THIEVES OF CALIFORNIA Comes to Getty's Villa Theater Lab
The workshop performances will take place November 15 and 16.
By: Stephi Wild Nov. 04, 2025
Getty's Villa Theater Lab will present Thieves of California, a performance inspired by Aeschylus's ancient Greek tragedy, Seven Against Thebes and set in a dystopian future in California.
The work-in-progress performances will take place for one weekend at the Getty Villa on Saturday, Nov 15, at 3pm and 7pm, and on Sunday, Nov 16, at 3pm. Admission is free and reservations are available online. The play is written by Boni B. Alvarez, directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera and co-produced by Playwrights' Arena. Rivera has previously worked on productions at the Getty Villa including Oedipus El Rey (Villa Theater Lab, 2008) and Helen (Outdoor Classical Theater, 2012).
The year is 2031. California has seceded from the union but the combatants are coming to take back the Golden State. In this modern-day adaptation of Aeschylus's Seven Against Thebes, a playwright struggles with the challenges of creating theater in a world that's falling apart. How do you speak truth to power when the truth might destroy you?
“Playwrights' Arena has been fortunate to collaborate with several theaters in Los Angeles to bring our playwrights' unique voices to new audiences,” says Rivera. “The Getty Villa Theatre Lab has been one of our staunch collaborators in this effort. Our past collaborations have included Oedipus El Rey by Luis Alfaro and Helen by Nick Salamone. It is exciting to work on the adaptation of Seven Against Thebes by Boni B. Alvarez at the Lab this time. Not only will it give the playwright resources and time to shape the play, but to have audiences old and new experience it.”
The starring cast includes Kimberly Alexander, June Carryl, Reggie Lee, Hazel Lozano, Ryan Nebreja, Myra Cris Ocenar, Vico Ortiz, John Ruby, and Rachel Sorsa. Alana Dietze is the dramaturg. The play includes scenic design by Alex Calle, lighting and prop design by Lily Bartenstein, costume design by Mylette Nora, sound design by Cricket Myers, PA production by Elmira Rahim, and stage management by Letitia Chang.
Getty's Villa Theater Lab fosters contemporary and creative reinterpretations of classical theater. The series features new translations of Greek and Roman plays as well as contemporary works inspired by ancient literature. Working with local and national theater companies, the Lab encourages new voices and perspectives, offering a testing ground for fresh and daring interpretations. The stories told on stage are both timeless and new, helping us understand the continuum of humanity.
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