Why Most Theater Projects Stall
Why Most Theater Projects Stall Most theater projects do not stall because the work isn't good. They stall because development is so difficult to sustain. A playwright begins with excitement.A composer starts hearing the score.A collaborative team gathers...
If Your Play Isn’t Moving Forward, Read This
If Your Play Isn’t Moving Forward, Read This There’s a moment almost every playwright hits. You’ve revised the script.You’ve gotten feedback.Maybe you’ve even done a reading. And then… Nothing. No momentum.No next step.No production.No real traction. So you start...
You Don’t Have a Writing Problem. You Have a Positioning Problem.
You Don’t Have a Writing Problem. You Have a Positioning Problem. Many playwrights think the reason they aren’t getting produced is because the script “isn’t ready yet.” Sometimes that’s true. But more often? The play is not being positioned in a way that helps the...
What Makes a Play Producible?
What Makes a Play Producible Every playwright wants the same magical sentence: “I want to produce your play.” But here’s the truth nobody tells you: A producer is not just evaluating your script. They’re evaluating: whether they can afford your script, whether they...
Why Most Plays Don’t Get Produced (And What To Do About It)
Why Most Plays Don’t Get Produced (And What To Do About It) There’s a persistent myth in the theater world: that good work rises to the top. It’s comforting. It’s also incomplete. Because if you’ve spent any time developing new work, you already know the truth: plenty...
What a Producer Looks For in a Script
What a Producer Looks For in a Script Most writers think producers are looking for “great writing.”They’re not. They’re looking for a show they can actually produce. There’s a painful truth most playwrights don’t hear early enough: A script can be brilliant—and still...
The World & the Want: Why Many Musicals Fail in the First 15 Minutes
The World & The Want: Why Many Musicals Fail in the First 15 Minutes Many musicals don’t fail in Act Two. They fail in the first 10–15 minutes. Not because the writers aren’t talented—but because the foundation isn’t clear. If your audience doesn’t understand the...
Stay True to Yourself
Stay True to Yourself (Or Watch Your Play Disappear) I’ve been telling our writers something over and over the past few weeks: Stay true to yourself. Yes, it sounds generic. It’s not. I mean it in a very specific way: knowing exactly where your play lands....
How to Beat the Feedback Freeze and Keep Moving Forward
What to Do With Notes When You’re Feeling Stuck You’ve just had a table reading and got feedback on your new musical or play. Oof. You sit through the conversation, scribble some notes. And suddenly, your brain goes silent. Everything you’ve done feels wrong. You...