What is Adult Reader's Theater? It's a way to involve all actors in reading aloud. Reader's theatre is a legitimate form of drama with actors using their voices and upper bodies to convey various roles in a script through reading to an audience. It differs from a play in that parts or roles are read rather than memorized. Actors usually stand behind lecterns or chairs use techniques such as vocal and facial expressions as well as hand and arm movements. Small hand props may be used as well. In Adult Reader's theater, actors "perform" by reading scripts created from stories or playwrights. Adult beverages are always on hand.