When most people think of a "reading" (I'm dropping the quotes from here on out) of a play certain images come to mind, such as actors sitting or standing with scripts in hand. A staged reading is somewhere between that and another form of presentation which has earned the somewhat non-descriptive term of workshop production. They are both on some continuum between a reading and a full production. And, as non specific as those terms are, they are useful for describing various presentations of a play that don't cost as much as a full production. It seems a little stickier when the performance can't accurately be described as a play to find a term among those used for plays that prompts a realistic expectation of what the production level is. But Staged Reading comes pretty close.
On April 26th, at Wilbury Group Theatre space at the Southside Cultural Center (383 Broad St. in Providence), you're gonna get more than scripts on music stands, but you're not going to get elaborate sets, laser light shows, smoke machines or era-appropriate snacks. But you will get snacks. Because snacks are part of the show. Games are also part of the show. And there is a play. And Video. And performance art.
We hope you can join us. It is pay what you can. It starts at 7:30.