The Speakeasy Society is an LA-based immersive theatre company creating intimate and epic experiences in unexpected places. Whether it’s for one audience member or one-hundred, they believe in creating 360-degree worlds that provide space for entertainment and discovery through total engagement.
The Speakeasy Society was birthed in a women’s restroom at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 2012. Julianne Just, Genevieve Gearhart, and Matthew Bamberg-Johnson created the Weird Sisters, a witch-centric adaptation of Macbeth that gave audience members a very up close and personal experience of the classic narrative.
Thirteen years and 25 unique productions later, the company is now an industry standard for independent theatre companies in Los Angeles and immersive theatre companies nationwide.
Over the years, The Speakeasy Society has created and produced several major works extending the boundaries of what live performance can achieve, all of which were met with critical and audience acclaim, including intimate performances that spanned Los Angeles (The Kansas Collection), epic adaptations of modern classics (The Johnny Cycle), and large-scale events for thousands of guests (North Pole Journey). Most recently, they partnered with Chef Ben Baron to create Family Meal, an immersive dining experience where guests were plunged into the chaos and camaraderie of the kitchen as guests of a retiring restaurateur considering which of his children will inherit his acclaimed restaurant.
In addition to their theatrical work, The Speakeasy Society has partnered with major themed entertainment designers and operators to deliver intimate storytelling on a massive scale while developing and creating original intellectual properties, including collaborations with Two Bit Circus, Impact Museums, Ministry of Awe, and the 2023 Orange County WinterFest.
