Sex Talk & Swearing: 4 short comedy plays by Matt Herman at Main Street Creative Arts Center

Virtual Theater Lab to Make Live Stage Full Production Debut in Mesa with "Sex Talk & Swearing: Four Comedy Short Plays by Matt Herman"

MESA, AZ – Virtual Theater Lab (VTL) is expanding from the virtual to the physical stage this month with a production of four original short comedy plays. Opening February 27th at the Main Street Creative Arts Center, the production highlights the company’s new hybrid mission of maintaining its virtual roots while establishing a permanent presence in the Arizona theater community.

Under the direction of Erin Buvala-Benites, the production features an ensemble of seven performers working within a unique, high-trust creative framework. Unlike traditional productions with rigid staging, this show relies on the raw instincts of the actors. While the scripts remain constant, the blocking is driven by the ensemble's choices in the moment, ensuring that the physical energy and movement are unique to each specific performance.

"The cool thing about this production is the trust we place in the ensemble's instincts," says Director and cast member Erin Buvala-Benites. "We are inviting the audience to witness a living, breathing piece of theater where the movement is never exactly the same twice."

PRODUCTION AT-A-GLANCE

• WHAT: Four Comedy Shorts by Virtual Theater Lab

• WHO: Directed by Erin Buvala-Benites; featuring an ensemble of seven local artists.

• CAST: Nick Gearing, Vaughan Grey, Dayna Dayson, Mary Timpany, Kristina Daniele, Talia Jones, and Erin Buvala-Benites.

• SCRIPTS: Original works by playwright Matthew Herman.

• WHERE: Main Street Creative Arts Center (MSCAC), 933 E Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85203.

• WHEN: February 27 – March 1, 2026.

• TICKETS: Available now at https://our.show/vtllive

• Tickets are $9.92 each for Friday and Saturday evening performances, and the Sunday Matinee is “pay what you wish” with a minimum suggestion of $5. If there are remaining tickets available at the door, they will be priced at $15 each.

ABOUT VIRTUAL THEATER LAB: Founded in 2020 as a pandemic-born online digital collaborative, VTL explores the boundaries of storytelling through a hybrid model of virtual and live stage experiences, serving as a platform for those experiencing marginalization within the performing arts community.