Epstein Oratorio or, A Modern Hymn to Demeter
October 1 @ 8:00 am – October 2 @ 5:00 pm
Location: La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre
Address: 66 East 4th Street, New York, NY
Admission: $40 general admission and $25 for students and seniors
Running Time: Approximately 45 minutes, followed by a talkback
Event Type: Theater, benefit performance, Epstein files, survivor advocacy
La MaMa ETC presents a two night only reading of Epstein Oratorio or, A Modern Hymn to Demeter, a poetic and darkly comic exposé of the powerful social class that surrounded Jeffrey Epstein.
Written by Karen Malpede and directed by Alex Keegan, the reading stars Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Kathleen Chalfant.
The play places the documented language of the Epstein files and media coverage against the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone. Hades presides over both the mythic and modern worlds while a male chorus speaks words drawn directly from the public record. The stories of victims and survivors are based on real accounts.
By combining testimony, documented language, fiction, and mythology, Epstein Oratorio confronts sexual violence, institutional power, complicity, and the possibility of meaningful change.
Each performance will be followed by a talkback featuring journalists Wajahat Ali and Ellie Leonard, who have researched and reported extensively on the Epstein files.
The event benefits the Public Integrity Project, an organization pursuing litigation related to the release of Epstein records.
Featured Participants
Playwright: Karen Malpede
Director: Alex Keegan
Starring: Kathleen Chalfant
Talkback Guests: Wajahat Ali and Ellie Leonard
Presented By: La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
Beneficiary: Public Integrity Project
Tickets and Information
Tickets and additional information are available through the official La MaMa event page.
Content Notice: The performance addresses sexual violence, abuse, exploitation, trauma, and survivor experiences.