TheatreWorks And Getty Villa Museum Stream Laurel Ollstein's PANDORA

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and The Getty Villa Museum will co-produce a FREE virtual play reading of Pandora, the story of Pandora's Box, by acclaimed playwright Laurel Ollstein. Directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli, Pandora was developed in an online workshop reading presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in September 2020-this digital reading shares a newly-revised version of the play.

Pandora retells the Pandora's Box myth from a feminist perspective. This intriguing new work hypothesizes what might happen if a woman was suddenly created and dropped into the middle of the world now: a woman with no preconceived notions of anything-like beauty, love, or violence-who might allow humanity and the gods to suddenly see the world through her clear eyes. Pandora examines how hope and curiosity can change one woman's fateful actions.

Pandora launches 5pm PST February 26, 2021, and will be available to view on the Getty's website until 11:59pm PST March 19, 2021. Free advanced registration is required to obtain a password for viewing. To register the public may visit https://www.getty.edu/museum/programs/performances/pandora.html.

Pandora is part of the Getty Villa Museum's theater program, presenting reinterpretations of Greek and Roman classical plays through play-readings, theater labs, premiere presentations and the annual outdoor theater production.

"While sheltering-in-place, we have continued to collaborate and cultivate new works," said Sardelli. "Last year, we created an online workshop and reading of Pandora, allowing us to develop this play-and expand our understanding of creating and presenting inventive stories in the virtual world. Since then, Laurel has done fantastic work on the script and our partnership with the Getty Villa has provided us the chance to revisit this wonderful story, along with what we've learned over the past months about presenting exciting works in this New Medium."