[1] After graduation, he briefly explored becoming an actor and appeared in a Rogers phone commercial and small roles in television movies.

[5] While studying at New York University, Read began writing a play entitled The Dream of the Burning Boy during one of his playwriting courses.

The play premiered on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on October 23, 2012, in previews, ahead of an official opening night on November 14, 2012.

[1] The play, which starred Henry Winkler and Alicia Silverstone, is a comedic exploration of the adult film industry and its effect on personal relationships.

The musical, & Juliet, had its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in September 2019 before opening at the Shaftesbury Theatre on the West End in November 2019.

[18] In 2015, Read was hired as a writer on the Canadian sitcom Schitt's Creek, after impressing series co-creator Dan Levy in a meeting.

[23] In 2023, Apple TV announced that Read was creating a comedy television series that will star Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

[24] David West Read won an Emmy for Executive Director for Outstanding Comedy Series for his work on Schitt's Creek in 2020.