What should a director provide to actors during cold readings?

Providing actors with sufficient time to look over the scenes during cold readings is essential because it allows them to familiarize themselves with the text, understand their characters, and make thoughtful choices about their performances. Cold readings often occur in auditions or rehearsals where the actors may not have prior experience with the material. By allowing time for the actors to read and reflect on the scenes, the director facilitates a more organic and effective interpretation of the characters and dialogue.

Immediate feedback on performance could disrupt the flow of the cold reading process, as actors need the opportunity to deliver their readings without interruption. A list of character traits to memorize is impractical in a cold reading context, where the focus is on instant interpretation rather than memorization. An outline of the entire play might provide some context, but it could overwhelm actors with information that is not immediately relevant to the specific scenes they are reading. Therefore, offering sufficient time for reading is the most supportive approach for actors in a cold reading scenario.