A character can sometimes be converted into a set of characters, with the speaking parts divided among them. Assign silent characters. Often stories have minor characters without speaking parts. If your directing style includes stage movement, you can assign these roles to surplus readers. You might also add speeches for them.
Crowd scenes can always use extra readers.
Cuts and Changes Feel free to make cuts and changes in the story that will make your script livelier, simpler to understand, or easier to perform. But be sure to read through and check whether everything in the story still makes sense. Some authorities on reader's theater object to even the most minor changes in the author's work. But the author was not writing for performance. If you refrain from making appropriate changes, the author's work may not appear in its best light.