Oedipus the King, Mama!

Performance in Outdoor Classical Theater series
A cartoon Elvis holding a microphone and wearing a toga lounges across stacked lettering that read "Oedipus the King Mama!".

Thursday–Saturday, Sep 4-27, 2025

8pm

Getty Villa

Outdoor Theater

$30

Ticket prices are $30 for preview dates and $45+ for general admission. Packages that include dinner and wine will also be available.

Tickets must be purchased for event entrance and are non-refundable. Your event ticket will also serve as your Villa entrance reservation. Please note, there is an additional fee for parking.

Tickets on sale Monday July 14, 2025.

To be the first to know about tickets going on sale, sign up for our pre-registration list.

About

The maternal musical mash-up of Sophocles's Oedipus the King with the music of the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley!

ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT? Then come see the only LA theater company older than the Getty antiquities—the Troubies! They're celebrating 30 years of entertaining audiences with Sophocles's ancient tragedy of incest and patricide. What could be more hilarious?!

Oedipus, King of Malibu, is surrounded by SUSPICIOUS MINDS and realizing it’s NOW OR NEVER to find old King Laius’s murderer and end the plague. The Oracle brands Oedipus as TROUBLE, a HOUND DOG, and ROUSTABOUT. So Oedipus tells the Oracle to RETURN TO SENDER! Queen Jocasta reminds her husband that he’s a TEDDY BEAR and asks him to LOVE ME TENDER. But alas, Oedipus is heading for a one-way-stay at the HEARTBREAK HOTEL when he learns the truth of his mysterious past, realizing he’s THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE. And THAT’S not ALRIGHT, MAMA.

Oedipus the King, Mama! promises to leave you ALL SHOOK UP, with laughter! So DON’T BE CRUEL to yourself and miss out!

Performers

Know Before You Go

ASL interpreted performance

Thursday, Sep 18, 2025

Duration

Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

Planning your arrival

Please bring your tickets with you and have them open on your mobile device or printed. Your event ticket is also your entry to the Villa and will be checked upon arrival.

Your ticket will also be checked at the event entrance.

We recommend planning at least 30 minutes to park, go through security, and make your way to the theater.

Event check-in and seating

Check-in: 6pm
Seating opens: 7:15pm

You are welcome to visit the Villa prior to the performance, which requires a separate general admission ticket to the Getty Villa (subject to availability). Note, the Villa closes to the public every day at 5pm, and you’ll be asked to wait in the Entry Pavilion or leave and come back when the site reopens for event check-in.

Tickets are all general-admission seating, which is available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend arriving early to make your seat selection.

Accessibility

Assisted listening devices are available for this event. Please request one from an usher before you select your seat.

Wheelchairs are available for free rental on a first-come, first-served basis in the Entry Pavilion.

Seating for wheelchair users and their party is available at the back of the theater, as well as at the front of the space. If you'd like to sit in the front, please let a Visitor Services associate know when you check in and they can escort you to these seats.

Pets are not allowed anywhere on the Getty Villa site, including the parking structure. Service animals, such as guide dogs for the blind, are permitted.

For more information on how we can support your visit to the Getty Villa, learn about accessibility at Getty.

Group Sales

For groups of 15 or more, please call (310) 440-7300.

Is there a wait list if tickets are sold out?

There is not a wait list; however, we encourage you to check back about one week before a performance, as seats may become available.

What can I bring?

Comfortable cushions with a seat and back are already provided in the Outdoor Theater. We ask that patrons leave their own cushions at home to maintain the set up of the theater.

As the temperatures at the Villa can vary greatly between day and night, we recommend dressing in layers and even bringing a blanket to stay warm during the show.

Food and drink

We offer a variety of pre-performance dining options and food, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic beverages are available for purchase on-site. You are allowed to bring food and drink to your seat in the Outdoor Theater.

Please note that visitors are not permitted to enter the site with their own food, beverages, or alcohol. All bags may be subject to security inspection, and backpacks and bags larger than 11 x 17 x 8 inches must be checked at the coat check in the Entry Pavilion.

Cancellations and refunds

All tickets for our Outdoor Theater performances are final sale and non-refundable.

Need help?

Contact us! 9 am–5 pm, 7 days a week
(310) 440-7300

Email Us