NO EXIT Comes to City Theatre Austin This Month

City Theatre Austin presents the masterwork play No Exit, Jean-Paul Sartre's famous existential parable which cuts deep into the core truth that each individual must ultimately face in others and themselves. Adapted from the French by Paul Bowles, it plays September 15 - October 1 and is directed by City Theatre guest director Jeff Hinkle.

Three strangers, in one room, locked...forever.

Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous play endures as a staple in Existentialist thought. It follows three strangers to a room, locked, forced to be with one another - for all eternity. Three damned souls expecting some sort of punishment in the afterlife, they instead begin to realize where the true torment really lies. Their constant disagreements and arguments finally erupt to the famous line: “Hell is other people”. An exploration of relationships, human nature, and individual freedom, No Exit is a timeless play brimming with stunning language and sardonic wit. You’ll laugh. You’ll ponder life’s meaning. You’ll have a devilishly good time. 

"Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does." - Jean-Paul Sartre 

Dramatist, philosopher, and author Jean-Paul Sartre was one of the leading writers of the 20th century. Born 1905, in Paris, he was a pioneering intellectual and proponent of existentialism and the philosophical belief that we are each responsible for creating purpose and meaning in our own lives. He wrote countless books and plays, including the highly influential Being and Nothingness, The Flies, and the acclaimed No Exit, the works that would make him a household name. In October 1964, Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature “for his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on our age.” He declined the prize, becoming the first Nobel Laureate to do so. Sartre’s principled mode of living involved few possessions and he remained actively committed to humanitarian and political causes until the end of his life. 

The production is directed by Jeff Hinkle and features the cast of Dawn Erin, Darren Scharf, Alexandra Russo, and Sebastian Garcia. City Theatre is celebrating its 17th anniversary season of live theatre entertainment. CTC is an Austin-based, not-for-profit arts organization and is sponsored in part by the Austin Creative Alliance and the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin. Founded in 2006, the company has been recognized by the Austin Critics Table Awards, the B. Iden Payne Awards, the Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Awards, BroadwayWorld Austin, Central Texas Live Theatre, and has twice been voted “Best Theatre Company” by Austin American-Statesman’s Austin 360. CTC is dedicated to providing a quality, reputable, and diverse public theatre and Stage Entertainment experience that is accessible to all artists and the entire Austin community. CTC continues to offer its student and group discount ticket program for any show. Put a little theatre in your life!

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