Bespoke Plays
Staged Readings in Los Angeles and London
“A different way to experience new writing” - London Theatre 1
"So refreshing, exciting...Staged readings obviously aren’t new, but what Bespoke are trying to do with them right now is something to be admired and cherished.“ - Everything Theatre
“London must welcome such well-produced events showcasing new writing” - A Youngish Perspective
"Absolutely beautiful writing and truly stunning performances." - Hollywood Fringe patrons
"Finely crafted theatre" - LA Hidden Gems
Up NEXT: Los Angeles
"The Sphere of Fixed Stars in the Heavens is an eloquent journey into love, connection and mutual respect, pairing J. Holtham’s masterful and sharp dialogue with joyous and focused performances by its two stars. " – LA Hidden Gems
Don't miss this FULL PRODUCTION follow up on our award winning Fringe run.
On a rooftop in North Hollywood, Owen and Elodie meet at a friend's birthday party. Then they meet again. And again. And again. They get to know each other, learn about each other, and maybe start to like each other. Again. And again. And again. For both of them, this one encounter challenges what they know about love, desire, hope and time. They discover that nothing lasts forever...except some things do.
The Sphere of Fixed Stars In the Heavens
Written and Directed by J. Holtham
Starring Tiffany Smith and VonDexter Montegut II
Set Design by Amanda Knehans
Costumes Design by Wren Witting
Lighting Design by Jack Kelly
Sound Design by James Ingram
Stage Management by Fiona Cumming
Produced in association with Party of the First Part and Laurie Goulding
Performances will be in The Rosalie at Theatre 68 Arts Complex (5112 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601).
“Pay what you can” previews: Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14 - 8 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, February 15 - 8 p.m.
Additional performances: Sunday, February 16 - 2 p.m.
Thursday, February 20 - 8 p.m.
Friday, February 21 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 22 - 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, February 23 - 2 p.m..
Tickets are $40.
Up Next: LONDON
Previously: Los Angeles
In the early morning after the 2016 election, a successful journalist receives a call from a corporate programmer who may or may not have invented an algorithm that can remove anonymity from the internet, sparking an intimate negotiation of complex conflicts of interest.
Written by Ellie Pyle
Directed by Stephanie Sheh
Starring Elinor Gunn and Justin Lawrence Barnes
On a rooftop in North Hollywood, Owen and Elodie meet at a friend's birthday party. Then they meet again. And again. And again. They get to know each other, learn about each other, and maybe start to like each other. Again. And again. And again. For both of them, this one encounter challenges what they know about love, desire, hope and time. They discover that nothing lasts forever...except some things do.
Written By J. Holtham
Starring Tiffany Smith and VonDexter Monetgut ii
Previously: LONDON
Set in the not too distant future, a population boom and resource crisis have resulted in the placement of birth control in the water supply. If you want to have a baby, you and your partner undergo a rigorous application process. All applications are processed by an algorithm, run by The Bureau.
When a couple is approved, they receive a year’s supply of clean water. It is customary to throw a Water Party to celebrate. This is the story of one such party.
Water Party marks the UK premiere of Bespoke Plays!
CAST
Analiese Emerson
Jay Faisca
Madeleine Herd
Eva-Marie Kung
Jake Solari
Nathan Adams Stark
Rui Maria Pego
It’s late one night in 2059 when Hyacinth, an engineer, decides to emotionally dismantle her butler, Cleve. Cleve... is a sexy robot. What follows is an exploration of power dynamics in robot romance, the future of life extension, and the sublimated genius of women in this sci-fi tango about how to define human, and how to transcend it.
CAST
Freddy Carter (Shadow and Bone, Masters of Air)
Danielle Galligan (Shadow and Bone, Obituary)
A group of creative-types hunker down in a room to create...something important. Stories, debate, accusations fly as loyalties are tested. Creation is a messy endeavor.
CAST
Jay Faisca
Patrick Shearer
Deanna Myers
Nathan Adams Stark
Jake Solari
Analiese Emerson
Oliver Nazareth Aston
Part courtly romance, part spiritual allegory, this re-imagining of the Magdalene mythos, in 13th-century Languedoc, weaves a tapestry of historical heresies, sultry songs and witchcraft wisdom.
Directed by Mimi Collins
Assistant Director Analiese Emerson
Assistant Director Analiese Emerson
CAST
Angus Maxwell
Tyne Maud Pearson
Geebs Marie Williams
Will Cox
Aude Ponthieux
Kaid Sherwood
Patrick McHugh
Lily's new boyfriend is funny, charming, sweet and one hell of a kisser. There's one catch: he's The Devil. Literally. Satan Incarnate. He's retired, left all that demon business behind, is just a nice guy, standing in front of a nice girl. But still. When you're dating in L.A., is that really a deal breaker? A comedy about falling in love, making it work and whether or not the road to hell is paved with good dates.
Directed by Mimi Collins
CAST
Jay Faisca
Madeleine Herd
Eva-Marie Kung
Tom Campion
Our Mission
Bespoke Plays creates international opportunities for writers with diverse stories and worldviews, by developing new plays in Los Angeles, New York, and London, through a process customized to the goals of the writer and readiness of the play.
What is a staged reading?
A staged reading is a performance of a new play that gets as close as it can to the feel of a production with 25 hours or less of rehearsal and the actors keeping their scripts in their hands. Not having to memorize lines frees up the actors to focus on their characters and the writer to make changes to the script during the rehearsal process once they start to hear it out loud. All you NEED for a staged reading is actors and scripts, but we're a bit extra, so we like to throw in a bit of blocking, lights, sound, or costumes when we can.
About Us
Bespoke Plays is a writer-driven company of playwrights who work in genre across TV, Film, Games, Comics and Podcasts. The plays we’ve developed in our first four seasons have run the gamut of science fiction, historical romance, dark comedy, magical realism, and political drama. Our core writers all have experience not just working in multiple mediums but recognizing the strengths of a story for adaptation in one medium vs another. Actors in our company have had significant roles in shows such as Star Trek: Discovery, The Magicians, Yellowjackets, Leverage, The Affair, City on the Hill, Supergirl, Daredevil, Punisher, Madam Secretary, Supernatural, Westworld, Sailor Moon, Girls5eva and House of Cards as well on Broadway and in National Tours. All of our casts have been multicultural and many have included the full gender and sexuality spectrum. The stories that we choose to tell and the artists behind the scenes also represent gender parity and this diversity of worldviews. We offer opportunities for cultivating multi-hyphenates as writers and actors frequently switch hats as well as crossing over into directing and producing. Our readings are customized to the goals of the writer and the readiness of the play and we have always paid our actors and directors union recommended stipends. We believe theater is a community first, and a vital living artform where future diverse content and talent can still be discovered.
