Every Tuesday night for the next six months Cold Reads will focus on plays by Tennessee Williams.

This month we’re reading early one-acts, warming up for all of his first thirteen (and only successful) Broadway plays. We start one every other week, and finish it the next.

Call it a Tribute.

Our rough schedule (adjusting for holidays):

Jun 2 & 9: The Glass Menagerie (1944)
Jun 16 & 23: A Streetcar Named Desire (1947)
Jun 30 & July 6: Summer and Smoke (1948)
Jul 13 & 20: The Rose Tattoo (1951)
Jul 27 & Aug 4: Camino Real (1953)
Aug 11 & 18: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955)
Aug 25 & Sep 1: Orpheus Descending (1957)
Sep 8 & 15: Suddenly, Last Summer (1958)
Sep 23 & 30: Sweet Bird of Youth (1959)
Oct 7 & 13: Period of Adjustment (1960)
Oct 20 & 27: The Night of the Iguana (1961)
Nov 3 & 10: The Eccentricities of a Nightingale (1962)
Nov 17 & 23: The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore (1963)

Why Not Join Us?

We gather now in Charlotte at the Plaza Midwood Library (although we may branch out, depending on the response). Just let us know you’re coming by joining the Facebook Group event (click here).

If you don’t use Facebook, leave a comment on this page.

Can’t Commit?

Pick and choose. Come for your favorites—or the ones you don’t already know. There’s no obligation. When folks stop coming, we stop.

Not a Charlottean? Busy Tuesday Nights?

Doesn’t mean you can’t read Tennessee. Pick another day or time. Have friends over and, instead of Trivial Pursuit…

Not Close By?

No problem. We post scripts on line. Just download them to your e-reader (or print it out). You’ll need a password (copyright laws). Request one in the comment box. Then pick a time and place, call some friends.

Twenty-six weeks?

Again, that’s just our base group. Some may read all thirteen in a long weekend; others may just pick and choose. It doesn’t matter how it’s done—our goal is to encourage people to read plays.

Why Tennessee?

After Eugene O’Neill, Williams and Miller stand out as America’s titan playwrights. We read twenty by O’Neill six years ago. We’ll do Miller next.

More to come

Restoration Comedy by the
First Female Professional Playwright

When?
6:30 PM Monday, June 9.

Where?
At the home of Joanna Gerdy, 3729 Oakwood Ave.

Click here to sign up.

More to come on Aphra Behn…

As time goes by I’ll use these posts for more than title, date, time and place (that’s all in the sidebar). Background on the author, context of the play, production history, blah blah blah. Too much else to do for now (and it’s all on Wiki anyway), so:

Thursday, May 15 it’s Moliere’s Misanthrope at Julia’s. Reading starts at 10:00 AM sharp and ends at noon. Come early (or stay late) to socialize.

Monday at 6:30 at John Xenakis’ home, 4009-A Kingsgate Place, off Providence, before Sardis. We’ll read Christopher Durang’s Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike.

A small but enthusiastic group of nine met yesterday morning and decided:

1. to continue meeting Thursday mornings at Julia’s, for the early birds;
2. to launch an evening read on Mondays, starting May 19. for the night owls (location TBA), and
3. to post all reads as Events on the Cold Reads FaceBook page. To participate, just sign up (join) and show up.

The first play in the new era will be announced on Sunday.

This is how we start.

We may also gather on weekends, other evenings, afternoons—when and wherever there’s interest and space. We’ll post and monitor events. If nobody signs up, we cancel.

We can share scripts!

Where?

Priority One: Monday, May 19.

Would someone like to host us at their home?

Who can suggest (and contact) a quiet coffee house (or a park, a library, a church) that would accommodate a little culture?

Bear in mind that we don’t have to meet at the same place all the time (although it would be nice to have a home). As long as each event is scheduled independently, we can enjoy a variety of venues.

What if once a month a different theatre gave us a dark night of their choosing (anybody have connections?)

Question

Do we finish a play in one read (three-plus hours) or two (two hours each)? The latter allows for more discussion, but you have to be there twice.

Answer

For now, let’s do Thursdays as we always have: start reading at 10:00, stop at noon, no matter where we are in the script. Come early (or stay late) to socialize.

And let’s make evenings a one-read event (into the morning…)

Comments?

What to Expect

If anyone has a particular favorite, prepared or otherwise, they’d like to read, they go first. Otherwise:

1. All readers take one monologue each from the top of the stack and take a moment to look them over.
2. One by one, in order, readers “speak the speech.”
3. Between each speech, the group responds, explores the character.
4. Readers may read the speech again, “with feeling.”
5. When everyone has read, we pick again from the top of the pile.

And may a good time be had by all!  Continue reading Spoon River Readings →

It looks like we’re a dozen: Adam, Scott, Hallie, Signa, Robin, Darlene, Sandra, James K, Stephanie, Catherine S, Catherine H, and me. Maybe more, who knows?

Another fifteen (Alexander, Gretchen, Graham, Annette, Cindy, Steve, Susan, Christy , Christy, Ginger, Vito, Sam, Barbi, James, and Kylene) are likely readers other days and times.  It’s a start.  Continue reading Agenda for May 8 →

Here’s the plan so far.

PHASE ONE: Compile a list of people who are likely read from time to time and add them to the Cold Reads FaceBook group. If you haven’t done so, go there now and RSVP to the May 8 event.

Please

Click MAYBE if you’d read from time to time at a convenient time and place. We’re trying to estimate participation.  Continue reading Here we go →