What Producers Actually Look For in New Work
One of the biggest mistakes I see many playwrights and musical theatre writers make is believing producers are looking for “good writing.”
Of course they are.
But, after years of producing, directing, dramaturging, and sitting through countless readings, festivals, workshops, and development processes, I can tell you that “good writing” is not the whole conversation.
I’ve seen beautifully written plays stall for years.
I’ve also seen less-than-perfect scripts move forward really quickly (to my surprise).
Why?
Because producers never evaluate scripts in isolation.
Instead, they evaluate projects – and how current audiences would receive them.
That’s a very different thing.
When writers send out a script, they want to know:
“Is this good? What do you think?”
But producers are asking themselves a whole different set of questions.
- Can I build a team around this?
- Does it have an audience?
- Would a regional theatre want it?
- Can I see a path from where it is now to a complete production?
The longer I work in theatre, the more I realize that many writers have simply never been taught how the industry evaluates new work.
So – let’s pull back the curtain a little.
Below are some of the things I know many producers pay attention to.
Producers Look for Projects They Can Get Behind
That may sound obvious, but hear me out.
Producers don’t wake up in the morning wondering how many scripts they’re going to reject that day.
They look for projects they can say yes to. Something they can get excited about.
It’s true – everyone’s looking for the next Hamilton.
We dream of finding a script we can spend the next several years of their life fighting for.
The question isn’t just:
“Is this script good?”
It’s:
“Am I passionate about this project? Do I love it?”
Because producing is a lot of fighting.
- Fighting for funding.
- Fighting for attention.
- Fighting for audiences.
- Fighting for opportunities.
The projects that actually move forward are often the ones that inspire people to advocate for them, for the long term.
We Look for an Audience
This is the place where many writers get uncomfortable.
The moment someone mentions “audience,” some artists hear the word “commercial.”
That’s not what I’m talking about.
Every successful production has an audience.
Even the most experimental play downtown has an audience.
The question is whether anyone knows who that audience is.
Some writers spend years refining a script without ever thinking about who would actually buy a ticket.
Eventually somebody has to ask that question.
Usually it’s the producer.
Submit your script accordingly.
Producers Look for a Story That Generates Momentum
A lot of scripts have interesting ideas, and compelling themes.
A lot of librettos have beautiful, well-produced demos.
What they don’t always have is momentum.
What keeps the audience leaning forward?
What creates anticipation?
What makes us eager to know what happens next? Or care?
I’ve sat through readings where everyone thought a script had good things going on, but nobody could figure out where the action was actually going. Or maybe scenes were overwritten, or there was too much “dead space” where the audience disconnected.
That’s a development issue.
And that’s also a reason projects stall.
We Look for Characters We Want to Spend Time With
I don’t necessarily mean likable characters.
I mean compelling characters.
When actors get excited about a project, it’s usually because they see a role they can’t wait to play.
When directors get excited, it’s often because they see relationships they want to explore.
When audiences connect, it’s because they recognize something human.
Strong characters create advocates.
Advocates create momentum.
Momentum creates opportunities.
We Look for Writers Who Can Develop Work
This is a big one.
Sometimes the question isn’t whether the script is ready.
It’s whether the writer is ready.
You see, theatre is the most collaborative art.
Development is collaborative.
Productions are collaborative.
The writers who move forward are not necessarily the writers who get every note right.
They’re the writers who know how to engage in the process.
They listen.
They evaluate.
They experiment.
They revise.
They don’t necessarily take every note, but they keep an open mind and are willing to try things.
They understand that a reading isn’t the finish line.
It’s information.
The script is no longer just their baby – it’s the team’s.
Producers Look for a Path Forward
More than anything else, what I’ve learned from years of working in New York is that projects rarely move forward because someone suddenly “discovers” them.
Most projects move forward because someone can see the next step. And the next one after that.
- Maybe it’s a reading.
- Maybe it’s a workshop.
- Maybe it’s a development lab.
- Maybe it’s a festival.
- Maybe it’s a producing partner.
The question isn’t always:
“Can this be produced tomorrow?”
The question is:
“Can I see what the next step is?”
The projects that generate momentum usually have a visible path forward.
The Real Question
When writers ask me what producers are looking for, I think they’re often just asking the wrong question.
A better question is:
“What makes someone want to champion my work?”
Because that’s what ultimately moves projects forward.
Not perfection.
Not credentials.
Not winning lots of awards.
Not doing another reading.
Advocates.
People who believe in your project enough to invest their time, energy, relationships, and resources into helping it grow.
That’s why development matters.
The goal isn’t simply to write a good play or musical.
The goal is to develop a project that artists, audiences, and industry professionals can believe in.
That’s when things start moving.
And that’s when the real work begins.
Most playwrights and musical theatre writers have spent years learning how to write.
Few have been taught how the industry actually evaluates new work.
If you’re serious about getting your work onstage, explore our programs.
