You and your friends will be given a script, which has lines for you to read out loud, among your group. (It’s a “table read,” and you are the actors!) You won’t know the plot in advance; instead, at each train stop, you’ll begin the next scene. Act I unfolds during the outbound journey, from Downtown to Crestview—and Act II occurs during the inbound journey, from Crestview back to Downtown. There’s an intermission at the Crestview station, where all attendees will exit the train and enjoy a free drink. It’s gonna be a fun time!

Including check-in time, the event lasts 2 hours. You need to arrive by the time indicated on your ticket (either 2:15pm or 4:45pm) to meet the Conductor for check-in. We will have a few minutes to gather together, and then our full group of attendees will board the train before it departs the Downtown Station. The event starts and ends downtown.

All showtimes are on Saturdays, either at 2:15pm or 4:45pm, on the following dates: 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10. Grab your tickets now before they’re gone!

Fun! This is a light-hearted look at someone else’s drama, and it’s a chance to play pretend. The stakes are low, and the chuckles are plentiful.

You’re purchasing tickets for a batch of 4 people, which includes each person’s $7 train fare and a complimentary drink during intermission for each person at Vigilante Gastropub & Games!

When buying your tickets, you choose which script you’ll read. Maybe you’ll pick THE BAND, in which four bandmates are on their way to a gig, or THE BACHELORETTE PARTY, where four Austinites head to a winery to celebrate a friend. Or, this year, we are proud to offer two new choices: THE BANK ROBBERS, featuring four Austinites who hope to get rich quick, or THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, in which four students head to a science fair with a group project that got a bit… unusual. Each script offers a brief description of the characters, and your group will decide which role each person wants to play. Any person can read any role.

The Downtown Station, located at 4th and Neches (adjacent to The Hilton.) We will be outside, either under the roof of the platform or near the stone wall shown in the first photo above. Look for The Conductor, who will be your guide to the experience.

Nope and nope. Tickets are only sold in batches of 4, because this event is designed as an experience for 4 people who already know each other. You’ll have more fun and be more comfortable that way. And we’re all about fun and comfort.

Sure, but only in multiples of 4.

We’ve created a new script specifically designed for kids and families, called THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, which tells the story of 4 students and one unusual science project. For that storyline, we recommend ages 11 and up—and of course it’s fine if some grown-ups read some of those roles! For all of the other storylines, the subject matter and language are PG-13—there are curse words like “shit” and “dick,” but no F-bombs, no violence, and no drugs. THE BACHELORETTE PARTY storyline includes references to sex and alcohol use, and THE BANK ROBBERS includes references to alcohol use, which may be inappropriate for minors. Bottom line: the producers will not enforce any minimum age for attendees, so please use your own judgment.

It’s totally your call. You’ll be sitting with your friends, and it’ll be up to you how deeply you want to dive into character. There are minimal stage directions, like “A gives B a fist bump,” but everything in the script can happen from your seat.

Probably only your friends. There may be other commuters present during the event, because the train is a public space. But they’ve got their own lives to live, and their own phones to be buried in. And really, how interesting are you anyway?

You do you! Costumes aren’t necessary, but feel free to dress to your storyline—if you think it’s fun, we think it’s fun!

The event will happen, no matter the weather. The train stations have roofs to keep out the rain, and all but a few steps during intermission will be covered. So if it looks rainy, bring an umbrella—but the show must go on!

Sure! The scripts will not change, but you could sign up for one storyline during your first outing and choose a different storyline when you come back again!

There’s a chance that Overheard on a Train will add more dates at the end of May, based on demand. So, send an email to hello@cheerfulsecrets.com to indicate your interest, if you can’t make it to any of the show dates currently listed!

The parking garage closest to our check-in area at Downtown Station is the 5th Street Garage for the Austin Convention Center, located at 601 East 5th Street (credit card only.) But of course, downtown offers many public parking options. For details about accessibility and the train, please consult the CapMetro site here: https://www.capmetro.org/access

Three cheers for public transportation! Learn more here: https://www.capmetro.org/rail