Writing is Live casts will feature a mix of graduate actors, undergraduate actors, and actors from outside the university working together. They will be directed by professional visiting guest directors. As these plays are works in progress, elements of the piece may shift over the course of the process, allowing actors to collaborate with playwrights and directors on the performance.  

TAPS is committed to inclusive casting. Performers of all races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and neurodiversities are encouraged to audition. We believe that diversity and inclusion enrich storytelling and welcome actors of all backgrounds to share their talent with us. 

It’s July 23rd, 1982 on the set of Twilight Zone: the Movie. Myca and Renee are waiting to film their scene. Maybe this is what happened.

- CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS - 

• MYCA - Boy. Vietnamese. 7 years old.

• RENEE - Girl. Chinese. 6 years old.

• FATHER  - A father. He’s watching his son. Also plays John Landis, the director, and Dorcey Wingo, the helicopter pilot.

• MOTHER - A mother. She’s watching her daughter. Also plays Vic Morrow, an actor, and Richard Ebentheuer, the fire-safety officer.

- CONTENT WARNINGS -

• War, racism, and child endangerment.

Night settles over Eternity, Arizona, Population: 43. A teenage girl walks into the wash. An outlaw arrives, running

- CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS -

• MAGGIE - a teenager 

• SUNDAY - Maggie’s father, a bounty hunter 

• LAWRENCE - the bank owner 

• PREACHER - a traveling preacher 

• PEARL - a whore

• BLOODY CHARLIE - an outlaw who used to be a girl 

• BLOODY CHARLIE’S WIFE - Bloody Charlie’s wife

- CONTENT WARNING - 

• Gun violence, sexual exploitation, mentions of suicide, offensive language

 In 1700’s St. John, Breffu, a slave, plots a rebellion. Hundreds of years later in Los Angeles, Breanna is being sued by the woman who hired her as a surrogate. Both women push themselves to extraordinary lengths in the search for their autonomy and find each other floating in the abyss.

- CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS -

• Breanna Crawford - black woman

• Breffu - black woman

• Judge | OJ | Doctor - black man

• Attorney Christian Wyatt | Christian - black man

• Attorney Rebecca Star | Maryama - black woman

• Petra Fields - white woman

- CONTENT WARNINGS -

• pregnancy, stillbirth, murder, slavery

A men’s group tries to solve the male loneliness epidemic through the transformative power of drama. In a dingy church basement, they pack up a canoe and take an imagined trip downriver, enacting increasingly unnerving fantasies along the way. 

- CASTING NOTE -

• Seeking actors of all gender identities. Especially interested in performers with comedy, music, or improv backgrounds. 

- CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS -

• Boy 4 - Younger than the others. A virgin Mormon with a wife of a few years. Plays ‘Snoopy’ and ‘The Canoe Paddle’ in the exercise. Strong physical comedy and a confident (but not necessarily good) Snoopy impression are a plus.

• Boy 5 - The dead man’s son. High school junior. Sincere, grieving. Shows up towards the end of the play. This actor should be comfortable appearing in drag. 

• Boys 6-9: Members of a ‘The Children of the Queen Chapel Royals.’’ Razzmatazz members of a 17th Century ‘Boy’s Company’ who perform a show for our heroes. May be doubled with above.

- CONTENT WARNINGS -

Deliver Us! deals explicitly with contemporary political violence in the United States. Explicit reference to rape, misogyny, mentall illness, and suicide. 

BAD MAIDENS; THE TALE O̶F̶ ̶T̶H̶E̶ ̶B̶E̶G̶I̶N̶N̶I̶N̶G̶ ̶O̶F̶ ̶T̶H̶E̶ ̶E̶N̶D̶ OF THE BEGGAR'S BENISON by Reed Flores ' 28 MFA

the beggar’s benison was a sacred order of knights in 1700s Scotland devoted to the study and reverence of male sexuality, to making sex not-weird and not-shameful. “bad maidens” centers on the lass’ (lassies? lassi?) that did the dirty work for the order. we explore the notion that maybe homoerotic hangouts are not just not-weird, maybe it's super awesome. maybe penis-touching and cumming on a plate with your boys is the key to true liberation. and maybe, that story is better told by the maidens, and not the boys. maybe.

- CASTING NOTE -

• Seeking actors of all gender identities and expressions. Must be down to attempt a Scottish accent.

- CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS - 
note: everyone plays a maiden, and everyone plays a member of the beggar's benison (except Latty)

• Latty - teenager, maiden. Kind of a mess, and kind of awesome. Easily angered, prideful, vengeful. She’s here to blow shit up.
• Jean - teenager, maiden. Nervous and romantic. she wants someone to hold her hand. Also plays Thomas.
• Agnes - teenager, maiden. horny all the time, dark-sided and brilliant. Also plays Elijah.
• Euphemia - teenager, maiden. the oldest of the maidens, and kind of the leader. pragmatic and observant, probably a capricorn. Also plays Priest/Butcher-Man/Pringle.
• Mary - teenager, maiden. the youngest of the maidens, attached to Euphemia's hip. powerhungry and critical, also, probably the most talented. Also plays Sovereign.

- CONTENT WARNINGS -

• Simulated sexual acts; simulated interaction with bodily fluids.