Greenway Arts Alliance to Present World Premiere of THE CIRCLE

Greenway Arts Alliance will present the world premiere production of THE CIRCLE, a tragicomic play written by Stacey Martino Rivera and directed by D.W. Jacobs. The production will feature original music composed by Germaine Franco and will be staged at Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles.

THE CIRCLE brings together three generations of the Medina and Mahoney families over one weekend in Texas. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the 2016 election season, examining familial conflict, political tension, and grief through a blend of comedy and tragedy.

Stacey Martino Rivera said, “I wrote THE CIRCLE because I'm hungry to share ways of engaging with harm and conflict that focus on reconciliation, rather than punishment. My husband, René Rivera and our two daughters, Ava and Luna, are in the play, and our youngest, our son Jai, is a fixture at rehearsals. It's what you might call A Family Affair. I wrote this play as a way to heal parts of myself and our family, but in these divisive times the circle of healing has grown exponentially. My play is a darkly comic exploration of three generations worth of intergenerational and intercultural conflict but it's also rooted in a lot of healing and hope. It is not lost on me that much of the action of the play centers on a kidnapping that held one context when I began writing this play and a deeper one in our current political climate. The themes the story touches upon include: Racial Justice, Environmental Justice, Immigration and Restorative Justice, but at its heart, this is a play about – a grief soaked family and the universal search for belonging.”

Director D.W. Jacobs said, “For decades, really half a century, I've worked on Charles Dickens, Bucky Fuller and now, in recent years, Dante's The Divine Comedy. Stacey Martino Rivera's THE CIRCLE explores exactly the same imaginative and thematic landscapes. Almost everything I've done is a variation on circles, circle dances…and memory plays that journey through past, present and future. Dante calls it the Book of Memory. We're all susceptible to surprise pilgrimages down to the deepest circles of Hell, up the spiral mountain path of Purgatory, and finally, if we're lucky, we expand out into the greatest spheres of Paradise. THE CIRCLE is serious, passionate, potentially tragic, and wildly funny, as most families turn out to be… a mixed bag of twists and turns. When Stacey suddenly asked me, ‘What's the action of the play?’ Without thinking, I said, ‘Give to the Light.’ It surprised both of us.”

Mohammed Ali Ojarigi, Producing Director of Greenway Arts Alliance and Greenway Court Theatre, said, “THE CIRCLE is a moving reflection of who we are as a society. We are proud to produce Stacey Martino Rivera's work, which innovates compassion, understanding and meaningful dialogue.”

The production will open with a weekend that includes several special events. Opening night on Friday, January 30 will include a celebrity and VIP event with a photo booth. A performance on Saturday, January 31 will be dedicated to the late producer C. Raul Espinoza, with Greenway Arts Alliance making a financial donation in his name to La Plaza de Cultura y Artes; the organization will also present an art exhibit in the theatre lobby that evening. Following the Sunday, February 1 performance, a panel discussion titled “Restorative Circles: Indigenous Roots To Today” will take place, moderated by Fidel Rodriguez of the LA vs. Hate Team, with panelists Luis R. Ruan, Maestro Jerry Teller, Tanynya Hekymara, Marisol Quevedo Rerucha, and Dr. Ariane White.

CAST

The cast of THE CIRCLE will include Michael Brainard as Bud Ireton; Jeanette Godoy as Mary Padrón; Alma Martinez as Eva Medina; Victoria Ratermanis as Molly Medina; Lisa Richards as Maeve Mahoney; Ava Rivera as Anna Medina at 16; Luna Rivera as Anna Medina at 12; René Rivera as José Medina; and Lakin Valdez as Ronnie Medina.

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

THE CIRCLE will run January 30 through February 22, 2026, at Greenway Court Theatre, located at 544 North Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Performances will take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can preview performances will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, January 28 and 29 at 7:00 p.m. Free parking is available at the theatre.

Tickets are priced on a sliding scale, with a suggested price of $30, a $25 minimum, $10 tickets for students, seniors ages 60 and over, and groups of 10 or more, and a $55 option for patrons who wish to contribute more. Tickets for the January 29 preview performance will be Pay-What-You-Can. The production is recommended for adults and may be suitable for children accompanied by adults, though it is not recommended for young children due to intense themes.