Theater Insider with Amy Rowland: Line Read Through

Theater Insider: Line Read Through

One of the very special traditions we all enjoy to kick off the theater season is the first official rehearsal, a.k.a the “Read Through.” As the cast list comes up, each member of the cast and crew receives their script, and we all begin the first rehearsal.

Now, first, let me explain a little bit what this “Read Through” is.

It is exactly what it sounds like. In short, we basically “read through” the entire script. We all sit in a circle on the stage and read aloud the lines as our characters. This allows each member of the cast to get a feel for how their lines are said. This often leads to visions as to how the play could be performed on stage, or picturing possible quirks to help form our characters.

And, last but not least, there is my personal favorite part of line run… Cake! To initiate our script read through, we all get to devour the delicious milk and cake waiting for us in the center of the circle. What better way to start the fall play season?