Michael Michetti directs Ionesco’s darkly
comic ‘Exit the King’ at A Noise Within
PASADENA, Calif. (March 31, 2026) –– It’s King Berenger’s last day on Earth, but he refuses to accept it. A Noise Within presents Exit the King, Eugène Ionesco’s wildly funny and deeply human meditation on mortality, translated by Donald Watson and directed by Michael Michetti. The production runs May 9 through May 31 at the company’s home in Pasadena. Low-priced previews begin May 3.
King Berenger (Henri Lubatti) has ruled with absolute power, so why should the rules of death apply to him? As the king stubbornly denies the inevitable, his crumbling kingdom is held together by an eccentric court: his formidable first wife (Joy DeMichelle), his devoted second wife (Erika Soto), and a band of increasingly bewildered attendants (Lynn Robert Berg, Ralph Cole Jr. and KT Vogt). Absurd, witty and unexpectedly touching, this modern classic becomes a poignant and surprisingly joyful reminder that even kings must face their final curtain.
“I love this play’s cheeky, quirky dark humor, and that the thing it appears to be at the beginning is not what it reveals itself to be by the end,” says Michetti. “It starts as a hysterical, rollicking tale of human folly, then gradually transforms into something deeply beautiful and moving.”
Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994) was a Romanian-French playwright and one of the leading figures of the Theatre of the Absurd. Rising to prominence in the 1950s with “anti-plays” such as The Bald Soprano and The Lesson, he used surreal humor, illogical dialogue and bizarre situations to explore the absurdity of human existence and the fragility of communication. His celebrated play Rhinoceros famously satirized conformity and totalitarianism, while much of his work wrestles with themes of loneliness, mortality and the search for meaning. Often described as a “pessoptimist” for his blend of comic irony and existential dread, Ionesco created works that remain both unsettling and exhilarating. Exit the King is widely considered one of his most accessible and universal plays — at once an allegory, a dark comedy and a surprisingly life-affirming work.
The creative team includes clowning consultant Matt Walker; scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg; sound designer Jeff Gardner; wig and makeup designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The assistant director is Marco Rivera, and the production stage manager is Hope Matthews, assisted by Morgan McDonald.
A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. Under the leadership of Elliott and Rodriguez-Elliott, the award-winning resident company is committed to representing the entire community at its state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW believes in working hard on its anti-racist practice across the whole organization. By interpreting its mission to fully engage audiences through community- and artist-centered work in multiple creative disciplines, ANW is striving to be a theater that better serves the entire community.
Performances of Exit the King take place May 9 through May 31 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no matinee on Saturday, May 9). Four preview performances take place on Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m., and on Wednesday, May 6; Thursday, May 7; and Friday, May 8 each at 7:30 p.m.
A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, May 10, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Post–performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, May 17. Student matinees are scheduled on select weekdays at 10:30 a.m.; interested educators should email [email protected].
Tickets to Exit the King start at $41.75 (including fees). Student tickets start at $20. Tickets to the preview performances on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 will be Pay What You Choose starting at $10 (available online beginning at noon the Monday prior, and at the box office beginning at 2 p.m. on the day of the performance) Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
A Noise Within is located at 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (626) 356–3100 or go to anoisewithin.org.
Details for Calendar Listings
‘Exit the King’
WHAT:
A Noise Within presents Exit the King, Eugène Ionesco’s wildly funny and deeply human meditation on mortality. It’s King Berenger’s last day on Earth — he just refuses to accept it. As the king stubbornly denies the inevitable, his crumbling kingdom is held together by an eccentric court: his formidable first wife, his devoted second wife, and a band of increasingly bewildered attendants. Absurd, witty and unexpectedly touching, this modern classic becomes a poignant and surprisingly joyful reminder that even kings must face their final curtain.
WHO:
• Written by Eugène Ionesco
• Translated by Donald Watson
• Directed by Michael Michetti
• Starring Lynn Robert Berg, Ralph Cole Jr., Joy DeMichelle, Henri Lubatti, Erika Soto, KT Vogt
• Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors
WHEN:
May 3 – May 31
Previews May 3 – May 8:
• Sunday at 2 p.m. / Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Performances May 9 – May 31:
• Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7: 30 p.m. / Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no Saturday matinee on May 9)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
• A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, May 10 beginning at 12:30 p.m.
• Post-performance conversations with the artists every Friday (except the preview) and Sunday, May 17.
• Student matinees are scheduled on select weekdays at 10:30 a.m. Interested educators should email [email protected].
WHERE:
A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
TICKETS:
• Tickets start at $41.75 (including fees)
• Student tickets start at $20
• Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 (previews): Pay What You Choose starting at $10 (available online beginning the Monday prior to that performance)
• Discounts available for groups of 10 or more
HOW:
anoisewithin.org
(626) 356-3100
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