April 7–May 1, 2011
Fresh from sold-out performances across Canada, Jean-Paul Sartre's redefined classic makes its U.S. debut at A.C.T. A mysterious valet ushers three people into a shabby hotel room, and they soon discover that hell isn't fire and brimstone at all—it's other people. Sartre's famous existential masterpiece, skillfully reimagined through the perspective of a series of hidden cameras, turns the stage into a cinema, and the audience into voyeurs, as a thrillingly staged "live film" takes place before your eyes. A.C.T. continues its tradition of bringing the work of innovative international artists to the Bay Area with this riveting multimedia event.
Running time: 1 hour and 20 minutes. There will be no intermission.
Please be advised: This production uses bright lights (including strobe lights),
loud sound effects, and theatrical smoke.
"Mesmerizing . . . diabolically clever . . . so daring and
inventive, you never want to leave"
—San Jose Mercury News
"Thrilling . . . the most riveting, exciting theatrical experience of the season" —Marinscope
"Beautifully performed . . . you've never seen anything like it before." —KGO Radio
"Epic, voyeuristic, theater-as-film staging . . .
spectacularly brilliant" —Calgary Herald
"Diabolically inventive . . . a riveting theatrical event"
—Georgia Straight (Vancouver)
"A seamless fusion of cinema and theater . . .
jaw-dropping" —The Vancouver Sun
"Dazzles with contemporary dimensions . . .
freakishly potent" —The Province
"A thrilling masterpiece" —Westender
"Captivating" —National Post
"Brilliant" —The Globe and Mail
"A vibrant, very modern theatrical experience . . .
the acting is uniformly powerful and committed, the
stagecraft extremely skillful and focused."
—The Toronto Star
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Prologue*
April 12, 5:30 p.m.
Get inside the artistic process with a preshow discussion featuring the director and other members of the artistic team.
Theater on the Couch*
April 15, 8 p.m.
Get psyched after the show as members of the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis explore the minds, motives, and behaviors of the characters in a lively dialogue with the audience.
Audience Exchanges*
April 19, 7 p.m.
April 24, 2 p.m.
April 27, 2 p.m.
Stick around after the show for a lively Q&A session with the cast, moderated by a member of the A.C.T. artistic staff.
OUT with A.C.T.
April 20, 8 p.m.
The best LGBT night in town! Mingle with the cast and enjoy drinks and treats at this popular afterparty.
Visit www.act-sf.org/out to learn more.
*Discussions are free for ticket holders. Please note that performance times vary.
Insight into the Play, the Playwright, and the Production
Each entertaining and informative issue of Words on Plays, A.C.T.'s in-depth performance guide series, contains a synopsis, advance program notes, study questions, and additional background information about the historical and cultural context of the play.
Words on Plays is available for purchase in the lobby of the theater during performances or online ($12 each + postage and handling or $5 each for the electronic edition). For more information about how to subscribe to a full or partial season, click here.
Words on Plays Prepared by
Elizabeth Brodersen, Publications Editor
Dan Rubin, Publications & Literary Associate
Michael Paller, Resident Dramaturg
Emily Hoffman, Publications Fellow
Zachary Moull, Dramaturgy Fellow
Table of Contents
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1.
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Characters, Cast, and Synopsis of No Exit
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4.
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Director's Notes from Kim Collier (PDF)
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6.
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Vision Statement (PDF)
by Jonathon Young
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7.
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"Is This Who You Are?": An Interview with Director Kim Collier and Actor/Writer Jonathon Young
by Elizabeth Brodersen
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16.
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Hell by Design: An Interview with Scenic Designer Jay Gower Taylor
by Dan Rubin
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25.
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Sartre's "Unlikeable Scoundrels": An Interview with Actors Lucia Frangione, Laara Sadiq, and Andy Thompson
by Dan Rubin
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32.
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A Matter of Choice: Sartre and Resistance (PDF)
by Michael Paller
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36.
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Essential Existence: A Brief Biography of Jean-Paul Sartre
by Emily Hoffman
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43.
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Sartre and the Theater of Questions
by Mark Poklemba
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44.
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Questions to Consider / For Further Information . . . (PDF)
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Adobe Reader is required to view A.C.T. publications.
Production Photos
Click to view larger images from No Exit.
On the A.C.T. Blog
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Capturing No Exit
posted by Nina Fujikawa, Graphic Designer
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