theatrevault.com

by Krista Threadgill

Picture this:  It’s Tuesday night, there’s nothing on television (okay, there may be, but I don’t watch a lot of TV), nothing interesting arrived from Netflix, and the local theatre scene has gone to bed until the weekend.  Or has it?  Check your calendar:  if it’s the second Tuesday of the month, you can help Raconteur Theatre pick one of its next productions.

Those crazy folks at Raconteur have come up with a pretty neat idea.  They bring in a bunch of their regular actors who read through a script that RTC is considering for the upcoming season.  The audience’s job is to provide feedback via a short questionnaire at the end of the session.  The  low-key  atmosphere offers raw performances with coffee and snacks available in the library lobby.

This is a great way to experience a play without having to dole out a lot of cash.  Reading a play is one way to formulate ideas about it, but you get a much better picture hearing it, instead.  Last night’s script was Tracks in the Snow by Neil McGowan.  This particular reading was somewhat of an anomaly in that Raconteur has already decided to add this to the schedule, expecting to present it in late 2010.  All of the other readings from this point will work like script auditions, with the audience serving as the sounding board, helping to determine which plays the company will produce in the upcoming season.

So instead of watching reruns or foraging in the fridge for the snack you know you really don’t need, why not join Raconteur in the ever-challenging pursuit of theatrical excellence?  They’ll be glad to have you!

Raconteur Theatre has their free script reading on the second Tuesday of every month from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  The next reading will be on September 8th.  See Columbus Theatre Calendar for more information, or visit the Raconteur website.