Aristotle/Alexander

[NoHo Arts District, CA] –  Company of Angels and Combined Artform, in partnership with Legacy LA, present the world premiere of Aristotle/Alexander, written and directed by two-time Ovation Award winner Alex Lyras runs March 29-May 4. Check out the Review here!

About Aristotle/Alexander:

This new show explores the historical relationship between Aristotle and Alexander the Great. Based on historical events, the play weaves verbatim text from multiple extant sources with an original score featuring authentic ancient instrumentation, complemented by innovative, immersive video design.

When star philosopher Aristotle accepts the coveted position of court tutor for an adolescent Alexander the Great, an intellectual battle of wits between teacher and student collides with high stakes Hellenistic realpolitik bearing life and death consequences. Both then and now, the question of how best to rule reaches a chilling conclusion: democracies are far more fragile than we realize.

Aristotle/Alexander is co-produced by Armando Molina (South Coast Repertory’s The Long Road Today, Company of Angels’ LA Views – Traffic Jam), Matthew Quinn (Combined Artform + Asylum), and Alex Lyras (Off-Broadway’s The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, Off-Broadway’s Plasticity).

“Company of Angels is excitedto collaborate in bringing Aristotle/Alexander to our stage and audience,” expressed co-producer Armando Molina. “Aligning with our mission, the play re-envisions several timely and universal themes: democracy versus tyranny, education versus indoctrination, ethics versus politics, and the role of family as the foundation of good leadership.”

“It’s a rare moment in history when two figures of this stature crash into each other, and at such a pivotal period in each of their lives,” shared writer, director, and co-producer Alex Lyras. “The impact is apparent on both lives, and ancient Greece was never the same. The parallels to our current political dilemma two thousand years later are uncanny.” He added, “I’m thrilled that Aristotle/Alexander will be having its world premiere at Company of Angels and to be working with my friends and fellow artists Armando Molina and Matthew Quinn.

Aristotle/Alexander was originally commissioned by the J. Paul Getty Museum for the Getty Villa Theater Lab and produced as a staged reading in Spring 2024.

Company of Angels will also present post-show discussions at each Sunday matinee performance. The talkbacks, which are included in the ticket price, will feature director and playwright, Alex Lyras and accredited classical scholars. Please check AristotleAlexander.com for up-to-date information.

The Aristotle/Alexander Cast

The cast includes Andrew Byron (West End’s Night of the Iguana, Brighton Fringe Festival’s The Good Russian) as Aristotle, Nicholas Clary (Mountain Avenue Theatre’s Midnight Summer’s Dream, Acidman) as Alexander, John Kapelos (National Hellenic Museum’s The Trial of Socrates, The Breakfast Club) as Isocrates, and Elyse Levesque (CW’s The Originals, Fox Searchlight’s Ready or Not) as Queen Olympias.

The Creative Team

In addition to Lyras, the creative team for Aristotle/Alexander includes original score by Andreas Fevos, set design by Joel Daavid, visual design by Jon Bonk and Tim Kennedy from Immerse Studios video, video and lighting design by Matt Richter, costume design by Paula Davis, hair & make up by Heidi Lowry, fight choreography by Orion Barnes, technical direction by Justin Huen, digital content by Effie Samios, video editing by Peter Chakos, casting by April Webster, and stage management by Claire Dewar.

BIOS

ALEX LYRAS (Writer, Director, Co-Producer), whose roots lie in New York theater, has written and produced four Off-Broadway shows. Plasticity topped the Huff Post’s “Best Plays” list and won an Ovation Award before transferring to the Greenwich House Theater. His previous production, The Common Air, won multiple awards in Los Angeles and transferred Off-Broadway to 45 Bleecker Street. Unequalibrium was selected for publication in New Playwrights Best Plays and Best Men’s Monologues for the 21st Century. He has sold TV pilots to FOX and Warner Brothers, developed an action comedy for Jerry Bruckheimer and a drama for Joel Silver. His screenplay, Edison Illuminated, won the Alfred P. Sloan Grant from the Tribeca Film Institute and was optioned by Castle Rock Entertainment. Smith & Kraus has published a trilogy of his work with long time writing partner Robert McCaskill. He is a member of the Writers Guild of American West.

COMPANY OF ANGELS (Co-Producer) was founded in 1959 by Leonard Nimoy, Richard Chamberlain, Vic Morrow, and Vic Tayback, among others, is the oldest non-profit professional equity waiver theater in Los Angeles. With a collective of Actors, Directors, Playwrights, Designers, and Administrators, the Company has forged meaningful relationships with the residents of Los Angeles, producing more than five hundred plays, garnering over thirty Los Angeles Drama-Logue Awards, including a special award for Continued Excellence, nine Back Stage West Garland Awards, eight Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, including a special award for Distinguished Achievement, six LA Weekly Theatre Awards, six NAACP Theatre Awards, eleven LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, five Dimension Robby Awards nominations and seven Broadway World Los Angeles nominations.

COMBINED ARTFORM + ASYLUM (Co-Producers) was co-founded by Matthew Quinn and Bertha Rodriguez, has been a leader in theater production, venue management, and festival development for over 20 years working across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and internationally. A longtime advisor, venue manager, and producer for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the company has helped artists navigate logistics, marketing, and touring, producing 50+ Fringe shows, including WOMEN (Top of the Fringe & Best Comedy). Since 2018, he has scouted and booked shows for the International Fringe Encore Series (NYC) and SoHo Playhouse. He also founded the Hollywood Independent Theatre Festival (HITFest) and the 30 Minutes or Less Festival. Most recently, he was hired as festival co-management & logistics lead for the San Diego International Fringe Festival, alongside Baja Fringe Festival manager Bertha Rodriguez Quinn to expand cross-border touring opportunities.

LEGACY LA (Partner) has as its mission to make positive interventions in the lives of young people by offering alternatives to gangs and violence. Legacy LA builds the capacity of youth to reach their full potential and equips them with tools to transform their lives and community.

Founded in 2007 by former Ramona Gardens neighborhood resident Maria “Lou” Calanche, Legacy LA addresses the impact of multi-generational gang violence and low educational attainment in Ramona Gardens in Boyle Heights and surrounding neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles. Built in 1941, Ramona Gardens is one of the City’s oldest public housing developments and is home to approximately 2,000 residents – primarily Latino – in 498 units of affordable housing for very low-income families.

ARMANDO MOLINA (Co-Producer) is a director and writer with a background in theater development. His recent directing credits include The Long Road Today by Jose Cruz Gonzalez at South Coast Repertory, and LA Views – Traffic Jam by CoA Playwrights at Company of Angels. He also directed Refugee Nation by Leilani Chang & Ova Saopeng at Los Angeles Theater Center (LATC), Distracted by Lisa Loomer at TheaterWorks, Visitors Guide to Arivaca by Evangeline Ordaz at Teatro Vision and Company of Angels, Hippie Mexicana aka Digging Rios by Evangeline Ordaz at Borderlands Theater, Sissy by Ricardo Bracho at Company of Angels, Anna In The Tropics by Nilo Cruz at PCPA Theaterfest, Living Out by Lisa Loomer at TheatreWorks and at Mixed Blood Theatre, The Waiting Room by Lisa Loomer at Company of Angels, among others. Armando received national recognition from the NEA and the Theater Communications Group as a recipient of their Career Development Program for Directors.

MATTHEW QUINN (Co-Producer) has 20+ years in theater production, venue management, and festival development in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and internationally. Co-founder of Combined Artform with Bertha Rodriguez, he has produced and promoted hundreds of live shows, supporting artists’ careers beyond festivals. A longtime advisor and producer for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, he has guided artists with logistics, marketing, and touring, producing 50+ Fringe shows, including WOMEN (Top of the Fringe & Best Comedy). He founded the Hollywood Encore Producers’ Award for standout shows and expanded with Beyond Encores, co-producing Pulp Shakespeare, Pokémusical, and Sunny Afternoon. Since 2018, he has scouted shows for the International Fringe Encore Series (NYC) and SoHo Playhouse. He also founded the Hollywood Independent Theatre Festival (HITFest) and the 30 Minutes or Less Festival. He recently became Festival Co-Management & Logistics Lead for the San Diego International Fringe Festival, collaborating with Baja Fringe to expand cross-border touring.

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