My Dream
It is time I let you in on something: I have a huge dream - it is something I’ve kept quiet about for a long time, but I believe it is time for me to speak publicly about it.
My dream is to perform my work in an ancient amphitheatre in Greece. But my dream is not to perform at just any old marble amphitheatre in the motherland - but the ultimate venue: The Odeon of Herodes Atticus aka the Herodeon which sits at the foot of the Acropolis.
You might think that this is impossible: that the Archaeologists would never let me perform on an ancient site. But it is not the case - the Herodeon is used every summer in Greece as one of the main venues in the country. And that’s why my dream, although massive, has a chance.
I am reaching out to invite all of you, my people, to play a part in this epic journey and help me to fulfil this ambitious dream.
My dream is to perform in an ancient amphitheatre in Greece.
History of the Herodeon
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (more commonly known as the Herodeon) is an amphitheatre built in the year 161AD by the famous Athenian benefactor: Herodes Atticus after whom the theatre got its name. He built it in memory of his wife Aspasia Annia Regilla. The theatre rests on the southwestern slopes of the Acropolis and is one of the worlds oldest and prestigious theatres.
About 100 years after it was built the theatre was severely damaged during the invasion of Athens by Heruli, and subsequently it fell into disrepair.
In 1952, once Greece had regained it’s independence from the Ottoman empire, the city decided to restore the theatre to its former glory. In 1955 it was opened again and since then greats such as Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas, Giorgos Dalaras, Mikis Theodorakis and Sting have all performed there. The venue itself is just as much of the star attraction as the performers that grace its stage.
Two projects to help make one dream happen.
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love is a poetic Hip-hop theatre show based on the Ancient greek words for love. Inspired by Plato's The Symposium, Agapi begins with Socrates telling a banquet of friends everything he learned from a mysterious lover named: Diotima.
The gods then take the audience on a journey - collapsing time and space to arrive in modern day Athens, where the two reincarnations of the Ancient lovers fall in love (again) in the midst of a riot.
Luka's reputation as one of Australia's best storytellers shines as he then takes us on a journey through the kinds of love: Eros, Filia, Filoxenia, Philautia, Storgi, Pragma and the ultimate: Agapi.
Self-love, erotic love, familial love and more all collide with statues of Aphrodite, Molotov cocktails and the Parthenon's steps. Equal parts rap concert, poetic musical & classical history lesson, Agapi & Other Kinds of Love shows us how love prevails despite the trials and tribulations of the ages.
Agapi and Other Kinds of Love is the testing ground, the introduction of this new kind of work to new audiences, and a chance to test the waters and apply these learnings to the process of achieving this dream.
“A voice and presence capable of casting
and holding a spell”
- Sydney Morning Herald
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love
Odysseus is a theatrical retelling of the classic mother of all stories: Homer’s The Odyssey. This retelling has Luka’s signature treatment Hip-hop, powerful poetry and incredible music. Performed with a live orchestra and choir, Odysseus is a large scale performance meant for big, prestigious venues, including outdoor amphitheatres.
Using The Odyssey as a launching pad for social commentary for today’s world, Odysseus is full of metaphors and powerful passages which highlight the political and the personal. Named after the protagonist Odysseus focusses on the mythological character who stands in a liminal space between ancient and modern: fighting a Cyclops as a symbol of the ‘big brother’ surveillance era, fighting to return home in the roughest of seas that modern refugees still fall victim to today.
Odysseus has been staged twice for work-in-progress showings in 2016 in Sydney and in 2018 in Melbourne. The Odysseus development was interrupted by the pandemic for a number of years. Just like the character from the original story, Odysseus is still finding his way home to the premiere season.
Odysseus is the show I believe will be performed at the Herodeon: a symbolic return of Odysseus back to Ithaca, coinciding with my own return as an artist to my family homeland.
“A bold new imagining of the
mother of all stories”
- Paul Kelly
Odysseus
“For me, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is the holy grail. Creatively, I see my work as a continuation of the traditions of Ancient Greek poets who performed there 2,000 years ago. And so it is part of my story, and part of our poetic history, to make this dream become a reality.”
— Luka Lesson
The Plan
🏛️ Tour Agapi & Other Kinds of Love in Australia
🏛️ Find booking agents to tour Agapi & Other Kinds of Love in Europe, U.K. and U.S. markets
🏛️ Finish recording Agapi & Other Kinds of Love album
🏛️ Release Agapi & Other Kinds of Love album
🏛️ Agapi & Other Kinds of Love in Athens & beyond in 2025
🏛️ Book the Australian premiere of Odysseus
🏛️ Deliver a successful Australian premiere of Odysseus in the Sydney Opera House
🏛️ Pitch international premiere of Odysseus in Athens at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus
🏛️ Prepare team to go to Greece and deliver Odysseus at the Herodeon
🏛️ Collaborate with Athens Orchestra and Athens Choir to present Odysseus at the Herodeon
🏛️ Travel to Athens and make the dream a reality.
Who am I to dream so big?
Since I became a full-time poet, every day has been a chance to dream big. Every day has been an opportunity to make the impossible happen. Everybody, from the very beginning, told me that being a poet that lives from his art was impossible, and yet - here I am.
I was told that it was a big risk, but at the time I was dying to speak, to step on stages, to fulfil my dream. And so as I sat there, considering the choice of quitting my day job to do poetry. And soon I realised, that there was a bigger risk - the risk of not taking the risk. The risk of sitting in that job for another 10 years and never knowing if it could have been another way. The risk of being disappointed in myself, of avoiding my potential, avoiding what my gifts could have done for the world. I could have backed down, many times. I could have thrown in the towel. But instead I continued to throw my hat into the ring. To write the next poem, to stand on another stage, to make myself better as an artist on the road to becoming undeniable.
Here I am, 12 years later, proud that I did it. Strong in the knowledge that nothing is impossible. Along the way I have been told that my poetry has saved lives. I have been told that my poetry heals. I have been told that my poetry has given young students in High Schools across the country a reason to believe that their voices mattered, too. A reason to put pen to paper, a reason to speak up, to articulate their troubles, to be heard.
Now I feel the need for a new movement - a new risk. This risk is in someways even more crazy than the first: to perform in one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious venues, the Herodeon.
It has never been done by a poet before, especially not a Greek-Australian poet from a town called Brisbane.
But this time I know that the question is not, who am I to dream so big?
The question is: who am I not to?
FAQs
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Yes, yes I do.
For a few reasons.
Firstly, not many people have done what I've done - for twenty years I have committed my life to poetry writing and performance. This means I am comfortable performing to 30 people as much as for 1,000 people. In other words, I know I have the skills and the experience.Secondly, the shows I make are a perfect fit for the space: ancient stories presented in modern ways.
Thirdly: These productions are well-made - not just good ideas. So they can stand up in terms of quality in this powerful venue.
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I'm aiming for European summer (July/August) of 2026 or 2027 for the date of the big performance.
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The best way to help is to make a monthly donation via the form below.
The more sustainable the amount for you, the better for the dream.
Just choose an option below and you'll be doing your bit to make this dream come true. And I'll keep you updated via my socials and email newsletters along the way. -
In the past I had a Patreon page with a series of gifts, downloads and promises as part of the process.
What I found was that I was expending so much energy fulfilling these promises, that I was unable to do the thing I promised I'd do with the money. int he first place.
This time I'm learning from my mistakes.This dream will take every ounce of energy I have.
I'm asking, wholeheartedly, for people who believe in this dream and my art to come on board without the expectation of physical gifts.The gifts I will give with be that I will actually work at it, I give you updates on how it is going, and I will actually fucking do it.
To actualise my dream using the fuel you've given me for the fire - this is paramount.
Knowing you have made this impossible dream possible - that will be my gift to you.
As dreamers yourselves - I hope you learn from my mistakes, take heed from my losses, get inspired by my bravery and see what it takes to take an idea all the way to fruition.
Maybe you might apply my lessons to to your own dreams. Maybe you'll just smiling knowingly - thinking: "Fuck, he did it... we did it"Those who know me, know that I am a generous man, so there will be opportunities to give to my supporters along the way - but I don't want to pre-determine what these might be and when they'll come, I'd rather keep them as surprise gifts, if and when I'm able to do so.
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I don't really see failure as an option - but I do think that this dream is a classic example of 'shoot for the moon, land among the stars'.
In other words, on the journey towards making this dream happen, so much good will come of it that I'm sure many unexpected dreams will also come true along the way.
And if I fall, and this particular dream never happens - it will be one big public lesson for everyone: to dream anyway.
I saw a quote recently that said something like: "the gift we get for pursuing our dreams is not the dream itself, it is who we become".I like that. And at the same time, I'm not going to take no for an answer. I'm too hungry for it, and it feels too right.
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If you would like to help by using your skills to volunteer, introduce useful contacts to my team or cross-pollinate in other ways please get in touch via this contact page
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Yes. I am open to considering sponsorship with business owners who are aligned with my vision. I would love to chat. Please get in touch via my contact page.
