HAPPY HOUR READINGS

A Play. A Drink. A Conversation.

Launched by Brenda Palestina and Emma Bacon, the Happy Hour Reading Series at Rec Room Arts invites theatre lovers, literature nerds, and curious community members to gather every first Monday of the month for an evening of communal storytelling and spirited conversation.

Here’s how it works:
We pick a play. You grab a drink from the bar. We gather in our intimate rehearsal studio and read the script out loud—no rehearsal, no direction, no prep. Just the text, the people in the room, and whatever discoveries emerge in real time. It’s raw, it’s surprising, and it always sparks a lively discussion afterwards.

This isn’t just about reading plays. It’s about building community, spotlighting Houston voices, and creating space for artists to grow. In addition to the monthly readings, Happy Hour also features staged readings—opportunities for emerging and established artists to share work in a low-pressure, creatively rich environment.

Whether you’re a seasoned actor, a casual reader, or someone who just loves great stories and good conversation, there’s a seat for you at the table. Or the bar.

Join us. First Mondays. At Rec Room.

Come for the play. Stay for the happy hour. Leave inspired.

Upcoming Readings:

THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?

Friday 4/11 7:30pm
Saturday 4/12 7:30pm
Sunday 4/13 2:30pm

by EDWARD ALBEE
directed by EMMA BACON

Join us for a staged reading of Edward Albee’s provocative and darkly funny play The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? Martin—a hugely successful architect who has just turned fifty—leads an ostensibly ideal life with his loving wife and teenage son. But when he confides to his best friend that he is also in love with a goat (named Sylvia), he sets in motion events that will destroy his family and leave his life in tatters.

Tickets are pay-what-you-will beginning at just $10! Our donation-based tickets aim to help us raise funds for HHR, to pay our artists in current productions, and help pay for future produced works! Your donation means a lot to us.

CAST

JACK YOUNG
ELIZABETH MARSHALL BLACK
GREG COTE
CAMERON O’NEIL

CONTENT ADVISORY

We do not offer advisories about subject matter, as sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have any questions about content, age-appropriateness or stage effects (such as strobe lights or theatrical fog) that might have a bearing on patron comfort, please contact info@recroomhtx.com.