Whoever said, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” obviously didn’t know what they were talking about.
Or, at the very least, they weren’t a woman with insecurities about her appearance.

Burien Little Theatre’s production of “reasons to be pretty” by Neil LaBute tells the story of how one tiny slip up can unexpectedly surface years of deeply held personal baggage. Told with humor, drama and fiery dialogue, this is a play that will definitely teach you that words do, in fact, hurt.

Greg (Gaelen J. Poage) is an average Joe who is having relationship problems with his longtime girlfriend Steph (Sarah Rose Nottingham). In casual conversation Greg lets it slip that he doesn’t consider Steph to be a great beauty, but it’s okay because he loves her anyway. This well-intentioned but foolish faux pas spirals into a hellish nightmare where Greg is hounded endlessly for this unfortunate admittance.

When Steph goes haywire on him, Greg can hardly count on his friend, the boorish Kent (Chris Guthrie), for sympathy. Greg and Kent are co-workers at a warehouse where we see a majority of their interactions together in the break room. Kent’s wife, Carly (Katherine Kuntz), also works at the warehouse as a security guard.

Kent and Carly flirt, tease and converse with each other as they criticize Greg relentlessly for his admission that he doesn’t think Steph is physically attractive. Greg is treated more like a convicted murderer than a bad boyfriend who made a small verbal mistake. Throughout the play we see Greg torn to pieces as his love life and friendships suffer. Don’t tell Greg that loves means never having to say you’re sorry.

Neil LaBute’s Tony Award nominated script gives these four actors meaty dialogue scenes that are primarily one-on-one. Greg seems like he’s in purgatory as his three friends start to show their true colors to him. One starts to wonder if Greg’s misstep is more like the straw that broke the camel’s back than an isolated incident.

Gaelen J. Poage sincerely embodies the inner angst of an average bloke who’s caught between trying to please those around him while staying true to his real self. Sarah Rose Nottingham’s performance as Steph convincingly portrays a woman with deep emotional scars that go beyond mere body image. Chris Guthrie is spot-on as a two-timing jerk who only looks out for himself. Katherine Kuntz is excellent at showing the vulnerable side of a woman who prides herself on being tough on the outside.

Director Zachariah Robinson does a fine job guiding every emotionally charged scene so that the audience sees the humor and humanity in every moment. The strong performances all around shows the four actors understand the emotional arc of their characters and how they fit into the larger picture.

If you want to see an evening of theatre that discusses truth, honesty, vulnerability and the turbulent nature of human relationships with drama, humor and spitfire dialogue, check out BLT’s “reasons to be pretty” while you can.

This show is suitable for audiences ages 16 and up due to strong adult language.

“Reasons to be pretty” runs through May 13, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Special offers include $5 off your ticket if you say “I’m pretty” at the box office, 2-for-1 admissions on Date Night on April 21, $7 Sunday on Sunday, April 22, and $5 off on all tickets for parties that show up with a female on May 13.

For ticket information, go online at www.burienlittletheatre.org or call the ticket office at 206-242-5180. Burien Little Theatre is located at The Theatre at the Annex to the Burien Community Center at 14501 4th Avenue S.W.