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What I Look for in a First Read-Through (and What I Don't Need Yet)
- Christopher Michaels
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Ah, the first reading. That magical moment when a new play or musical takes its very first breath outside the writer's brain and into the room. The stage directions are still warm. The jokes haven't been tested. The characters are raw, wobbly, and thrillingly unpolished. It's messy. It's honest. It's one of my favorite parts of the process.
I’ve shepherded many a new work from living room table reads to workshop productions and beyond, and love the weird, wild, wonderfully vulnerable stage that is “reading number one”.
Let's talk about what I look for in a first reading (and just as importantly, what I don't need yet):
What I Do Look For in a First Read-Through:
A Strong Point of View
When I first read a new script, I’m looking for a strong, distinct point of view; something that tells me why this story needs to be told now and why this creative team is the one to tell it. You don't need a perfected script, and likely, you won’t have one. But I need to feel the heartbeat to know that it’s alive.
A compelling point of view isn’t just about subject matter; it’s about how the world is seen through the lens of the characters, the tone of the writing, and the voice behind the narrative. I want to feel the urgency, the conviction, the emotional stakes. Whether the tone is subversive, poetic, gritty, or absurd, I want to feel something that could only come from you. That’s when I know there’s something really worth investing in.
Characters I Can Sink My Teeth Into
Even if the dialogue still needs finessing, I’m searching for characters that feel alive on the page with contradictions, desires, flaws, and depth; characters who surprise me, challenge me, make me laugh, or break my heart.
Audiences want characters they can love, hate, root for, or rally against! Actors and directors long to sink their teeth into roles that demand vulnerability, nuance, and risk. Whether it’s a lead or a smaller role, I want to see that the writer has given each character a clear inner life and a voice that’s specific and compelling. Flat characters can be developed, but I want to feel like you've at least got something simmering, even if it's still a little undercooked.
Rhythm
This one's a biggie for me! I direct a lot of comedies, I know how rhythm and pacing can make or break a piece. I also know that dramas with unearned emotional moments can cause your audiences to roll their eyes and check out immediately.
Comedy, drama, or musical… Doesn’t matter. I'm listening for the rhythm of the piece: how it breathes, where it pulses, when it pauses. A first reading is about hearing the piece for the first time, so I'm tuned in to pacing, momentum, and tonal shifts. That's where my work begins..
A Writer Who's Listening
Let’s be clear: I’m not here to direct at you. I’m here to collaborate with you. I’m your creative partner in the room who hasn’t been staring at the same scene for six months, someone who can come in with fresh ears, honest curiosity, and a lot of care.
The best first readings happen when the writer is open and ready to discover. Some of the most exciting moments come when a line you thought was crystal clear lands completely differently, or when a minor character suddenly emerges as the emotional core. Those discoveries only happen when we both stay curious.
I recently worked on a new musical where the writers were convinced a ballad early on was essential to understanding a character’s emotional journey. But in the reading, it felt redundant (a redundancy that was echoed by two reprises). I gently noted that the scene work was already doing the heavy lifting, and the song, beautiful as it was, was actually slowing the pace. They agreed to cut it, and the show immediately breathed easier.
You don’t have to take every note I give you, but I love working with writers who want to understand what their script actually does, not just what they meant for it to do.
What I Don't Need Yet in a First Read-Through:
A Perfect Draft
Please, don't wait until your script feels "ready." Give me your long-winded monologues, your act breaks that don't break yet, your clunky transitions yearning to breathe free. I'd rather meet your play when we have the freedom to mix it up before the cement dries.
In another new musical, the writer clung tightly to a scene she loved from her first draft. But in the room, we realized it lacked tension. It left no one on the edge of their seats. It just… happened. We talked through ideas and she went off to re-write. But months went by. No new pages. The new scene “broke” other moments she liked in the show, so she just stopped writing.
But here's the thing: you can’t have a breakthrough without breaking something. See, we realized that the other scenes were breaking because they, too, lacked tension. The stakes just weren’t strong enough and didn’t escalate. We found and fixec a problem we didn’t know we had and ended up with a show that was sharper, more honest, and far more powerful.
Staging Ideas
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the staging answers yet. We’re not figuring out light cues or where the couch goes. What matters more at this stage is that your piece has a clear theatrical imagination. I want to know how the world of your play or musical moves, breathes, and transforms. Is it grounded in realism or full of magical shifts? Do characters break the fourth wall, morph identities, or bend time? Those are the clues that help me begin imagining how it could live on its feet, even if we're still sitting at a table.
Theatricality doesn’t require spectacle, it just requires intention. If your piece invites transformation, surprise, or abstraction, let me know that. I don’t need you to tell me how it will work, just that it should. I can dream with you from there and our team, collaboratively, will find a way to make it happen!
A Cast of Broadway Actors
Give me smart, present readers with good instincts and open hearts. That's all we need. The most revealing readings I’ve directed happened in living rooms with scripts in laps, Coke can-covered coffee tables, and not an Equity card in sight. The best readers are the ones who come in curious, generous, and willing to live inside the piece, not just read it.
I directed two staged readings of the same show at different points in its development. The first was cast with a group of friends (most of them non-union) just to see what we had. The second featured seasoned Broadway talent. I was surprised how the first group, despite having fewer credits, locked into the piece’s energy immediately! They found joy in places we hadn’t expected, simply by following their instincts. The pros, while fantastic, needed more time and guidance to unlock those same moments, reminding me: it’s not about résumés, it’s about readiness to play.
A consensus
Hot take: not everyone needs to like your piece at a first reading. In fact, if everyone’s smiling politely and saying “Great job!” without much to say, that might be a red flag. Sometimes, discomfort in the room is a sign that you’ve hit a nerve or uncovered something powerful and raw. That’s not failure… that’s fuel!
At this stage, you don’t need approval. You need reflection. What stirred people? What confused them? What stuck with them the next day, even if they didn’t know why? That’s the kind of feedback that helps you sharpen your voice, not sand down its edges. I’m here to help you navigate those responses, figure out what landed, what didn’t, and what that reveals about your intentions.
I’ve seen early drafts spark debates, provoke unexpected emotions, even make people a little uneasy, and what a gift! It showed the writer where the real power of the piece lived. Trust your gut, but also trust your collaborators and that the thing you've made is worth building.
Got a project brewing? Let's connect!
If you're looking for a director who's to create a safe space for bold choices and honest feedback and to guide your project through this crucial moment… Hi, I'm your guy!
I'm always excited to meet writers and producers ready to bring new work to life. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your piece to the next stage, I'm here to help shape the journey one step at a time.
So let's make something unpolished and unforgettable together!
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