What do Los Angeles, the Aztecs and ancient Greece have in common? A new production of the Greek tragedy “Antigone” brings them together, setting the story in pre-conquest Tenochtitlan, the former capital of the Aztec Empire. The play is coproduced by the Latino Theater Company and the Getty Villa.
Powerful and visually dazzling, “Antigone” is performed under the stars at the villa’s outdoor theater. Directed by LTC artistic director José Luis Valenzuela, this production features “commanding performances and lush costumes, projections and Indigenous music” that “create a gripping spectacle,” according to the Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty.
This iteration of “Antigone,” which was originally written by Sophocles around 442 B.C., features a new adaptation by LTC associate artistic director Evelina Fernández that fully embraces Aztec mythology. It’s performed in three languages: English, Spanish and Nahuatl, which explains the production’s full title: “Antigone: In the Language of Kings.”
The play follows Antigone, or Antíkona in this production (played by Esperanza América), who disobeys a law decreed by her uncle, King Creon (in this production, Tlahtoani Klion, played by Cástulo Guerra), by burying her slain brother. The king eventually condemns her to death, evoking a number of the play’s central themes, including tyranny and tyrants, divine law vs. human law, family loyalty, gender and autonomy.
After a recent performance, LA Local reporter Nick Ducassi spoke with star Esperanza América about the play’s relevance to 2026 audiences, what artists are called to do in challenging times, and the key to the longevity of the Latino Theater Company, which is currently celebrating its 41st season.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: First of all: What’s it like to come out and do this play out under the stars?
A: It’s incredible. I got to go to the beach before rehearsal and run my Nahuatl. We got to see the eclipse while we were rehearsing here. It’s just an incredible space. The people here at the Getty have been so welcoming, and we’re so appreciative that we get to share our Indigenous roots and our culture here.
Q: “Antigone” has been around for thousands of years, and there’s a lot in this production that I think is relevant to Los Angeles and American audiences today. Some themes mentioned in the program were tyranny and tyrants, divine law versus human law, family loyalty, gender and autonomy. What theme speaks to you most strongly as Antigone, but also as an artist in 2026?
A: As I’ve been working on this show, different themes have hit me. Tonight in my last speech, I was really thinking about our administration and the failure of the administration, and in general, you know, the respect for the human body. You know, Antigone is asking for her brother to be honored, buried like a human being, and right now, our people are not being treated as human beings. They’re being thrown like trash. I think it’s a really important message to be telling right now. I think it’s important to speak up for what you believe in. Antigone fights for what she believes in, and she never gives up no matter what. And even though it’s scary, I think in moments like this, it’s important to step out there, be scared, speak up and not be afraid.
Q: Why is it important for artists to be fearless in times like these?
A: We have to be fearless. It’s our job as artists to speak up for those in our communities who do not have a voice. The Latino Theater Company founded its company for that reason. We speak for our community. We tell stories about our communities that aren’t always seen. We talk about the middle-class Chicano community. An important story is the border story, but that’s not the only story that is in our Latinidad. We’re getting 500 people a night to see the beauty of our Indigenous culture. That’s not the rhetoric that’s being told about Mexicans right now. We get to perform in front of thousands of people and show them this different light of our culture, and I think it’s an incredible gift for us to be able to do it and for the audiences to be able to see it.
Q: Why was it important for this production to be set in pre-Columbian times?
A: Our playwright Evelina Fernández, who’s also my mother, has done a lot of research on Tenochtitlan, on pre-conquest. We do a show, “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin,” during Christmas, and it has to do with the Spaniards coming and conquering. And so she loves the beauty in the language of the Aztecs. It was really different because Sophocles — you know, a lot of people say Sophocles is stark, and, you know, Antigone was so stark, and so it was important for her to show this beauty in the language. We didn’t speak the way the Greeks spoke. So even though somebody’s saying, “No, don’t do this,” we’d ask our Fermín, “How would [the Aztecs] say it?” And they’d be like, “It may not be wise to do this.” [The Aztecs] spoke in a much kinder, more loving way. It’s more poetic, and we’ve always loved the poetry in our Indigenous language. I think that’s why Evelina decided to write about it.
Q: This is the Latino Theater Company’s 41st season. What’s the secret to a theater company lasting that long in Los Angeles?
A: I think the company has been together 41 years because they truly believe in their mission. They’re not selfish. The artistic director, José Luis Valenzuela, always says, “They say that actors are gifted. And what that means is, you have a gift to give to people.” And that’s what we are doing for our community. It’s important for us to be a safe space for our community to feel heard and seen, and I think because they stuck with their mission, they’ve been able to be successful. People feel close to us. People feel seen, and it’s an incredible feat. I’m so inspired by them. They are incredible artists.
Q: Finally: The show is completely sold out. Any words to those who wish they were here?
A: If you want to see more work from the Latino Theater Company, we have a fall season that’s about to open. We have “Yamel Cucuy,” “Speaking in Tongues” and “The Dance and the Railroad.” Please join us. We have a beautiful space in downtown Los Angeles. We have the largest skylight west of the Mississippi, and we tell beautiful stories. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. We have music before the shows. You can come dance. The music’s free, and it’ll be a beautiful time.
