BWW Blog: How to Begin Reading Plays

Before coming to college, I had never read a script for a play that I wasn't a part of. However, during the first week of school, I met with my professor, Dr. Sandley, and he gave me The Yellow Boat by David Saar to peruse. My love for reading plays began with that tragically beautiful script. After the initial meeting, I was in Dr. Sandley's office almost every week to get new scripts and discuss the ones I had finished. Over the past two years, I've devoured hundreds of plays. I wholeheartedly believe that reading plays has made me a better theatre-maker and person.

I've developed my own personal theatrical aesthetic and broadened my horizons by reading scripts.

After poring over countless scripts, I was able to hone in on the pieces of work that make me the most excited. I found that my favorite plays tend to be contemporary works that feature underrepresented individuals and possess plots that tug at the heartstrings. I am drawn to these types of plays because I value the perspective they give me. Plays, like any stories, help you develop empathy and see the world from a different point of view.

At first, reading scripts can seem overwhelming, because a play is written to be seen.

This can inherently make it difficult to begin reading scripts on your own. Another struggle is finding scripts. Not all libraries have loads of scripts available, so it can be hard to find plays to read. Here are some tips to help you begin reading scripts.

1. Ask for recommendations and borrow plays from your professors.

Buying plays can get very expensive, especially if you want to read a large range of them. The best way to access plays is to borrow them from theatre professors at your university. Often, professors have large libraries and are willing to loan their plays out to individuals that will take care of them. If you are new to your theatre department, asking for plays is a great icebreaker to show your professors that you are ready to learn.

2. Start simple and choose scripts with a limited amount of characters.

When I began reading plays, I found myself having a difficult time keeping up with more than four characters. Since scripts are written in a different style than traditional books, it can be tricky at first to follow dialogue when there are many characters present. Plays with two or three characters, such as Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing, Oleanna by David Mamet, or Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph, ease one into the structure of plays.

3. Consider beginning with a contemporary play in order to ensure language is not a barrier.

While I adore Shakespeare, I wouldn't recommend reading one of his works as a first play. For a beginner, struggling with difficult language can be very discouraging, so save plays written over a hundred years ago for a time when you are a more experienced reader. Contemporary plays, such as Fiction by Steven Deitz and Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, are more straightforward to read than something written in the 1600's, like Tartuffe by Molierre.

4. Try reading a play written especially for young audiences.

As a theatre for youth major, I am well-versed in theatre for young audiences, or TYA. These plays can be light and fun. However, TYA plays can also deal with difficult subject matter in a form that youth can understand. Defining factors of a TYA piece are a message of hope and an engaging story written for youth. Plays, such as Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice and Wiley and the Hairy Man by Suzan Zeder, can be wonderful for beginning play readers due to their humour and whimsical nature.

5. Find a professor, peer, or upperclassmen to discuss the play with.

Conversing about the play afterward can help you to develop a deeper understanding of the story. Talking through themes, characters, and plot points with someone else helps one gain a better appreciation of the work. Sometimes, my opinion of a play changes after an enlightening discussion with someone who understands the work better than myself. It's difficult to have a positive opinion of a play when you don't fully understand it.

6. Finally, make a list of the plays you read to refer back to later.

Once I started reading them, I became a voracious reader of plays. When the amount of plays became too numerous to recall, I made a list to track the many scripts I read. Creating a list in a virtual format is helpful so that you'll always have it with you. It's also important to make note of what you really liked and didn't like about each piece.

Ultimately, reading plays will help you develop your own aesthetic and further shape your career in theatre.

Happy reading to you!

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