An intimate theatrical event at The Ojai Underground
Good Friday, April 3rd & Saturday, April 4th
Two Nights Only & Only 75 Seats Per Night
About this solo play:
“PONTIUS PILATE: The Lost Gospel” is set in 36 AD. Pontius Pilate — former Prefect of Judea, soldier of Rome, and the man who sentenced Jesus of Nazareth to death — has been summoned back to Rome to account for his governance. What follows is not a political defense. It is a confession. A reckoning. And, ultimately, a gospel told in his own words. Punter’s writing moves between the epic and the intimate — tracing Pilate’s life from the battlefields of Germania to the fractious streets of Jerusalem, and to the singular encounter with a “peculiar rabbi from Nazareth” that would define him forever. Part thriller, part memoir, part moral reckoning, the play asks what it means to be a man of conscience in a world that rewards brutality.
Performance Dates:
Friday, April 3 & Saturday, April 4, 2026
6:00 PM · Refreshments served
Performance: 7:00 PM
Where:
The Ojai Underground,
616 Pearl Street, Ojai.
About Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield is one of the most versatile actors of his generation, with a career spanning Broadway, Hollywood, and the West End. A resident of Ojai, Caulfield brings this production home as a gift to the community he lives in, donating his performances as a benefit for OPAT.
About the Playwright:
Michael Punter
Michael Punter is a celebrated British playwright whose work is known for its precise, muscular language and its fearless engagement with history and moral complexity.
“PONTIUS PILATE: The Lost Gospel”draws on primary historical sources including the Gospels, the works of Josephus and Philo, and Ann Wroe’s biography Pilate: The Biography of an Invented Man. The play has received acclaim at performances across the United States.
About the Director:
Assad Kelada
Asaad Kelada is a renowned television director and a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. His work helped define the golden age of the American sitcom helming multiple episodes of many beloved shows including Who’s the Boss?, Dharma & Greg, Facts of Life, Everybody Loves Raymond and Two and a Half Men. A master of comedic timing and highly regarded by actors for his ability to shape tone, timing and ensemble performance. Asaad has joined forces with Maxwell to bring added resonance and nuance to our performances.