Theatricus Press Release: These Violent Delights Staged Reading - 12/6 at 2p

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 18, 2025 Contact: James Stevens, Artistic Director, Theatricus Phone: 818-714-1704Email: hello@theatricus.org

Theatricus Presents Staged Reading of Award Winning Plays

PASADENA, CA – November 18, 2025 – Theatricus, the nonprofit performing arts collective dedicated to elevating new voices in theatre, presents the staged reading on These Violent Delights, the 3rd Place winner of the inaugural VOX NOVA Playwright Festival. The staged reading will take place at the Lamanda Park Branch Library in Pasadena on December 6, 2025, directed by Todd Andrew Ball.

Admission is free, but seating is limited to 50 attendees for each staged reading. Donations to support Theatricus’ work are gratefully appreciated.

RSVO TO THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS (admission is Pay What You Choose) https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/staged-reading-of-these-violent-delights

These Violent Delights is a bold, irreverent re-working of Shakespeare’s world—where love, death, alchemy, and comedy collide. It's three days after the demise of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers; Verona is in mourning, Benvolio and Rosaline are heart-broken... but the two schemers have a plan. They've independently procured magical elixirs from Apothecary with hopes of bringing their beloveds back to life. But when they accidentally double-up their dosage, something goes wrong... horribly, deliciously wrong. Now it’s up to Friar Laurence, Juliet’s Nurse, Shylock of "The Merchant of Venice," and Beatrice of "Much Ado About Nothing," and a whole lot of Balthasars to right the world again. Development History: Commission via Pasadena Individual Artist Grant (staged readings at Pasadena Playhouse/Carrie Hamilton Theatre and Theater West, 2019). Additional readings with PlayGround (2023) and Just Write, Lakeland (2024). Additionally, the first scene,This Hungry Churchyard, has won many awards as a stand-alone play including recognitions from Short+Sweet Dublin (Best Playwright), Short+Sweet Hollywood (Judge’s Award), Stage It 10-Minute Play Festival CPA Bonita Springs (Finalist, publication), and is also published as a part of Josephson’s collection of short sinful plays Seven Deadly Tens.

About the Playwright:

Jonathan Josephson is an emerging voice in contemporary theatre whose work spans dark comedy, genre-twist theatre, and bold rewritings. His catalogue includes Norine & The King of Swatsville, The Legend(s) of Sleepy Hollow, and of course his award-winning These Violent Delights. Josephson was also one of the Co-Founders of Unbound Productions and authored several of Wicked Lit’s productions including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Chimes: A Goblin Story, A Ghost Story, The New Catacomb, Las Lloronas, Anansi and the Demons, and The Grove of Rashomon. More than fifty of his plays have been produced at schools, theatres, and non-traditional theatre spaces around the world. He brings a sharp wit and a fearless approach to form and genre—making this reading an opportunity to engage with storytelling that pushes boundaries. You can read more about Jonathan Josephson at: jonathanjosephson.com

About Theatricus

Theatricus (theatricus.org) is a Los Angeles-area nonprofit theatre collective committed to cultivating provocative new works by emerging artists. Since its founding, the company has grown into a vibrant creative hub where volunteerism and artistic expression go hand-in-hand. Their VOX NOVA Playwright Festival, launched in 2025, reflects this mission by providing financial prizes, staged readings, and production opportunities for bold new plays.

About VOX NOVA The VOX NOVA Playwright Festival—launched in 2025 by Theatricus—is a national competition inviting original full-length plays (non-musicals, minimum 75 minutes) from emerging and experienced writers, with no submission fee and limited to one entry per playwright. From a maximum of 50 entries, an expert panel selected 11 semi-finalists and then three winners: First Place received a cash prize and a fully-produced stage production within 18 months, while Second and Third Place received smaller cash awards and staged readings. The name “VOX NOVA” is Latin for “new voice,” underscoring the Festival’s mission to elevate bold, fresh theatrical storytelling and provide a launch pad for new talent in contemporary theatre.

###