Introducing "Voices Off Paper"
Live Screenplay Table Reads in Milwaukee
In 2019, while still at university, I struggled to find other screenwriters, especially in Southeast Missouri. Like most chronically online people, I figured posting some of my work on Facebook might help me meet others. After sharing a short love story about two leaves falling in love, an online table read group, Voices On Paper, invited me to host the script in their upcoming Valentine’s Day shorts program. I’ve been part of their core team ever since.
After moving to Milwaukee in 2022, I noticed the same problem once again. Plenty of talented writers in a city full of creatives, but very few shared spaces. Scripts written and shelved in isolation, emails begging for notes, and me cold-messaging people I barely know just because I’ve seen them post #booktoks.
Voices Off Paper (V.O.P.) exists to change that by bringing writers into the same room to collaborate with local actors once a month. But first, what even is a table read? Some of you might scoff at that question, but I want to cover all the bases.
First, a table read is a full read-through of a movie or television script with the cast, writer(s), and director present. It’s a chance to hear the story out loud and for the writer to hear where the script needs work before moving into the next stage of production.
Table reads are especially important in pre-production. They help evaluate the flow of the story, the chemistry between characters and performers, and highlight areas that need revision. For me, the most important reason is simple: they help prevent any major rewrites once you’re already on set.
During the pandemic, a wave of quarantined creatives launched virtual table reads, bringing together some of the most well-known actors in the industry. While many focused on classic plays, there were also feature screenplay reads, including scripts like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, and The Princess Bride. Though these reads weren’t tied to production, it was exciting to hear how different actors approached such iconic roles, especially Shia LaBeouf reading Jeff Spicoli.
Here’s how a Voices Off Paper table read will work. Each month, one locally written script is selected for a live table read. The writer is in the room, local actors read the parts, and we hear the script out loud together. Afterward, we sit down with the writer and talk through what is and isn’t working in the story.
How Scripts Are Selected
Voices Off Paper is not a contest or a pitch night. Each month, one script is selected based on its readiness for a table read and how it will play in a room of local creatives. Scripts will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We’re not looking for “perfect” scripts. We’re looking for work that benefits from being heard out loud and discussed with other writers and actors. So what makes a script ready?
Completed feature screenplay (80–120 pages)
Completed pilot episode (half-hour or hour-long)
Written by Wisconsin-based writer(s)
Properly formatted (industry-standard format, PDF only)
At this time, we are focusing on feature-length screenplays and hour-long pilots. Short films may be considered in the future, but for now, please do not submit any short form scripts. That said, please keep writing them.
Now accepting submissions via email, VoicesOffPaper@gmail.com.
Who Are Our Actors?
Voices Off Paper is open to volunteer actors and voice actors across the Southeast Wisconsin area. Whether you come from community theatre, professional performance, acting classes, commercial work, or somewhere in between, this is meant to be an extra space to practice your craft and to meet other creatives.
We recognize that acting is a huge time commitment, especially in markets like Milwaukee, and that time is often the reason talented performers step away from the field. V.O.P. offers a focused 3–4 hour commitment only once a month, designed for actors who want to stay active without taking on a full production.
While V.O.P. will prioritize more experienced performers for lead roles, no level of experience disqualifies you from participating. We want actors at every stage in the room, and we’ll do our best to cast as inclusively as possible.
Where Does This Take Place?
In Milwaukee, of course. More specifically, it will be hosted in a private space that can comfortably hold 15–30 people without interruptions from the outside world, which rules out businesses that are actively open to the public.
At the moment, securing a location is essentially our only major cost. While I do have access to a few studio spaces and warehouses, the goal is to find a space that feels comfortable, presentable, and distinctly Milwaukee. We’re not trying to go over the top or rent The Pabst Mansion. We just want a space that feels right, and ideally within walking distance of a good local restaurant we can all patronize afterward.
We’re still finalizing a permanent location for these reads and are actively open to suggestions or leads on potential spaces. We do have backup options in place, but if you or someone you know has access to a suitable venue and wants to support this series, we’d love to talk.
How to Become a “Script Doctor”
(AKA Not the Writer or the Actor)
Not everyone will have a script ready, and not everyone wants to read parts (I certainly don’t). If you’re a writer, director, or filmmaker who still wants to be involved, this is where the “script doctor” role comes in.
Through Voices On Paper, the online table read group, I’ve served as a recurring script doctor. That usually means sitting through a full read, taking notes quietly, and waiting until the end to offer feedback. It’s a lot like waiting in the ER, which is probably where the name comes from.
A script doctor’s role is simple. You listen to the full read, take notes, and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to the writer afterward. The notes are focused on the script itself, not the actors’ performances. This role is for people who want to engage with the writing, contribute to the conversation, and sharpen their own storytelling instincts. From experience, listening to others give proper feedback has helped me better identify problems in my own work.
If Not Now, Then When?
Our first official table read will take place in March 2026. Because this is a brand-new series, the first session will function as a workshop on how to run the workshop itself. We want to get the format right before opening it up further.
The goal is to have everything dialed in by the time the Milwaukee Film Festival rolls into town (in April), so we can host a read while the city is already full of filmmakers and visiting creatives.
The Beat Sheet
This is how a full Voices Off Paper table read will run once the month’s script has been selected by the moderator team.
Step 1: A date is selected and confirmed. Once a month.
Step 2: An email is sent to available actors in our system with all open roles listed. It’s very likely that actors will be cast in more than one role.
Step 3: Crew call. The moderator will start exactly 15 minutes later.
Step 4: Before the read begins, the writer provides a short list of questions or areas they want the script doctors to focus on. The floor briefly opens for any clarifying questions for the writer.
Step 5: The live table read begins. There is one intermission and no interruptions during the read.
Step 6: Curtain call for all actors. Actors are free to leave at this point if they do not wish to stay for script doctor feedback. They also don’t need to give feedback.
Step 7: Moderators guide the feedback portion by calling on each script doctor in turn. Each round of notes is treated like a one-on-one between the script doctor and the writer, while everyone else listens. No interruptions.
Step 8: Final thoughts, announcements, and wrap out.
Attendance Expectations
Writers are expected to stay for the full session, including feedback. Script doctors should plan to attend the entire read if they intend to give notes. Actors are welcome to stay for feedback, but are free to leave after curtain call. Scripts will be sent to actors ahead of time. Reading in advance is strongly encouraged, but not required.
This room runs on respect. Notes stay focused on the writing, not the actors, and there are no interruptions during reads or feedback. Disagreements are fine, but this isn’t a space for personal digs or debates. Moderators will step in if needed.
If Voices Off Paper chooses not to work with certain individuals, we ask that decision be respected. Creating a safe, comfortable room comes first.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be organizing a small team of local creatives to help run Voices Off Paper. This core group will act as moderators at each read and assist with planning and organizing the workshop month to month. They’ll be responsible for selecting each script, helping set up the table read space, and communicating with the local creative community.
The moderator team will also maintain a short list of notable Wisconsin-connected screenplays to use in the event a locally written script is unavailable for a given month. These may include The Straight Story, written by Mary Sweeney and John Roach, or the new Wisconsin Dells–set comedy thriller Nobody 2, written by Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin. We’re open to suggestions.
If this sounds like something you’d want to be part of, feel free to reach out. If you’re interested in helping support Voices Off Paper by covering things like snacks, coffee, or occasional venue costs, I’m happy to chat about that as well. There is no cost to submit or participate in this workshop.
All future announcements will be posted here on Substack. If you’d like email notifications, please subscribe. You can also follow Voices Off Paper on Instagram at @VoicesOffPaper for updates.
Would the Falcon Bowl work?
There are restaurants in Riverwest: Centro, Nessun Dorma, Corazon, Wonderland.
This is amazing!