Somewhat inspired by Twelfth Night, this classical comedy follows the contents of a letter as they are misinterpreted in the best possible way. The One About the Letter was voted audience favorite at SPEAK.
SPEAK: A Collection of Five New Plays was conceived as a theatrical cavalcade—a playground for the kind of theatre Murdoch wants to make: collaborative, playful, ambitious, and unafraid to shift form. Murdoch wrote, composed, directed, choreographed, and designed five new works ranging from classical comedy and musical storytelling to contemporary drama and autobiography, bringing together twelve performers to originate new roles. SPEAK gave Murdoch the freedom to chase the beats, bits, takes, and soaring soliloquies that excite her most. At its heart was a simple decision: to stop waiting for permission and create the opportunities, challenges, and theatrical worlds she wanted to explore. The performance concluded with a lively audience talkback, followed by a vote inviting the audience to choose their favorite piece.
An original musical introduction to Violet Jessop—the remarkable “unsinkable” woman who survived the disasters of the Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic.
SPEAK featured an excerpt from Murdoch’s full-length play Hide and Peace. Told across three acts, the complete play follows Kelsey and Yvonne—unlikely friends whom we meet at ages 16, 26, and 36. Here, we met them at age 16.
There are so many ladies having a picnic in the park today... I wonder what they’re chatting about...
The most autobiographical piece in the collection, this seriocomedy brings the purpose behind SPEAK itself into focus: the joy of making theatre, the realities of pursuing it as a profession, and the decision to stop waiting for permission to create.
