My Visit to the Getty Villa in Malibu

October 5, 2015

The Getty Villa Museum in Malibu is one of the must-see places in and around Los Angeles. It’s a museum on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A couple weeks ago, my friend and I went to the Getty to see a Greek play, Medea, skillfully adapted into present-day LA by playwright and USC Dramatic Arts Professor, Luis Alfaro.
The best part was that the entire experience was free for us because it was a Visions and Voices event. Visions and Voices is an arts and humanities initiative at USC started by President Nikias several years ago to provide inspiring interdisciplinary humanities events ranging from theatre, spoken word, and dance to digital sound exhibits, entertainment and symphonies. They often invite renowned authors and artists on-campus, and all events are free to USC students. Past guests have included playwright Anna Deavere Smith and radio talk show host Ira Glass.

It was refreshing to go on a field trip as a grad student. The Villa’s open-air theatre was smaller than I expected but had a peaceful ambiance. The play itself, Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles was a poignant tragedy. A story of family, revenge, and living in a foreign land feels down-to-earth and yet new. The tone was humorous, but also heart-wrenching at times. The flawless actors were fun to watch, and my personal favorite was Tita, the housekeeper.

I highly recommend attending any future Visions and Voices event, if for no other reason than free swag.

Published on October 5th, 2015Last updated on August 29th, 2017