LSU Lab Theatre Season Presents
No Exit
By Jean Paul-Sartre
October 29 - November 23, 2024
Rowan Jalso - Director
Jessica Kintigh - Stage Manager
Cecil Guidry - Assistant Stage Manager
Rowan Jalso - Set and Costume Designer
Jessica Kintigh - Lighting Designer
Heather Isaacks - Sound Designer
Isabella Rodriguez - Audio Engineer
Mads Mathis - Video Editor
Jason Jamerson - Cinematographer
Faculty Advisor - Alan Sikes
| Valet | Peterr Lukinovich |
| Inez | Emily Lyons |
| Estelle | Julia Simon |
| Garcin | Drew Snyder |
The LSU School of Theatre has put on some phenomenal absurdist plays, such as Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia, so I knew we had the capacity to do more Avant-Garde theatre. Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1944 play No Exit is the preeminent example of Existentialism, and, as I have been assured, an actor’s monologue dream. The basis of the play is that a person is indelibly tied to others, and that the course of one’s life is solely their own. There is no fate, no destiny, just choices. How do your choices affect others, and how do their choices affect you? Even deciding to not let others affect you, or deciding not to do anything, is a choice.
In the characters of No Exit we see Sartre’s philosophy personified. People hide and lie, they threaten and proclaim,
they own up to their choices and deny all that they’ve done. These actors spent a
lot of time working through not just the emotions and motivations of the play, but
the philosophy. They explored the hows and whys of the dialogue, actions, and choices
of the characters, and Sartre. I hope that, as you watch the show, you can see how
the characters fit into the themes of Existentialism, and how their choices shape
the story.
- Rowan Jalso
Rowan Jalso
Rowan Jalso (Director) is a 3rd year Ph.D. Student in LSU’s Theatre program. This is her first time directing since 2020, and first time directing at LSU; she is very excited to direct again, especially No Exit. Her previous directing credits include Goblin Lethris by Katie Smith (West Virginia University, 2019), and the original, self-written works Route 66 and Mad Liberals (West Virginia University, 2019 and 2020). Rowan is a disability studies scholar focusing on Avant-Garde Theatre, specifically the intersection between the Theatre of the Absurd and neurodiversity, so working on No Exit has been an exciting and insightful experience. She hopes that you enjoy the performance as much as she enjoyed crafting it.
Jessica Kintigh
Jessica Kintigh (Stage Manager) is a 2nd year Ph.D in Communication Studies with her concentration in Performance Studies. She has 7 years of theater experience starting in her undergraduate years at Slippery Rock University where she served as a Student Production Manager for the department of dance. She since has worked dance concerts and thesis performances, but this is her first Studio Show with the LSU Theater Department. She currently serves on the board for the Hopkins Black Box Theater at LSU.
Peterr Lukinovich
Peterr Lukinovich (Valet) is a transfer Sophomore majoring in Theatre Performance. After primarily focusing on acting for film the past few years he is excited to get back into theatre! Peterr has a deep love for voice over work and is overjoyed to be able to use his voice for the character of the Valet in No Exit. Peterr’s recent roles include Miles in the LSU short film The Aces, Young Gabriel in Evangeline the Musical at the Manship Theater, and he performs an improv show monthly with his improv team Butterr.
Emily Lyons
Emily Lyons (Inez) is a senior, majoring in theatre with a concentration in performance. Her previous LSU theatre credit includes Anna in Antigone presented by the girls of St Catherine. Her LSU film credits include the Delivery Man in Moxie, Sorority Girl in Rush, and Olivia in Aces. She is very excited to be a part of No Exit, in the role of Inez.
Julia Simon
Julia Simon (Estelle) is a Freshman Theatre (Performance) major. She is incredibly excited to be making her LSU debut in No Exit, in the role of Estelle. Some of her previous credits include Sally Brown in Snoopy! The Musical, Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Sammy Jo in Southern Fried Funeral. Most recently she had the opportunity to play Hannah in the short film The Aces, directed by Megan Eisert.
Drew Snyder
Drew Snyder (Garcin) is sophomore at LSU, who is majoring in psychology. He has acted in 225 Theatre Collective’s The American Century, and this is his debut LSU lab show. He has prior acting experience in high school, being casted as the Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors and Ren in Footloose. He is excited to play the role of Garcin because he loves non-contemporary shows and the philosophical nature of No Exit’s script.
For a full list of LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts faculty and staff, please visit our college directory.