Acute Exposure

by August Hakvaag

Dell has a mission, and Mara is along for the ride: to tell the people of the far-flung future that there is a dangerous store of nuclear waste hidden below the ground. But how do you craft a message so universal any culture could understand? How do two young queer people navigate finding themselves, and finding themselves after something has changed them? Are we even talking about waste anymore? Sparks fly- and...

Dell has a mission, and Mara is along for the ride: to tell the people of the far-flung future that there is a dangerous store of nuclear waste hidden below the ground. But how do you craft a message so universal any culture could understand? How do two young queer people navigate finding themselves, and finding themselves after something has changed them? Are we even talking about waste anymore? Sparks fly- and energy radiates- in this new play about a continuous problem.

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Acute Exposure

Recommended by

  • Julie Zaffarano: Acute Exposure by August Hakvaag
    “

    We selected "Acute Exposure" by August Hakvaag for a reading in our Media Arts Counsel Reading series. This play draws you in and makes you care about the characters and hope for them. Dialog is authentic with layered subtext. Well done.

    We selected "Acute Exposure" by August Hakvaag for a reading in our Media Arts Counsel Reading series. This play draws you in and makes you care about the characters and hope for them. Dialog is authentic with layered subtext. Well done.

    ”
  • Noah Good: Acute Exposure by August Hakvaag
    “

    This is a very thoughtful, tender, nuanced piece. Hakvaag uses the images of radioactive waste and handprints to explore themes of intimacy, teenage queerness, time, and human impact on the environment. A really lovely piece with great roles for young actors!

    This is a very thoughtful, tender, nuanced piece. Hakvaag uses the images of radioactive waste and handprints to explore themes of intimacy, teenage queerness, time, and human impact on the environment. A really lovely piece with great roles for young actors!

    ”
  • Hannah Postlewait: Acute Exposure by August Hakvaag
    “

    There are so few early-career writers that have such a gift for language & establishing multi-level relationships in text. Alice lives in her work authentically. She writes young women in relatable circumstances & treats them as beautiful, layered beings - recognizing that while we are not treated w the same dignity as our counterparts - we too have rich inner lives, needs & desires. These characters stand on their own in the text & though they contrast greatly, Dell & Mara are written with such equal weight & sympathy.

    Alice Hakvaag is truly a butch Greta Gerwig for our modern-age.

    There are so few early-career writers that have such a gift for language & establishing multi-level relationships in text. Alice lives in her work authentically. She writes young women in relatable circumstances & treats them as beautiful, layered beings - recognizing that while we are not treated w the same dignity as our counterparts - we too have rich inner lives, needs & desires. These characters stand on their own in the text & though they contrast greatly, Dell & Mara are written with such equal weight & sympathy.

    Alice Hakvaag is truly a butch Greta Gerwig for our modern-age.

    ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

Two out of the three characters should be played by actors of color.
  • Mrs. Gastrock
    Can be a physical role on stage, a voiceover, Charlie Brown trombone noises, or her lines could be silence.
    40s-60s
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Dell
    17-18
    Any
    Cis female, genderqueer, non-binary, or trans
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Mara
    17-18
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman

Development History

Production History

  • Community Theater, Brick Theatre Company at UC Irvine, 2022

Awards