Gospel Goes to the Getty
Court Theatre is proud to remount our production of The Gospel at Colonus at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California. Experience the joy, redemption, and healing of Chicago gospel all the way in the Golden State!
Each fall, the Outdoor Theater at the Getty Villa series features a classical tragedy or comedy in the Villa’s dramatic Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater, an outdoor venue modeled after ancient Greek and Roman theatres. These productions are drawn from respected theatres across the nation, and an invitation to the Getty Villa is a highly-sought honor for theatres producing classical works. Court Theatre is honored to remount our production of The Gospel at Colonus at the Getty Villa stage in Malibu, California.
Mark J.P. Hood and Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell lead this reprisal at the Getty, joined by the majority of the original cast and band. Soulful and stirring, this one-of-a-kind theatrical event breathes new life into the Oedipus myth with a score of powerful gospel music. A bold collaboration from an extraordinary team, The Gospel at Colonus builds upon the strengths and experiences of its artists to bring this redemptive musical celebration to life.
“It is an honor to bring The Gospel at Colonus to the Getty Villa,” shares Director Mark J.P. Hood. “Charlie Newell and I have been developing this production for five years, and that time has been totally worth it. To finally be able to do this production in Chicago and have it be so well-received, and now, to be able to do it at the Getty? This is a God dream! As a native Chicagoan who now lives in Los Angeles, I can’t wait to take this production from one of my home cities to the other. Let’s go, LA!”
Director Charles Newell comments: “The Gospel at Colonus has been utterly life-changing, ever since I first saw it at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1983. The fact that I have been able to direct it, together with Mark J.P. Hood, has been such a gift, and the fact that Court’s staging has touched so many, so deeply is a testament to the incredible cast, band, production team, and creative team. My deepest thanks to Mark J.P. Hood; Mahmoud Khan; Nick Rudall, Court’s founding Artistic Director; and our Chicago audiences. We now take the exciting next step and bring The Gospel at Colonus to the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, and we can’t wait to share this production with you.”
The play will feature set design by John Culbert, costumes by Raquel Adorno, lighting design by Keith Parham, movement design by Cristin Carole, and sound design by Sarah Ramos.
Court Theatre was last at the Getty in 2017 for their staging of Iphigenia in Aulis, Euripides’s ancient tale of power and sacrifice. It has been over five years since a Court production has toured to the Getty space, and it is an immense honor to return.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Court Theatre to the Getty Villa for this year’s gospel musical production, The Gospel at Colonus,” says Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the Getty Museum. “Theater was a fundamental component of religious and social life in ancient Greece, and our theater program continues to demonstrate the importance of classical drama in contemporary society.”
Performances of The Gospel at Colonus will be held at 8:00pm, Thursdays through Saturdays, from September 07 – 30, with previews on August 31 – September 02. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances will take place on September 14 and 21.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling the Getty Villa (310) 440-7300. We’ll see you in California!