Directing: staging reader's theatre

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staging reader's theatre

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2293
Printed Date: 10/18/24 at 3:26pm
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Topic: staging reader's theatre

Posted By: Juror #3
Subject: staging reader's theatre
Date Posted: 3/08/07 at 5:21pm

I am going to be directing reader's theatre (at least I plan to) for our community theatre, and I was wondering if any of you know of any materials that would be helpful in giving me information and insight into the staging of reader's theatre. I have not done this sort of thing before and so would like to either hear from those of you who have experience with this sort of thing and/or those of you who might know of a good website or publication that I could read. Playwise, I am debating a number of possibilities from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (nothing like being ambitious or is the right word delusional) to House of Blue Leaves to an evening of one acts. I would be interested in your suggestions for plays to consider, both full length and one acts. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.

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Juror #3

Replies:

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 3/09/07 at 8:54am

We did "Spoon River Anthology" last year - and, even though it's a bit of an old warhorse - got a wonderful reception. Also, the quintessential reader's theatre piece, Dylan Thomas' "Under Milkwood" is terrific.

I would encourage choosing a play that is either filled with gorgeous language - or one which relies HEAVILY on plot. And, of course, nothing that relies on special effects (I saw a reading production of "I Hate Hamlet" and it, um, lost a certain excitement when none of the magical happenings happened. LOL

I prefer the style of readers' theatre (and I don't remember the name) which requires the actors to actually act (though I they don't move from their chair/stool). They treat the audience as the person they are talking to/with. If somebody hands someone else a glass of water, the first person offers it, holding it straight out to the audience and the other takes the glass - from the audience. It makes the performance a richer and more rewarding experience IMO.l

Have fun! Readers' theatre has been neglected of late - and it's such a fun genre!

Posted By: 75director
Date Posted: 3/09/07 at 11:33am

We launched a Readers Theatre series last fall and it was very successful. Though I have to admit I was suprised by the number of people who looked at me blankly and had no clue what readers theatre was.

I agree with Tristanrobin's comment about putting the actors on stools/chairs and having them act out toward the audience. Our series directors varied it a bit at times having the actors stand when they were in scenes and sit when they weren't or brining two actors downstage from the rest of the cast for moments when it was just two characters. We put two first time directors in charge of the series and it was great to see the progression from the first show to the last one, how much better they got at directing the shows.

The series had "Dearly Departed", "Over the Tavern", "Dear Ruth" and "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress". A couple of the shows were refugess from our script selection committee and we asked the audience for feedback on whether we should produce them as full length productions. "Over the Tavern" is being graduated to a mainstage show next season because of the input we received. Also, the series let us do a show, "Five Women..." that there's no way we'd ever do as a mainstage show due to content and language but we could get away with it as a readers theatre production.

We're going to continue the series next season. Good luck with your production!

Posted By: kaygreen
Date Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:08am

We tried our first foray into readers' theater -- with Mere Mortals, by David Ives. Worked well as readers theater.

Posted By: skoehler
Date Posted: 8/15/08 at 1:27pm

Love Letters is perhaps the easiest, as it is written to be staged with two people sitting at desks. We call our series "Staged Readings" leaving it up to the individual director just how much they want to stage it. I think the biggest "problem" has been directors having a hard time grasping that less is indeed more.

Good luck

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Steven Koehler
Managing Director
Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
www.lafayettecivic.org

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 8/15/08 at 4:59pm

I agree that you keep the actors seated facing the audience, scripts on a music stand. Scripts should be in binders that are easy to turn, such as three-ring binders.

These should not be cold readings. They should be well rehearsed almost to the point that the actors know their lines. Their dress should be neutral and modern.

What I kind of like is taking a radio show approach. There is no "action" though there is plenty of vocal expression ... and add sound effects. You don't need to be wacky with it. Just add appropriate doorbells, telephone rings, etc. The sound effects person has a music stand and script, too, that he follows just like the actors.

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KEB