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Bottoming for Jesus
Edinburgh Fringe 2026 · Zoo Venues · August 7–30

Bottoming
for Jesus

"An intimate exploration of holes…
and the lengths we go to fill them."

Trailer
Part stand-up Part cabaret Part sermon Part TED Talk "An audacious but essential work of art" — Willamette Weekly As mentioned in The New Yorker Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Part stand-up Part cabaret Part sermon Part TED Talk "An audacious but essential work of art" — Willamette Weekly As mentioned in The New Yorker Edinburgh Fringe 2026
The Judy Garland moment — confetti, white dress, arms raised. LINT, Los Angeles. Photo by Roman Udalov.
Michael R. Speciàle performing at LINT, Los Angeles. Photo by Roman Udalov.
LINT, Los Angeles, March 2025. Photo by Roman Udalov.

Part stand-up.
Part cabaret.
Part sermon.
Part TED Talk.

Bottoming for Jesus is a fearless solo cabaret performance that cracks open faith, sexuality, and the myths we cling to. Tracing his journey from self-converting to Mormonism at fifteen through a kaleidoscope of spiritual absurdity and radical vulnerability, Speciàle invites audiences into what Willamette Weekly calls "an audacious but essential work of art."

Through costume changes, musical numbers, whiteboard illustrations, and sharp humor, the show explores how the stories we tell ourselves about God, desire, and belonging shape us — and what happens when those stories begin to crumble.

Yes, there are cum dump jokes. Yes, there's a Judy Garland tribute. But at its core, this is a show about longing, belief, and the sacred dances we perform with the profane.

Content Warning — Contains explicit discussions of sexuality, religious themes, and adult language. Recommended 18+.

"An audacious but essential work of art."

Willamette Weekly

Bottoming for Jesus performance Performance at LINT Performance moment Audience interaction Performance
What Audiences Are Saying

"Is this fool really explaining Sniffies to the straights on a whiteboard?"

Michelle Lhooq Writer, Rave New World

"A healing and unsettling experience."

Scarlett Kim Producer; Former Director of Innovation, Oregon Shakespeare Festival

"A one person play and musical… on desire and loneliness and filling our spiritual/literal holes and Judy Garland crying 'Fuck 'em all!' before each performance… a stunning piece."

Nora N. Khan Writer & Curator; Former Editor at Rhizome, Topical Cream, and HOLO Magazine
Arms raised — Process PDX, Portland. Photo by Max Benedict.
Press
Performances
  • Honcho CampoutAug 2025 · Artemas, PA
  • Process PDXMay 2025 · Portland, OR
  • LINT Studio A — LA PremiereMar 2025 · Los Angeles, CA
  • Developmental WorkshopJun 2024 · LINT Studio B, LA
  • Developmental ResidencyMay 2024 · Open Space, Portland
Bottoming for Jesus at Honcho Campout, August 2025
Honcho Campout, Artemas, PA. August 2025.
Creative Team
Michael R. Speciàle

Michael R. Speciàle

Creator & Performer

Writer, producer, cultural strategist. Founder of Family Affairs Studio. Co-founder of NAVEL, Los Angeles (2014–2024).

Spenser Theberge

Spenser Theberge

Creative Direction & Development

Juilliard graduate, Princess Grace Award winner. Former member, NDT I & II, The Forsythe Company. Movement director for Taylor Swift, Savage x Fenty.

Jeremiah Ginn

Jeremiah Ginn

Music Director & Pianist

Off-Broadway: Big Gay Jamboree, The Great Gatsby, Murder For Two. National Tour: Anastasia, A Chorus Line.

Mikenzie Ames

Mikenzie Ames

Associate Director & Stage Manager

Stage manager and creative collaborator. Former stage manager of Punchdrunk's Sleep No More. Associate director for the Edinburgh Fringe production.

Family Affairs Studio

Producer

LA-based cultural production company. Original IP, touring works, creative infrastructure. Operates LINT in Downtown LA.