Before Rehearsals
A Virtual Play Reading of any new Play prioritizes the goals of the Playwright, who should have a say in preliminary decisions, rehearsals, recording and post-production. It’s important, however, that writers remain focused on their work, and not on technical issues. This approach best serves New Play Development.
Playwrights should carefully review the submission policies of Producing Organizations where they might like to submit their work, to make sure it’s a good fit. They should watch any Virtual Play Reading that the Theatre has produced to assess its quality and learn from the shortcomings.
Producers should be clear about their intentions: are Plays selected for a Virtual Reading Series to provide writers with an opportunity to hear their work, or will they be considered for production when the theatre reopens? If their Play is chosen for a Reading, Playwrights and Producers should discuss whether it will be live-streamed or recorded, and if recorded, how long it will be available for viewing.
The Playwright should have input into choosing a Director. Once secured, the Playwright and Director, and possibly the Literary Manager, should discuss the Play, the casting and the goals of the Reading.
The Playwright and the Director, and in certain situations, the Producer can participate in casting the Reading. Online video auditions are possible, but as with public Readings, auditions may not be necessary. One of the distinct advantages of Virtual Play Readings is that the Actors do not need to be local.
The Playwright, Director and Actors may request a contract which stipulates payment. It is advised that all Artists involved in Virtual Play Readings are compensated for their services. If professional Artists are secured, the websites of the Unions and Guilds that represent Playwrights, Directors, Musicians, Stage Managers and Actors should be consulted regarding the most recent policies for their members who participate in Online Readings. Published Plays need the Publisher’s permission and will require payment.
Once the Playwright, Director and Actors have been secured, someone needs to be placed in charge of hosting the rehearsals and the recording on the chosen platform. Additionally, someone must be responsible for distributing all communications. These responsibilities can be handled separately or together by the Artistic Director, Literary Manager, Producer, Stage Manager or Director.
Everyone involved in the Readings should be emailed a list of required equipment, along with additional technical recommendations, and any other support or advice.
The Director, in consultation with the Playwright, should eliminate as many Stage Directions as possible, keeping only those that are essential. This is crucial. Also, Playwrights may choose to revise some of the Stage Directions or even a few words in the script - for example, when it’s not clear in the text, to clarify which character another character is addressing. These revisions need not be permanent; the Playwright can generate a draft of the script specifically for the Reading.
Everyone involved in a Virtual Reading should be sent a Word document or PDF of the script, with entrances and exits clearly indicated. Actors can increase the font size of the script to make it easier to read. If an Actor prefers a hard copy of the script, unless they agree to print it themselves, the Theatre should be responsible for sending it to them. Hard copies should not be conspicuous during the recording.
Directors should decide whether the Actors will be in charge of their own entrances and exits in rehearsal and recording, or if this will be handled by the Stage Manager or Director. Determining entrances and exits should not wait until post-production.
The Director should choose whether the Stage Directions Reader will be on-screen whenever they speak; on-screen only when introducing the Play and then heard in voice-over; or heard exclusively in voice-over.
For new musicals, Actors should be sent recorded tracks, along with other technical specifications for recording their vocals individually. These multiple recordings can then be synced by the Video Editor in post-production. Some new platforms allow a musician and singer to perform together virtually. Do not attempt to record multiple performers simultaneously, as lag time in internet connection makes quality difficult to achieve.
The Director and Playwright should consult with the Video Editor about their goals and preferences before rehearsals begin. The Video Editor should watch at least one rehearsal as well as the recording but need not communicate with the Actors until the recording.
Actors are not required to memorize their lines, but they should read and reread the script as often as possible before rehearsals begin and make note of any questions they may have.