From Reading Community Players
Pictured above: Mr. Carp (Dave Renninger) is missing and was last seen at the previous council meeting. But what happened to the minutes from that meeting? Photo courtesy of Bill Eschbach
Reading Community Players will stage Tracy Letts’ award-winning drama The Minutes April 10-12 at the WCR Center for the Arts. Part satire, part thriller, the play exposes the tensions, secrets, and power struggles beneath the surface of a small-town city council meeting.
Set in the town of Big Cherry, The Minutes quickly unravels into a sharp, darkly funny look at hypocrisy, ambition, and the stories communities tell to hold power. As questions arise — about a missing council member, misplaced bicycles, and hidden minutes — the ordinary becomes unsettling, and the stakes climb until every character’s motives are laid bare.
Tracy Letts, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of August: Osage County, blends deadpan humor with startling revelations to show how local politics can reflect national tensions. The Minutes mines both comedy and dread to ask what happens when truth becomes secondary to controlling the narrative.
Engaged in the rehearsal process, director Randy Miller stated, “Watching from a director’s point of view, and seeing these actors develop their characters, has been enjoyable. Especially those moments when I see the oh-I-get-it moments.”
“This play is a comedy, but then it takes a dark turn,” Miller explained. “I think the audience will be shocked at first, but then come to the realization of what the playwright is looking to accomplish.”
“We have decided to have a talk-back after each performance,” Miller continued, “thereby allowing the audience to decompress, express their feelings, and walk out with their questions answered.”
As the council meeting unfolds, what emerges is far deeper than a garden‑variety corruption scandal. Cast member Ed Carr elaborated, “While serving a role that is intended to be for the good of the community, all of these officials seem to always act [on] what is in their own interest, and the community does not really matter.”
Even with its seriousness, the audience will be amused and drawn into The Minutes. Cast member Dave Renninger asserted, “They will love the humor, and anyone who has sat on a board of directors, a church council, or [a] government council will be able to relate.”
Renninger continued, “The audience will hopefully be thinking about this play long after they leave the WCR and how it mirrors our current events.”
“We’re thrilled to bring this timely, fierce, and surprisingly comic play to our stage,” said RCP President Denise Darrah. “The Minutes asks audiences to listen closely — because the smallest towns can hold the biggest secrets, and minutes can change everything.”
The Minutes is recommended for mature audiences due to language, complex adult themes, and political content.
Contact the Reading Community Players box office at rcptheatre@gmail.com for further information. Tickets are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at RCPstage.ludus.com. Flex passes for the 2026 season are also available. The WCR Center for the Arts is located at 140 N. 5th St., Reading. Come find out what really happens behind the proverbial closed doors!
Reading Community Players is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing quality theatre and arts education to communities. To learn more about the organization and its offerings, visit www.readingcommplayers.com. For questions, contact the RCP President at 610-507-3436 or email RCPtheatre@gmail.com.
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