In the small town of Loving, New Mexico, Dell has a mission: to tell the people of the far-flung future that there is a dangerous store of nuclear waste hidden below the ground. Her neighbor and morbidly curious classmate, Mara, comes along for the ride after they’re assigned to work on a project together for English class. As they grow closer, and the enormity of what’s buried in their backyards sinks in, they find that their relationship is changing them: for better, for worse, forever. When Dell’s path out of town becomes uncertain, the two will have to choose what they bring with them into their futures, and what they leave behind.
August Hakvaag (they/them) is a butch theatre artist currently based in Philadelphia. They received a BA in Theatre, and are currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, from Temple University. They have worked internationally as an actor, director, and playwright. They are a Princess Grace Fellowship Award semi-finalist, a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize nominee, and a proud member of the Ring of Keys Collective. Highlights include working with Moxie Arts NY, The Palace Collective, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, The Twenty Sided Tavern, Impulse Control Freaks, Richmond Triangle Players, Tokyo International Players, and Aporia Artists Collective, of which they are a founding member. Most recently, their immersive piece A Seance for Mae West enjoyed a sold out run at the Hot Bed Art Studio in Philadelphia. Currently, they can be heard on the award-winning podcast Wing Women as Nino. They are finishing their second year of the PlayPenn Foundry program, where they are working on a play about superconductive electricity.
Acute Exposure is the 2025-26 winner in the EMOS Ecodrama Playwrights’ Festival. Celebrating 20 years, the EMOS Ecodrama Playwrights’ Festival uplifts new plays that celebrate ecological interdependency, call for environmental justice, and inspire climate action. Ohio State will host the festival in conjunction with Acute Exposure’s opening.
Access the digital program before, during, or after the performance. No paper programs will be distributed.
Thu, Mar 5 • 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Deli-Sandwiches
Pizza
Burgers
Italian
Cafe-Coffee
Ice Cream