Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Reader's Theater Scripts

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AnnetteLogue
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Joined: 2/28/10
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 27

Topic: Reader's Theater Scripts
Posted: 1/10/14 at 2:22pm

We did A Christmas Carol in Reader's Theater style and it was a huge success. I am now looking for other scripts that would work in this style. I am hoping to fit these inbetween staged productions to help with costs. I adapted my own version of A Christmas Carol, but it takes a lot of time and patience that I don't have at the moment. Any suggestions?

Annette Logue
McIntosh Theatre Arts Company
Darien, Georgia

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edh915
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Joined: 11/19/09
Location: United States
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Posts: 325

Posted: 3/06/14 at 5:50pm

Look toward some of the older plays - from the 1930s through the 1950s. Many of them have casts that would be too large for conventional staging, but would work great for readers theatre. I Remember Mama comes immediately to mind. You Can't Take It With You, Harvey, Charley's Aunt, The Matchmaker, and Our Town would do well, too.

Another thing you might do is look into radio scripts - a whole separate genre, but beautifully suited for readers theatre.

A third possibility is creating "concert" versions (similar to those concert versions they've done of Les Miz and Phantom of the Opera), but done with Shakespearean plays. Create a Narrator to tie together a series of scenes acted by the readers. Again, in essence what you would do if presenting a radio play version.

Edited by edh915 - 3/06/14 at 5:51pm

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Tyunglebo
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Joined: 10/27/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 2

Posted: 5/27/14 at 2:12pm

I was in a staged reading of "Dinner with Friends" by Donald Marguiles. That worked fairly well as it is mostly a conversation-based script. Four characters.

I've also directed a staged reading of "Art" by Jazmina Reza. That also has rich dialogue and few characters. It worked quite well as a reading. The actual production is quite minimalist in its own right, so it lends itself well. Plus it is on the shorter end of things. 90 minutes when I did it.

Edited by Tyunglebo - 5/27/14 at 2:12pm

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Author	Message
AnnetteLogue Player Joined: 2/28/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Topic: Reader's Theater Scripts Posted: 1/10/14 at 2:22pm
	We did A Christmas Carol in Reader's Theater style and it was a huge success. I am now looking for other scripts that would work in this style. I am hoping to fit these inbetween staged productions to help with costs. I adapted my own version of A Christmas Carol, but it takes a lot of time and patience that I don't have at the moment. Any suggestions?
	Annette Logue McIntosh Theatre Arts Company Darien, Georgia

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edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 3/06/14 at 5:50pm
	Look toward some of the older plays - from the 1930s through the 1950s. Many of them have casts that would be too large for conventional staging, but would work great for readers theatre. I Remember Mama comes immediately to mind. You Can't Take It With You, Harvey, Charley's Aunt, The Matchmaker, and Our Town would do well, too. Another thing you might do is look into radio scripts - a whole separate genre, but beautifully suited for readers theatre. A third possibility is creating "concert" versions (similar to those concert versions they've done of Les Miz and Phantom of the Opera), but done with Shakespearean plays. Create a Narrator to tie together a series of scenes acted by the readers. Again, in essence what you would do if presenting a radio play version. Edited by edh915 - 3/06/14 at 5:51pm
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Tyunglebo Walk-On Joined: 10/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Posted: 5/27/14 at 2:12pm
	I was in a staged reading of "Dinner with Friends" by Donald Marguiles. That worked fairly well as it is mostly a conversation-based script. Four characters. I've also directed a staged reading of "Art" by Jazmina Reza. That also has rich dialogue and few characters. It worked quite well as a reading. The actual production is quite minimalist in its own right, so it lends itself well. Plus it is on the shorter end of things. 90 minutes when I did it. Edited by Tyunglebo - 5/27/14 at 2:12pm
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