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.
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 4:00pm
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.
Fellowship For Performing Arts Presents C.s. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 3:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJA battle is being waged for your soul from an office in hell! Witness a fast-paced, tour-de-force performance in this acclaimed adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ satiric masterpiece. This international hit offers a faithful stage adaptation of Lewis’
The Screwtape Letters, following Screwtape, a senior tempter in Hell, as he schemes to capture the soul of an unsuspecting human on earth and reveals spiritual warfare in vivid, humorous and powerful ways.
Lewis Center For The Arts Presents "oratorio For Living Things"
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 2:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJInfusing a classical oratorio with blues, gospel, jazz and soul, this musical and visual journey investigates human experiences of time and memory alongside powerful physical forces that shape the universe. Our exploration emphasizes the significance of the ritual of gathering for live performance in an increasingly screen-focused world.
Featuring the students of the Lewis Center as the cast and crew, this production is the first non-professional performance of this important new work which premiered in 2022 in New York City to great critical acclaim.
Directed by visiting Iranian artist and director Nikoo Mamdoohi, with English to Latin translations by Greg Taubman, Princeton Class of 2006, the professional team includes music direction by Emma Sway, music supervision by Solon Snider Sway, set design by Afsoon Pajoufar, lighting design by Kelley Shih, sound design by Kay Richardson, costume design by Keating Debelak, choreography by Sariel Golomb, and stage management by Milan Eldridge, Princeton Class of 2020. Juniors Lota Alagbe and Peyton McLaughlin serves as dramaturgs.
George Street Playhouse Presents Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-woman Show
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
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"
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Kean Stage - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
EVENT PREVIEWS
Center Players presents "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play"
(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Center Players presents It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play with four performances across two Sundays (November 8 and November 15, 2026). Performances are split between the American Hotel and Mattison Crossing.
Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Christmas at the Playhouse 2026
(HAMPTON, NJ) -- Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Christmas at the Playhouse 2026 from November 10 to December 20, 2026. Celebrate the season with this spectacular holiday production filled with the music, memories, and traditions audiences have cherished through the years.
Ferrell Studios presents "Carrie, the Musical"
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Ferrell Studios presents Carrie, the Musical at the Plainfield Performing Arts Center from November 12-15, 2026. Based on the classic novel by Stephen King, the musical poses the question: What happens when someone is pushed too far?
Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival presents "Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman"
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival continues with Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman, a captivating one-woman play written and performed by Erica Knight. Running November 12–15, 2026, in the Kutz Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University. The production explores the turbulent life and legacy of Ralph Albert Blakelock, one of America's most celebrated yet tragically overlooked nineteenth-century painters.
Fool Moon Theatre Company presents "Love, Loss, And What I Wore" at The Eagle Theatre on November 12th
(HAMMONTON, NJ) -- Fool Moon Theatre Company presents a special, one-night-only presentation of the hit play Love, Loss and What I Wore on Thursday, November 12 2026 at Eagle Theatre. This exclusive event is a benefit for the Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary in Mays Landing. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Middlesex College presents "She Kills Monsters"
(EDISON, NJ) -- Middlesex College Visual, Performing and Media Arts presents She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen from November 12-18, 2026 at the Performing Arts Center - Studio Theater in Edison. She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly.
CherryBlossomPlayers:LLC presents Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher"
(NUTLEY, NJ) -- CherryBlossomPlayers:LLC presents Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher from November 12-14, 2026 at Philhower Chapel at Vincent United Methodist Church in Nutley. This is an exciting new original adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale.
Theater League of Clifton presents "1776" in November
(WAYNE, NJ) -- Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of opinionated, stubborn and deeply divided delegates gathered in Philadelphia and somehow managed to create a new nation. This November, the Theater League of Clifton brings their story to the stage with 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical about the tumultuous days leading to the Declaration of Independence. Directed by Maren Sugarman, the production will be presented November 13–15, 2026, at the Wayne Community Center.
Lomotion Live presents "Etiquette" by David Lee White
(BOONTON, NJ) -- Lomotion Live presents Etiquette, a timely and biting comedy by playwright David Lee White, directed by Lauren Moran. The production will run November 13–15, 2026 at Lomotion Live at Parsippany Arts Center in Boonton.
NJ Rep presents Theatre Brut Short Play Festival 2026: "Through The Window"
(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- What happens when we look through a window? Do we see the world as it really is, the world as we wish it could be, or something we never expected? New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) invites audiences to discover the unexpected with NJ Rep presents Theatre Brut Short Play Festival 2026: "Through The Window" a festival of eight original short plays presented over two weekends, November 13–15 and November 20–22, 2026 at the West End Arts Center in Long Branch.
