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 staged Reading:

Women, Beware the devil

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

by LULU RACZKA
directed by BRENDA PALESTINA

Join us for a staged reading of Lulu Raczka’s deadly new play of treachery and trickery, Women, Beware the Devil.

England, 1640. A war is brewing. Rumours are flying. A household is in crisis.…and the Devil’s having some fun.

For Lady Elizabeth nothing is more important than protecting her family’s legacy and their ancestral home. When that comes under threat, she elicits the help of Agnes, a young servant suspected of witchcraft. But Agnes has dark dreams of her own for this house.

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.

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.