Surviving the First Read, Part One

So, you've auditioned, you've gotten through the long wait- now, it's time for the first read.  This is the part where you sit down with the cast and read the play, cover to cover.  Since there's so much to say about the first read, I've divided it into two parts.

Part One describes the purposes of the first read.

Part Two explains the realities of it (in my experience) and some of the pitfalls of this process.

In the second section, I will mention (many times) that these observations are based on my personal experiences in theater, and that all those experiences have been a little different.  I suspect that there is in no "one truth" in these things.  Keep that in mind in this section as well- in fact, keep it in mind at all times.


The first read is the opportunity to do a myriad of things.

The Space:

First, you get to know the space you'll be working in.

You may have auditioned in the same theater you'll now be working in, but while auditions sometimes be very in depth, it's generally sort of a hit and run enterprise.

It's only with the first read that you'll start to get a sense of your space and how much time you'll be spending there.

Run Time:

The first read is usually also the time when the director or stage manager clocks the play, getting a basic run time.

The Cast:

Next, you meet the rest of the cast.  These are people you're going to see a lot of, so it's important to try to make a good impression.

The Vision:

The director will describe his vision for the show, generally in fairly broad terms.

What You Should Know:

You'll read through the play at the first read, getting a feel for your lines (and everyone else's lines, too) and getting a firmer picture of how it will be than you did reading the play alone.

In all, it's a very important first step toward putting together a play.

Click here to go on to Surviving the First Read, Part Two.