Los Angeles is getting a fresh take on classic theater this fall. LA Escena Festival returns to UCLA from September 17 through October 5, 2026, with performances from local and international artists.
Now in its fifth edition, LA Escena is the first Hispanic classical theater festival in Los Angeles. It is organized by UCLA’s Diversifying the Classics.
The festival brings classic Spanish-language plays to modern audiences. It also features new adaptations and original performances inspired by historic works.
And there’s good news for theater fans: LA Escena is free to attend. You just need to reserve your tickets in advance.
What to expect at LA Escena
This year’s festival will take place at UCLA’s Macgowan Hall in Westwood, with a mix of classic plays, modern adaptations, and international performances.
Here’s what you can see:
🎭 Jóvenes Clásicos: The Spanish theater company will present Amar después de la muerte and Canciones de Olmedo.
🌾 Donde comen dos, comen tres: This new adaptation by abe zapata jr. is based on Lope de Vega’s El perro del hortelano. Set in 1940s Los Angeles, it follows a Mexican-American family farm.
⚖️ Beast Among Men: Nicholas Pilapil’s adaptation of Calderón de la Barca’s Life is a Dream explores politics, power, secrets, and ambition.
📱 The Liars: Roger Q. Mason’s modern adaptation of Alarcón’s La verdad sospechosa follows a social media influencer whose lies start to catch up with him.
💼 La casa de empeños: Christian Nájera Jiménez’s adaptation is inspired by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s Los empeños de una casa.
❤️ Historias amorosas: Paola Izquierdo’s production draws from the works of Sor Juana and María de Zayas, exploring stories of love, lust, humor, and heartbreak.
📖 La Celestina: An Illuminated Lecture: theatre dybbuk will offer a unique take on the classic work, exploring themes of class, gender, and identity.
👑 The King Born a Woman: The festival concludes with a virtual reading from New York’s Red Bull Theater, presented in collaboration with Diversifying the Classics.
LA Escena Festival schedule
📅Thursday, September 17
7 p.m. — Historias amorosas no tan ejemplares o lo que pasa en el sarao se queda en el sarao
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Little Theater
Cristina is cleaning up after a wild party. As she works, she tells stories of love, lust, humor, and heartbreak.
📅Friday, September 18
7 p.m. — La casa de empeños
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Little Theater
Leonor starts her first day at a pawn shop. There, she finds a copy of Sor Juana’s Los empeños de una casa. As she reads, she starts to see similarities between the play and her coworkers.
8:30 p.m. — Amar después de la muerte
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Little Theater
Jóvenes Clásicos presents a love story set during the War of the Alpujarras. The play explores a difficult chapter of Spanish history and its impact on the Morisco community.
📅Saturday, September 19
4 p.m. — Donde comen dos, comen tres
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Studio Theater
This English-language adaptation is set in 1940s Los Angeles. It follows a Mexican-American family farm after its owner dies.
7 p.m. — La Celestina: An Illuminated Lecture
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Little Theater
theatre dybbuk explores themes of class, gender, identity, and relationships through La Celestina.
8:30 p.m. — Canciones de Olmedo
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Little Theater
This musical adaptation of Lope de Vega’s El caballero de Olmedo features 10 original songs and a tragic love story.
📅Sunday, September 20
2 p.m. — Beast Among Men
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Studio Theater
A sex worker and politician are connected by a secret in this modern take on Life is a Dream. The play explores power, politics, and ambition.
3:30 p.m. — The Liars
📍 Where: UCLA Macgowan Hall, Studio Theater
This modern comedy follows a social media influencer who starts lying to protect his lifestyle and online fame.
📅Monday, October 5
4 p.m. PST — The King Born a Woman
📍 Where: Streaming live from New York City
The festival ends with a virtual reading from Red Bull Theater and Diversifying the Classics. The story follows King Charles “the Fair,” who must hide a major secret about his identity while his kingdom faces unrest.
How to attend
LA Escena is free to attend, but tickets must be reserved in advance. You can get tickets here.
📅When: September 17–October 5, 2026
📍 Where: UCLA’s Macgowan Hall, Westwood