Getty Villa Presents ‘The ODDyssey’ Virtual Show

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

With Safer at Home orders in place, we have found ways to adapt socially over Zoom, stream films instead of attending in-person and now, there are increasing opportunities to watch theater shows, including the Getty Villa’s first-ever virtual presentation, “The ODDyssey.”

Each Sunday on the Getty Museum YouTube channel from July 19 through August 16, Palisadians and beyond will have the chance to tune in at 3 p.m. for a family-friendly “whimsical retelling” of Odysseus’ adventure.

Co-produced by the Getty Museum and the Troubador Theater Company, “The ODDyssey” will recount Homer’s 24 books in five episodes of about 15 to 20 minutes each.

“‘The ODDyssey’ is a family-friendly, seat-of-our pants, stay-at-home ordered-up mix of wacky and whimsical storytelling by a cast of kooky, colorful characters,” Matt Walker, artistic director of the Troubadour Theater Company, shared in a statement. “Learn 12,000 lines in only five episodes. Our ‘ODDyssey’ is the Rosetta Stone of epic poems.”

Each webisode will include wild costumes, music, masks and dozens of characters, with each actor performing from their respective dwellings to adhere to Safer at Home orders.

“The Troubies are stepping up to the quarantine challenge and using what is at their immediate disposal to tell the story,” a press release explains. “Inspired by Zoom’s low-resolution quality, ‘The ODDyssey’ is retro-styled with a variety of music, including some sitcom song remakes.”

The show has been described as a “skewering” of Homer’s “The Odyssey,” an epic poem that tells the story of a 20-year journey.

“Held captive by Calypso (a magical nymph) after a harrowing encounter with a giant Cyclops, Oddy (Odysseus) is finally allowed to leave Calypso’s island—only to be confronted by witches, sirens, angry gods and multi-snake-headed creatures on his quest to return home to his beloved family,” the press release continues.

Each episode premieres on Sundays at 3 p.m. and audiences will have a chance to chat with the Troubies through YouTube Premiere. After the final episode, the audience will be invited to a party with the cast, held over Zoom.

Tune into episodes, which will be available to view any time on the Getty’s YouTube channel following their premiere, at youtube.com/user/gettymuseum.