SPEAK: A Collection of Five New Plays

Palm Springs theatre maker Chaya Murdoch presents SPEAK!, a one-night-only collection of five new plays at Spirit Animal Supper Club on September 18 at 7:00 PM.

A theatrical cavalcade of five new plays, SPEAK! moves through comedy, drama, music, absurdity, tenderness, violence, and spectacle. Each piece is deeply personal, while the collection as a whole reflects

Murdoch's distinctly personal artistic eye and asks a deceptively simple question: if words don't matter, why do we speak?

As both playwright and director, Murdoch serves as the conductor of the production, orchestrating performers, text, music, movement, and design into a singular theatrical experience.

Murdoch's philosophy toward the performers is rooted in trust and creative freedom. “It is my sincerest hope that working with me impregnates the actors and audience with a benevolent and positive memory, laughing and feeling, together.”

The production also reflects Murdoch's commitment to creating opportunities that extend beyond the stage. Because she wrote all five plays and owns the rights to the material, working with her provides actors with materials they can use to bolster their respective acting careers, including professional headshots and performance footage woven into the craft of the production itself.

At its core, SPEAK! is a metaphor for following your dreams: taking the thing you have imagined, trusting your own artistic voice, and having the courage to actually make it.

The nightclub setting also allows Murdoch to build on an artistic sensibility she has cultivated for more than a decade: making theatre feel “cool,” immediate, alive, and rooted in historical sophistication, bringing live entertainment to an increasingly diverse young adult audience.

The evening will conclude with a talk-back with the audience, including an opportunity for audience members to vote for their favorite production of the five.