Just wanted to report on the reading for "The Motorman". I had attended several readings in the past, but this was the first time I attempted it myself. In short, it was an amazing experience. The transformation from words on a page to a real living, breathing performance was very enlightening. The closest I could get to actually seeing the movie on screen. The night before, we did a rehearsal where I literally took a marker and slashed and trashed line after line after line of description, combined dialogue and cut little scenes. It was in the service of making the performance flow better but many of those cuts will persevere into the next draft. I think for a reading, it helps to get the best cast you can find. Because if a line or scene doesn't work when given to a good actor, you know there's something wrong. My cast was stellar and created a riveting performance but there were still moments that I knew could be clarified through rewriting. And with a live audience you get palpable feedback. You hear people squirming if scenes drag or plot gets confusing. The process was so essential, I plan to do a reading for everything I write from now on. Maybe not a formally staged one in front a theater audience like what I did with "The Motorman", but at least a more relaxed table read.