Los Angeles is known for its car culture—being the second most gridlocked city in the U.S. and all—so it's fitting that the first-ever car opera will have its world premiere here next month. The Industry, known for producing experimental shows in unique locations, opens Hopscotch on October 31 for a run through November 15—but tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10am.
The opera takes place in 24 actual moving cars, which means you'll be driven around LA in a car with the performers (and a driver, not part of the 100-member cast) for an intimate, immersive experience with performances taking place both inside and outside of the vehicle. There are three routes you can choose from to experience the opera—red, yellow and green. The Industry says it's not necessary to travel all three routes to see the whole opera, and if a bird's-eye view rather than the backseat of a car is more your thing, you can also watch the opera unfold via a live stream from a Central Hub at the Southern California Institute of Architecture—and as a bonus, those tickets are free.
The Industry's last experimental opera was Invisible Cities by composer Christopher Cerrone, which took place in the middle of Union Station. The audience followed the costumed, singing performers around the station wearing wireless headphones to hear the full soundscape.
“After embedding opera into the everyday life of LA’s Union Station in Invisible Cities, we’re now turning the entire city of Los Angeles as the stage for Hopscotch,” said director Yuval Sharon in an official statement. “By disorienting the audience’s experience of the city, we want Hopscotch to consider driving a metaphor for understanding identity, community, and love.”
The opera requires audience members to not only drive to various locations around the city but to also get out of the car, walk on uneven ground, climb stairs and ride elevators—so it's not the most ideal production for those who have mobility issues, however, people can watch the production for free from a live stream at the Central Hub.
Tickets range from free (for the live stream at the Central Hub) to $125 for a seat in a car for one route, and $500 for all three routes. Don't have that kind of money? Every week The Industry will give away 16 tickets for $25 in a lottery—follow them on social media for more details. But before you purchase your tickets, there are some things The Industry wants you to know so we recommend checking out their website.