For most, the term “theater” connotes full productions of either full-length (two or three acts) or short (one-act) plays, whether they be dramas, comedies and musicals. Actors memorize their roles and disappear into their characters, and even the most rudimentary productions are enhanced with scenic design work, costumes and props, as well as technical support (lighting, sound, projections or visual effects).
So what about whittling a script down to its essence, with actors appearing on stage with scripts in hand?
It’s called “readers theater,” and the concept and style aren’t new.
Readers theater involves performers using only vocal expression to communicate the script’s story and characters. Physical movement and interaction between actors are fairly limited if non-existent, unless the director deems them appropriate for or essential to getting the point across.
This mode of theater has been known down through the years by various names: “theater of the mind,” “interpreter’s theater” and “story theater,” and performances are referred to as “staged readings” or “play readings.”
Nearly every theater company in Orange County (and many more in greater Southern California) has devoted time and space to staged readings, either generating programs of its own or hosting troupes dedicated to readers theater.
