The Depot Theatre offers play readings in the lobby of the station from September through May. These informal, intimate gatherings give us the chance to try out plays we might like to produce, or explore work that might never make it onto the Depot stage, but intrigue us none-the-less.
We encourage you to come, enjoy the homey atmosphere, the hot soup we keep on hand to melt away the winter chill, and give us your thoughts about the plays we share. If you're game, come read a part - we welcome all members of the community to participate! Play readings are on select Sundays at 6:00 PM
For more information, call 518-962-4449, or contact Artistic Director, Shami McCormick.
 
Next Soup & A Play Reading

Sunday, March 10, Depot Theatre
"Bat Jar"
a comic exercise that turned into a play
by Shami McCormick
 
6 pm soup
6:30 reading with discussion
 
Five people walk into a restaurant and sit down: two couples and a young woman. The young woman is the daughter of one couple and the future daughter-in-law of the other. Hay fever, "The Great Escape", a bowl of cherries, a hyperventilating waiter, a mass murderer, a monogram, Albert Finney, an arms deal and bad hair threaten the wedding. Can two families look beyond their differences and find a way to meet at the altar even if one of them is a vegetarian?
 
The writing exercise that became the play, "Bat Jar": [You are asked to] construct a situation for five or six people. [You then are told to] write dialogue for them without allowing them to discuss their health, politics, sex or be angry with each other. [You] write for five minutes then change one of the rules for one of the characters. After another five minutes, change another rule and so on. [You have to] write continuously; [only] when [you have] finished [can you] go back and do one edit. What characters would you create? Where would they be? What would they do? What if they won't cooperate with the rules?