“Exit Strategy,” a play by Ike Holter, follows a group of teachers, an administrator and a student who band together to form a plan to save their school, which is scheduled to shutter its doors at the end of the school year, leaving educators without jobs and students without infrastructure.
Sound familiar? If you’ve been privy to the recent developments of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), it should. In December of last year, the CMSD school board approved a plan that would merge 39 schools and cut $30 million from the district budget. The majority of that $30 million dollar slash will come from the layoffs of over 400 CMSD staff, which was approved during a board meeting held last month.
It’s important to note that Holter wrote “Exit Strategy” in 2014, and in 2026, the show is still, sadly, eerily relevant. Ensemble Theatre’s production of “Exit Strategy” is not only a realistic reflection of some of the challenges educators face, but also a reminder that these challenges continue to persist and deserve to be addressed.
The 90-minute, no intermission show takes place in a condemned, crumbling public school in Chicago. When Ricky, the vice principal, tells the teachers that their school is slated for closure at the end of the year, many are not surprised; they have come to terms with the turbulent, underfunded nature of the education system. As the closure looms ever closer, the teachers have decided to accept the inevitable rather than rage against a system that has repeatedly beaten them down. Although Ricky has never shown any resistance toward anything in his life, he is suddenly inspired to formulate a plan to save the school and the staff’s jobs. The question is whether or not he can become a leader who inspires the teachers and students to join in the battle.
“Exit Strategy,” under the direction of Jeannine Gaskin, is raw; it is full of rage, it is complicated and it is real. The script does a fantastic job crafting flawed, damaged characters, providing them with dynamic dialogue that overlaps and intersects with chaotic realism and wry humor, all of which Gaskin translates onto the stage with skill.
Set designer Ian Hinz has poured great detail into the construction of a teacher’s lounge in the Marinello Little Theatre’s black box space. The colorful, glass block windows, the damaged furniture, the hodgepodge laminate floor tiles and the water-damaged, yellowing walls visually express the school’s poor state.
Costume designer Mia Jones also understood the assignment: these teachers, administrator and student look undeniably like teachers, an administrator and a student–and thanks to the talent of the cast, they behave like them too.
Ricky, played by Andrew Knode, begins as a regular pushover. He abides by the rules and sits on the sidelines while the school faces closure, opting to try and provide stitches instead of preventing the cut. He has lost the respect of his staff–if he ever had it in the first place–and is alone because of it. Knode plays Ricky’s meekness well, and the character’s slow but steady growth of a backbone is an intriguing development to watch.
Embodying Pam, a veteran teacher who has no fear of Ricky’s authority or the administration deciding the school’s fate, is Jacki Dietz. Dietz is nothing short of phenomenal in this role. She is adept at portraying rough-around-the-edges, emotionally walled-off and domineering characters. Although Pam is exhausted and hardened by a system that continues to fail her and her students, Dietz provides soft glimpses into the character’s vulnerability and sadness that will rip at your emotions.
Pam’s fellow veteran teacher and close friend is Arnold, played by Craig Joseph. Joseph gives Arnold a studious, no-nonsense portrayal that is humorous in its rigidity. Like Pam, Arnold is tired of fighting against the school boards and politicians who determine a school’s future. He has fought and failed before, and he is tired. It can be easy to find Arnold’s character unpleasant, but Joseph gives him touches of likability, especially during Arnold’s interactions with Pam.
In the role of Jania, a slightly less veteran–but still downtrodden–teacher, is Bridgett Martinez. She plays the character with a jaded strictness that’s all too fitting for a teacher who is perpetually overworked and underpaid. Martinez gives Jania an intimidating, commanding air that would make any student think twice about crossing her.
Cast as the youthful, energetic teacher, Luce is Alejandro Martinez Jr. Luce infuses energy into the otherwise rather depressing staff room. His positivity and embrace of youthful lingo result in some slight annoyance from his colleagues, but Martinez Jr. ‘s idealistic spirit and upbeat portrayal will be easily liked by the audience.
Splitting the difference between Jania and Luce is Sadie, played by Sydney Smith. Although Sadie is initially optimistic, hoping that organizing demonstrations may aid in saving their school, this is quickly curtailed by her colleagues’ realism. Like Martinez, Smith gives her character an authoritative air and adeptly delivers humorous quips and retorts.
Portraying the only student on stage is Drew Pope as Donnie. Pope portrays the rebellious, authority-questioning Donnie with a well of passion, humor and humility. Donnie brings a light to the staff lounge after he is recruited by Ricky to help organize a movement to save the school. As a character, Donnie serves as a reminder of the students who are impacted most by underfunded and shuddered schools.
You likely won’t walk away from “Exit Strategy” feeling uplifted, but you will feel fired-up by the abysmal devaluing of education. Ensemble’s 2026 production of this 2014 work reminds us that the system is not breaking–it has been broken. Of course, there are nuances that need to be taken into consideration–declining enrollment being just one of them–but, as “Exit Strategy” demonstrates, behind the numbers are teachers, staff and students who deserve support.
“Exit Strategy” runs through June 7, 2026, at Ensemble Theatre in Marinello Little Theater, 1 John Carroll Blvd., University Hts. 44118. Tickets can be purchased by calling (216) 321-2930 or by visiting ensembletheatrecle.org, $5-40.