts how her father introduced her to guns as they thumb through vinyl records and dated comic books.
“I thought Danny and I were bonding over guns as I did with my father when I was a child,” explains Linda. She’s had a relationship with guns since she was a pre-teen and passed that relationship to her own children – and their own detriment.
The play examined headlines that are all too familiar to the public as shooting massacres have become more commonplace. Two have taken place in the days leading up to my seeing this play.
“We always hear about the families of the victims, but what happens to the families of the perpetrators?” asks Graf. “Can they ever live a normal life again? I wanted to explore how entire families can become defined by the actions of one member, and how the fallout from one person’s act can affect future generations.”
Exit Wounds is a jarring piece of art that allows the audience to sympathize with Linda, Matt, and Danny, as victims of Ryan’s too.
The story also examines how society looks at these dreadful occurrences and how they cast blame on the parents – what they learned at home and what is our fascination with guns.
We watch the agony of Linda losing both of her sons…her husband…her life. We also watch Lynda having the opportunity to be reborn through a renewed relationship with Matt and Danny without feeling guilty.
“Did I raise a monster?” “Why couldn’t I see what was happening?”
Questions none of us can answer.
The actors did an excellent job of working together and bringing the characters to life thanks to director caryn desai who keeps the audience engaged while we wait for the secret to be revealed.
”The point of view is fascinating, and one we seldom give much thought to,” says desai. “While it doesn’t lessen the heartbreak, it expands our capacity for compassion, acknowledges our common humanity, and leaves room for hope.”
Exit Wounds is the recipient of the Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative Gold Medallion award.
The creative team for Exit Wounds includes set designer Yuri Okahana-Benson, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA.
Exit Wounds runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., August 25 through September 10. Tickets are $49 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and $52 at Sunday matinees.
International City Theatre is located in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center at 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.
For more information and to purchase tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.
