A New “Antigone” Rises at the Getty Villa’s Outdoor Theater

A Visionary Collaboration Between the Getty and Latino Theater Company Marks Two Decades of Ancient Drama

This fall, the Getty Villa Museum and the Latino Theater Company will celebrate a milestone with the 20th annual “Outdoor Classical Theater” production: Antigone: In the Language of Kings. Running from September 10 to October 3, this production reimagines Sophocles’ timeless tragedy by weaving together the ancient traditions of Greece and Mesoamerica.

A bold cultural reimagining

While the original fifth-century B.C. story confronts the clash between state edict and divine law, this new adaptation by Evelina Fernández sets the action in pre-conquest Tenochtitlan. Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, the play incorporates pre-Hispanic music, poetry, and Aztec mythology to create a historical tapestry that explores universal themes of loyalty, resistance, and the struggle for justice.

“Antigone is a timeless story of resistance, conscience, and the struggle for justice,” said Valenzuela, the artistic director of the Latino Theater Company. He noted that the adaptation draws upon the Nahuatl language to explore moral duty. Fernández added that the production aims to share the “profound poetry and wisdom” of ancient Aztec culture, which remains deeply relevant to the modern human experience.

A collaboration twenty years in the making

The production marks the Latino Theater Company’s first time on the Villa’s outdoor stage, though they have a long history with the Getty through the “Villa Theater Lab” program, featuring past workshop productions like La Olla (2015) and Liz Estrada in the City of Angels (2006). Timothy Potts, the Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the Getty Museum, praised the company for their ability to honor tradition while telling bold, contemporary stories that reflect the mosaic of Los Angeles.

Production details

The play features a world-class creative team, including costume design by Maria Catarina Copelli, set design by François-Pierre Couture, and music by Christopher Garcia. An American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performance will be held on Thursday, Sept. 24.

Performances and ticketing information

Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays, Sept. 10 – Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. Previews are scheduled for Sept. 3–5. At The Outdoor Theater at the Getty Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades.

Tickets are on sale beginning July 1. Prices range from $30 for previews to $60 for Saturday nights. Discounts for students and older people are available for Thursday performances. Guests can enhance their experience with a specialty cocktail or a sit-down prix fixe dinner (available Fridays and Saturdays) featuring ingredients inspired by the pre-conquest period.

Please note that this production is not recommended for persons under the age of 13. For reservations and more information, visitors can contact the Getty at (310) 440-7300 or visit their website.