By Karen Nowosad
originally published: 03/30/2020
In the midst of the current health crisis, theater lovers have to find new ways to get their fix! Last Monday, mine came in the form of a live play reading given by Create Theater. Live streaming of the event was through the ZOOM platform. The play in the reading was Zoe Comes Home by Melissa Bell. In a word, attending this was fantastic! Here’s what happened.
Getting Set Up
I first learned about the event in a tweet from Melissa Bell.
And since I enjoy her work, I sent the email requesting entry to the event.
Cate Cammarata heads Create Theater. Her email came to me with a link to enter the ZOOM room. All I had to do was click the link and ok the use of the ZOOM app. I did receive a Password if I went another route. And there were also phone numbers to use if I had only wanted to listen in. It was incredibly easy to do.
Before I knew it, I was connected virtually to a “room” where a team of actors was ready to deliver the reading and a lot of other people who came to watch like I did. There were well over 40 people who attended this event. The virtual connection can show video of anyone who has ok’ed the use of video of themselves which shows in small tiles all around the screen. You also have the option of not being seen. The audio is muted except for the actors.
How the Reading Worked
The actors knew how to present themselves very professionally on this virtual platform. They showed up well as they had full make-up and hair nicely done. As each actor spoke their part, their video image took the center of the screen. Each one knew how to speak at the right volume and tone and how to best handle their moments of presentation. The reading went off smoothly. It was as if we were in the same room as the actors doing the reading.
The actual reading of the play lasted just under an hour. At the end of that time, a Survey Monkey link was activated in the Chat box and Melissa Bell asked if we would provide feedback about what we had seen. Then for the next 30 minutes, people who were viewers like myself provided interesting perspectives about what they saw. It was a very enjoyable post event discussion.
Being able to attend a reading of a new play is always a special event. I have dabbled in play writing myself, so being able to see the process of development is something I enjoy doing.
More About Create Theater
After attending this reading, I was intrigued with the idea of being able to see a reading of a new work in development. I liked what I saw on CreateTheater.com’s home page:
What can we do now as an industry? Keep theater moving forward as a community.
Submit your play for a free Monday Night Reading Series online.
Seeing that made me think I wanted to get more information about what was happening here. I contacted Cate Cammarata and she graciously answered some questions.
Was the Monday night online presentation the first time you tried a table reading in that manner? If it wasn’t the first time, how often has it been done?
I’ve been working with writers over the Zoom platform exclusively for almost 3 years, so we always read back and forth while we’re working on a script. It was the first time that I invited people into the room like that. I found it worked quite well! The “speaker view” voice-activates a camera profile, in effect very much like a multi-camera video. As one attendee said, it gives a closer view of the actor than a regular reading.
What was your reaction/assessment of how it went on Monday night from doing it virtually?
I thought it would work well, but in truth it was very much of an experiment. I was happily surprised by the audience’s engagement and follow up responses afterwards, which was uniformly very positive. I’m definitely continuing the Monday Night Reading Series for the foreseeable future, and I’m presently booked out until mid-May. Overall, I believe that although being present in the same room is the best way to produce a reading, there are some benefits of engaging an audience over a teleconferencing platform.
Let’s project out: would you see this as something your group could continue doing after life returns to normal?
It will be. I can create a community online that benefits everyone, especially the playwright. If anyone would like more information about upcoming projects, please visit www.createtheater.com and sign up for the newsletter, or contact me by email at [email protected].
Create Theater Going Forward
Here is the current schedule for Monday night readings:
March 30 – Life Alert – A new comedy by Chris Sherman
April 6 – Bordello – A new musical – Emiliano Messiez, book & lyrics by Barbara Bellman
April 13 – War Orphan by Shellen Lubin
Readings begin promptly at 7pm EST / 4pm PST.
RSVP at [email protected]
Final Thoughts
I’m giving a big round of applause to all who were involved in last Monday night’s (March 23, 2020) reading. Being able to connect with theater again was a joy for me.
And now another round of applause for Cate Cammarata for her innovative technique and her work in helping theater to keep going forward during these very difficult times.
About the author:
Let's Go to the Theater helps people learn more about about live theater and develop appreciation for this art form. Karen M. Nowosad is the founder of the site. The enjoyment Karen gets from going to the theater is something she wants to share with others.
George Street Playhouse Presents Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-woman Show
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJWritten by and starring
Vicki Lawrence Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 2:00pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Princeton’s Famous Triangle Show: Roswell That Ends Well
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 8:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJIf you’re feeling all alone in the universe – or even if you’re not – Triangle’s newest musical comedy is for you! Join us as Triangle explores what it means to have friends in high – or should we say “sky”? – places. Extraterrestrial visitors, crazy conspiracy theories, and intergalactic shenanigans power this year’s annual laugh-fest of witty jokes, lavish production numbers, and, of course, Triangle’s famous kickline. Can interplanetary goodwill blossom in the dystopian desert of our current times? Get your Triangle tickets now and learn if
Roswell That Ends Well!
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJDunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s
FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJDunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s
FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
Murder At The Palace
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:00pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJSave the date for an adults-only night out set in the Roaring ’20s, as the Historic Palace Theatre plays host to a Murder Mystery event that’s truly to die for!
EVENT PREVIEWS
The Growing Stage presents Murder at the Palace
(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage presents Murder at the Palace - a roaring 20's murder mystery - on Saturday, November 14, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. All proceeds benefit the artistic and educational programming of The Growing Stage.
SPQR Stage Co. presents "Pumpin' the Chihuahua"
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Co. presents Bill Sterritt's "Pumpin' the Chihuahua," an imaginative dark comedy running two weekends from November 14–22, 2026 at studio;space in Somers Point.
Moorestown Theater Company presents "9 to 5, the Musical"
(MOORESTOWN, NJ) -- Moorestown Theater Company presents 9 to 5, the Musical from November 18-22 at First Methodist Church. Three unlikely friends take control of their office and learn there is nothing they can't do, even in a man's world.
Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department presents "The Laramie Project"
(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department will present a student theatre production of The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, November 18-20, 2026 at 7:00pm each night. The performances, which are free of charge and open to the public, will be held in the Welpe Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus.
Offbook Productions present "The Women of Congress 1776"
(MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ) -- Offbook Productions presents The Women of Congress 1776 on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. Showtime is 6:30pm.
Cape May Stage presents "Murder For Two - The Holiday Edition"
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May Stage presents Murder For Two - The Holiday Edition from November 18 through December 27, 2026. Directed by Roy Steinberg, it's a merry and musical whodunit!
Paper Mill Playhouse to open season with "Mary Poppins"
(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins to open the company's 88th season. Performances begin Wednesday, November 18 ahead of a Sunday, November 22 opening night for a run that continues through Sunday, January 3, 2027. This is a spectacular musical filled with wonder, wit, and unforgettable songs.
Somerset County Vocational Technical High School Theater Arts Department presents "Come From Away"
(BRIDGEWATER, NJ) -- In a story about strangers becoming family and tragedy giving way to unexpected hope, one real-life couple's love story has given students at Somerset County Vocational Technical High School a personal connection to the musical they are bringing to the stage.
Centenary Stage Company to Close Out 2026 Fringe Festival with "Unseen"
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company will conclude its 2026 Fringe Festival with Unseen, written and performed by Kimberly Prentice, November 19–22, 2026, in the Kutz Theatre. Blending physical comedy, rapid-fire character changes, and heartfelt storytelling, Unseen takes audiences backstage into the demanding, unpredictable world of Broadway's wardrobe crew, celebrating the people whose essential work often goes unnoticed.
The Road Company presents "Solid Gold: A Show-Stopping Cabaret"
(WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ) -- The Road Company presents Solid Gold: A Show-Stopping Cabaret, an original retrospective revue, from November 19 to December 5, 2026 at the Grand Theatre.
