READINGS - what are they good for?

This question comes from my mom,
Eadie Brooks.


I told her I'd been extremely busy with readings. My mom asked, what are they used for? Or what's the use for them?

Very good question, mom.

There are a variety of appropriate answers.

A theater company may produce a reading for any one of the following reasons:
1) they are interested in producing the play, and just want to be sure.
2) they are interested in the playwright, and use the reading to cultivate a relationship
3) they are doing it as a favor to the playwright (which accomplished the same result as 2 - cultivating a relationship)
4) they just want to keep busy - and it is a way of seeming more or less like they are doing something - at very little cost to the theater/producers.
5) they are producing the play, and it is an opportunity for the playwright, director and producers to hear it and implement any changes before going into rehearsals.

I remember meeting with Mel at Casarotto in London - and she maintained that she they didn't have readings - implying that if you knew how to read a play, you could determine on your own if that play was ready for/worthy of production.

For the director, it's a chance to cultivate relationships with writers, producers, literary managers and actors. You cannot do much beyond casting well give the limited amount of time, though despite the limitations, I feel I am actually pretty good with the four hours you often have. Good meaning effective. I implement nice general "peppery" notes, so that the actors can get quickly into the world of the play.

For the writer, can a reading be damaging? I think only if it is an audition. And it is very hard sometimes not to feel like it is. I have been involved with readings where you could see the devestation on the playwright's face when we knew right away that our last minute replacement was in fact, well, completely miscast and that whatever chances the play had at being produced were gonna collapse instantaneously.

Techniques? I dunno. I try to have the stage directions figured out before hand. And if it all possible, i make sure I know beforehand where to seat the actors and if we are gonna stand or use music stands, etc. the logistics.