Readings Aren’t the Goal. Development is.

by Cate Cammarata | Jun 9, 2026 | Getting Produced, New Musical Development, New Musical Development, NPD, Producing, Theater

Readings Aren’t the Goal. Production Is.

Why so many playwrights get stuck in the development loop—and how to avoid it.

By Cate Cammarata

If you’re writing a new play or musical, at some point you’re going to need to put it in front of an audience.

There is simply no substitute for hearing actors speak your words out loud, seeing where an audience leans in, where they laugh, where they become restless, and where they become emotionally invested.

We need to bring an audience in to learn how the work is landing. That’s why we do readings.

Theaters and producers also need to hear information a script before they invest all the time, money, and resources required to move the script to a full production.

Readings are one of the most useful, economical and practical tools we have in the development process.

I am very much for readings.

But I think our industry has developed a problem.

Too many writers have grown to believe that development itself is the destination.

But it’s not.

Too many projects spend years moving from reading to reading, workshop to workshop, feedback session to feedback session—without ever reaching a production.

And that was never the purpose.

A Reading Is a Diagnostic Tool

Think of a reading the way a doctor thinks about an X-ray.

The X-ray isn’t the treatment.

It’s information.

The reading is not the final product.

It’s a way to discover:

What is working
What is confusing
What is emotionally landing
Where the pace drags.
What questions the audience is left asking it’s done.

The goal is not to accumulate readings.

The goal is to gather information on what should be addressed and revised in order to move the piece forward.

But if a project has had five readings and nothing significant is being changed – the work needs to find a way to a full production.

So then, is the work ready? It depends. What does the feedback actually say?

Not All Feedback Is Equal

One of the most important lessons I teach playwrights and musical theatre writers is this:

Always pay attention to who is giving the feedback.

Many writers collect comments from everyone in the room and treat every opinion as equally valuable.

Watch out; that could be dangerous.

Consider:

Is the feedback coming from a producer?
A literary manager?
A dramaturg?
A director?
An actor?
A regular audience member?

Each person is experiencing the work through a different lens:

A literary manager may identify issues that affect programming decisions.
A ldirector may focus on theatrical execution.
An actor may notice problems with character motivation.

An audience member may only know that something “felt off.”

All of those perspectives have value.

But they do not necessarily carry equal weight depending on your goals.

The key is to understand the source before deciding what to do with the information.

Listen for Patterns

One isolated comment is just one person’s opinion.

Ten versions of the same comment are data.

One person might say:

“Act Two felt slow.”

Another would admit:

“I lost focus after intermission.”

Someone trying to be helpful would share:

“I wasn’t sure what the protagonist wanted anymore.”

Or add:

“The ending felt farther away than I expected.”

Different words – but the same underlying issue.

When multiple people are pointing toward the same problem—even if they’re describing it differently—the audience is intuiting something important.

That doesn’t automatically mean they know how to fix it (although they may try to rewrite your play on the spot to “help”).

But it usually means they’re correctly identifying a symptom.

Your job is to investigate the cause.

The Audience Is Usually Right About Problems

And usually wrong about solutions.

Remember that.

An audience member may accurately identify confusion around a character’s motivation – and then they may propose a scene, a speech, or an entirely new subplot to fix it.

Now, the confusion is valuable information.

Their proposed solution? Not so much.

As the writer, your responsibility is to diagnose the underlying issue and solve it in a way that serves the piece.

Trust Your Instincts

No matter how experienced the person giving notes may be, never make a change simply because someone told you to. No matter how famous.

Every revision should pass through your own artistic judgment.

Ask yourself:

Does this note resonate to me?
Does it reveal a real problem?
Does it align with my vision for the piece?
Will it make the play stronger?

If the answer is no, don’t make the change.

The work belongs to you. The final decisions belong to you.

A professional writer learns how to listen productively without becoming obsessed by other people’s opinions.

Process every comment through your own filter: your own gut reaction to it.

Remember: It’s Your Intellectual Property

This is especially important when production opportunities enter the picture.

Sometimes a theatre, director, producer, or literary manager may request changes before agreeing to produce a script.

Those requests may be reasonable.

They may even lead to improvements.

Or – they may not.

Writers often feel trapped in these situations because production opportunities can be difficult to secure.

Unfortunatlely, I’ve seen it happen too many times.

Here’s what I remind my clients:

The work is your intellectual property.

If you choose to make adjustments to facilitate a production, that is your decision.

But the script remains yours.

You are not permanently surrendering authorship.

After the production ends, you are free to decide which – if any – of those changes belong in future drafts.

The work is yours..

The key is making intentional choices for now instead of feeling pressured into introducing permanent changes into your script.

We Need Better Development Models

The larger issue is that our field often relies too heavily on readings as the primary development mechanism.

Readings are valuable.

They’re essential.

But they’re not enough.

Theatre is a production-based art form.

Certain discoveries only emerge when a piece is staged, designed, rehearsed, and performed in front of a paying audience over time.

The challenge, of course, is cost.

Productions require resources.

Readings are comparatively inexpensive, which is why many promising projects remain trapped in “developmental hell.”

As an industry, we need more innovative, practical, and sustainable ways to move readings into productions.

We need models that allow artists to test work in front of audiences in spaces that don’t require enormous budgets.

We need pathways that help writers move beyond endless feedback cycles and toward actual production experiences.

Those questions—and the future of developing theatre—are topics I explore regularly in my Creative Producer emails each Friday.

Because the goal isn’t another reading.

The goal is helping great plays and musicals find their way to the stage.

About CreateTheater

At CreateTheater, we help playwrights and musical theatre writers develop producible work—not just polished scripts. Through dramaturgy, development labs, strategic feedback, and production-focused guidance, we help writers move from draft to audience to production with intention.

Development is a step. Production is the destination.

Want more practical strategies for moving plays and musicals from development to production?

Every Friday, I share my Creative Producer newsletter with playwrights, musical theater writers, directors, and independent producers exploring new models for developing and producing work.

Join the list and receive weekly insights on script development, audience-building, production strategy, and creating sustainable pathways to the stage.

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The World & the Want: Why Many Musicals Fail in the First 15 Minutes

by Cate Cammarata | Apr 20, 2026 | Dramaturgy, New Musical Development, Theater, Writing Tips

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 world of your show and what your protagonist wants, they have nothing to hold onto.

And if they don’t have that?
They’re gone—whether they realize it or not.

Start Here: The Stasis of Your Musical

At the beginning of Act One, you are establishing what’s called the stasis—the “normal world” before everything changes.

This is where you introduce:

Your main character (the one with the WANT)
The dramatic premise (what the story is about)
The dramatic situation (the circumstances we’re stepping into)
And the inciting incident (what’s about to disrupt everything)

This is not setup for the sake of setup.

This is where you teach the audience how to watch your show.

The Opening Number Is a Contract

Your opening number is doing far more work than most writers realize.

It must:

Invite the audience into the world
Establish tone, style, and storytelling language
Introduce key characters
Signal what kind of experience this will be

In other words:

It’s a promise.

And your show has to deliver on that promise for the next two hours.

As Stephen Sondheim said (building on what he learned from Oscar Hammerstein II):
“The Opening Number must tell the audience everything they need to know.”

If your opening number is unclear, unfocused, or tonally confused—
your audience will spend the rest of the show trying to catch up.

The Inciting Incident: Breaking the World

Once the world is established, something must break it.

This is your inciting incident—the event that sets the story in motion.

And here’s where writers often go wrong:

The inciting incident should not be passive or internal.
It works best when it is thrust upon the protagonist from the outside.

Why?

Because it forces action.

It disrupts the stasis and launches the story into motion.

The Point of No Return

After the inciting incident, your protagonist reaches a critical moment: The Point of No Return.

This is where they (your protagonist) must make a choice.

Not something that happens to them—
but something they actively decide.

From this point on, there is no going back.

This is where your story truly begins.

The I WANT Song: The Engine of Your Musical

If there is one moment you cannot afford to get wrong, it’s this:

The I Want Song.

This is where:

We understand who the protagonist is
We understand what they want
And we decide whether we care

This “want” becomes the super objective—the driving force of the entire show.

As Stephen Schwartz puts it:

“Pretty much any successful musical you can name has an I Want Song within the first 15 minutes… the lack of such a moment is a weakness.”

The I Want Song:

Clarifies the goal
Points the way forward
Invites the audience to invest emotionally

If we don’t understand the want—
we can’t root for the journey.

Not All Songs Do the Same Job

In this early section of your musical, you’re balancing three types of songs:

“I Am” songs – who the character is
“I Feel” songs – emotional processing
“I Want” songs – forward-driving desire

The key is this:

Every song must move the action forward.

If it doesn’t—cut it.

Because musical theater is not about expression alone.
It’s about moment to moment action onstage.

This Is Where Most Writers Get Lost

Writers often:

Blur the world instead of defining it
Delay the inciting incident
Avoid committing to a clear WANT
Or overload the opening with exposition that doesn’t move

The result?

A musical that feels slow, unclear, or unfocused—
even if the writing itself is strong.

Most Writers Think They Have This. They Don’t.

Here’s what I see over and over again:

An opening number that doesn’t actually define the world
An inciting incident that comes too late—or isn’t clear
An “I Want” song that’s vague or generic
A protagonist we don’t fully understand or root for

On paper, it all looks right.

In performance, it falls flat.

Because this work isn’t about knowing the terms.
It’s about executing them.

_______________________________________________

Ready for the Next Step?

Once your world is clear and your protagonist’s want is established—

you’re ready for the real work:

Building Act One so it actually drives forward.

Because setting it up is one thing.

Sustaining momentum is another.

Join Workshop 1 as an Observer here

If You Want to Make Your Act One Work…

Our NYC Musical Development Workshop 1: Developing the World & the Want is April 26th at 12 noon ET.
We take what you’ve written —and make sure it functions onstage.

Want to present your work on Sunday April 26th?

Fill our this form here before April 24th

Stay in the loop with our upcoming workshops!

Should You Produce Your Own Play?

by Cate Cammarata | Aug 30, 2022 | New Musical Development, NPD, Producing, Theater

Should you produce your own show?

That depends. Is your show ready for a full production? (Check out my latest blog posts to answer that question.)

If, after much careful thought and input from trusted professionals around you, you determine that your show is ready for a full production in front of paying audiences, then you must honestly assess your own capabilities as a potential producer. The basic question question to ask is, “Am I ready to raise money to put my show on stage?”

If the answer is a “not in this lifetime” no and you don’t have a rich uncle to help, then you must

a) play the submit game to submit your play everywhere,
b) promote the assets that you have online to create an email list of an engaged demographic, and
c) network extensively to interest potential theaters and producers to produce it for you.

But guess what? B & C are the steps you must take to raise money as a self-producing playwright anyway, and A is a strategy I advise every writer to take even if they have the money to produce the show themselves. This is sometimes a very long game; often writers get tired of waiting. To “jump start” the process many start to consider producing the show themselves. At least it’s an action that they can make happen; it beats the passivity of waiting [endlessly] for someone else to produce it.

So it seems that the journey ends the same way; only the timelines are different. Kuddos to you if you’ve written enough plays and have submitted often enough to have many plays being developed simultaneously in different places. You’re a rockstar writer, and everyone wants to be like you.

However, I say whenever you can to “choose yourself” and go for it – but educate yourself first to NOT fall into the common money traps that take advantage of novice playwrights and line others’ pockets with your good money. Be wary when others want to “produce your show” without giving you the majority of the ticketing revenue or offering you a “theater space” without walking you step by step along the process to actually put on a full production. I’ve seen this happen to too many writers over the past many years. I’m tired of it, and angry that other ‘theater professionals’ are so ready to take advantage of those trying to get their plays onstage.

More on this later. First, a brief overview of the common ways most writers self-produce.

Showcases, Fringes and Festivals

Showcases were originally a term that meant a developmental production that independent writers or actors would stage to promote their work and get seen by agents, producers or directors – they would “showcase” themselves. The various Fringe Festivals and other theater festivals that now exist across the globe are producing entities where clusters of “showcases” can produce collaboratively and share expenses of venue rentals, marketing expenses and audience engagement.

Most Fringes and theater festivals can be a useful place to produce a new play or musical that’s in development; many things can only be learned when you put the work in front of an audience. Usually the expense is less than the cost of producing a showcase yourself; however, be aware that you probably will have to do everything yourself.

Reason to produce in a festival: to invite audiences into a performance to learn how they react, with the highest quality production elements that you can afford.

The AEA Showcase Code

If you are thinking of producing a showcase, you will want to consider the highest level of production that you can afford, in terms of set, lights, sound and talent (designers, director and actors). To cast union (Actor’s Equity Association) actors, you will be asked to comply with the AEA Showcase Code.

Showcases are relatively “cheap” to produce. The Equity Showcase total budget is limited to $35,000, although that doesn’t include the cost of the venue and rehearsal space rentals. There is a limit of 12 performances over a period of four consecutive weeks, and there may not be more than one two-performance day per week. Rehearsals are not to exceed a total of 128 hours scheduled over a maximum of five consecutive weeks, limited to 32 hours a week, no more than six hours/day except during the final week of rehearsal when the director may schedule three eight-hour days. Musical productions may use 5 additional hours for learning music during the first or second week of rehearsal.

The most important point is that no person engaged in any creative capacity for any Code production receive more remuneration than any AEA member.

I like to produce Showcase productions with the goals I would use for a Workshop production – that is, to use production elements to further the storyline and to illuminate character. The good thing is that you will be learning AND receiving some income from ticket sales. Make sure that you include a link in the program for a survey or other way the audience can communicate with you about what they thought after the show.

If you can afford to pay extra to video a performance, do so. Check with Equity for up-to-date rules on this. If you have a non-union cast, think about livestreaming a production as well. A two- or three-camera shoot will allow you to keep an archival recording to send to interested theaters or producers, allow you footage to edit into a sizzle reel or producer pitch, and to re-purpose into content on your YouTube channel or website. What counts today are digital assets that can work to pitch your play or musical 24/7 online, and sharing your clips to interest people to follow you or sign up to your newsletter.

Fringes & Festivals are coordinated by other entities that help get your work onstage. The world’s biggest Fringe Festival is the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, followed by the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia. In the United States, Festival participants are always on a Showcase Code (if you want to cast union actors), so make sure you apply at least three weeks before you open (the earlier the better).

As a participant in a Fringe or any festival, always make sure you understand the production rules and values behind the festival before signing on. Read the fine print and make sure you understand every detail. Ask for clarification if you don’t.

Better yet, do your due diligence before signing up. Make sure the festival has a good reputation – good enough to bring in audiences. YOUR audiences.

CABARET, VIRTUAL AND MORE

Alternatives to a showcase production are available, The most common are the cabaret (or concert reading) for musicals, or virtual productions (that are honestly more like films) that are created for plays.

Cabarets are useful for musicals – especially when the music is great, but the book needs work. Cabaret performances may also be livestreamed (and ticketed) and recorded without charge, with the permissions of the actors. Like showcases, cabaret readings and performances can be saved as archival videos, or edited and uploaded to YouTube and shared on your website.

Get Help

There are a few online communities where you can find your “tribe” and learn and grow by joining in. The best way to learn is to watch others. There is an investment cost, of course. If you’re interested in joining CreateTheater’s Experts Theater Company (ETC), our resident theater company, we’re opening our doors for registration in September.

Email me at cate@CreateTheater.com and we’ll get you off to a good start. Schedule a free 15 minute consultation here.

Are You Getting the Most from Your Readings?

by Cate Cammarata | Aug 22, 2022 | Dramaturgy, New Musical Development, NPD

Now that you know to go virtual (check out my last blog post here) do you know the steps of development? Are you making the most out of your readings?

As a professional theater maker, you need to know what must happen at each step of your script’s developmental journey, and how to get the right audience into the [virtual] room.

What’s the Goal?

If you don’t know the goal, any step will take you there – but you’ll spend way too much money trying to figure it out if you don’t plan out a strategy at the very beginning.

Know your goals before taking the first step, but also know the NEXT step before planning this one.

Usually a table reading is a good first step. It is necessary to “hear” your play read by others, and listen to the feedback afterward. Does it “work”? What are some specific questions that you have – can your readers help you with them? At this stage you’re checking for resonance and engagement. Resist the temptation to listen to each piece of “advice” unless at least three people comment on the same thing, and do a quick “gut check” to see if you agree with them. Important: record the feedback to analyze later.

What would be the next step after this? Another table reading to see if the changes made the script better.

Staged Readings

Staged readings can take place online or in person. Zoom readings are more efficient (and cheaper) and have the added convenience of assembling a team from around the world. If you have a “star” actor or director, this is a good choice, and your online reading should be recorded and shared for archival purposes (more on that later). Check with your AEA representative first regarding union rules of recording readings, since they may have changed.

For musicals, edited staged readings that include prerecorded songs are best. Make sure that you have permission to add your video clips to your website, social media and YouTube accounts.

Sometimes it’s best to produce an in person staged reading. Online readings are tricky for scripts that require a lot of physical comedy and/or lots of physical action. An in person staged reading can make your musical come to life if you arrange your music stands in groups that accommodate “blocking” and can even convey a sense of movement that approximates choreography. Also, for musicals it’s often easier for audiences to feel for the protagonist when they’re “live” (physically in the same room) than when distanced over the internet. However, because of the much greater expense you should only plan an in person staged reading when you’re sure your script “works” by testing it over a few zoom readings.

Plan for this at least four months ahead, as planning is critical. Casting, reserving studio/theatre space, and cultivating the right audience to show up is critical! Don’t underestimate the amount of time, promotion and expense that this may entail. It’s best if you have an interested producing partner (theater, producer, relative) to share the burdens of planning and expenses.

Common goals for a staged reading are:

Find out something about the script, music, dance ( the performative elements)
Promote your show for a higher level of audience (producers, ADs, possible investors)
Use the reading to get a better sizzle reel to show off your work online (YouTube, website, social media)
Use the reading as a chance to “test out” a director or lead actor to see if you want to include them on your ongoing team or to see if they “get” your work,

Do NOT plan a staged reading if your show needs editing or if you know there are still “problems.” An in person reading should only be used if you think your show is “good to go” and want to get it in front on influential people. Otherwise, stick to table reads, where the real work can be done.

Don’t forget to engage a videographer to record your reading for archival purposes! It will help you move to the “next step.”

Final Developmental Readings

Do the best quality staged reading you can afford when you believe you are ready to be produced. After the “29-hour” staged readings above, AEA tiers are used for the development of new works (especially musicals) usually prior to an intended planned production. These tier agreements replace what used to be called the Staged Reading Contract, the Developmental Lab and the Workshop agreements. Although these readings are pricey, they allow for video recordings. Usually these Tier AEA readings would only be held if there is a production already in the works, with a commercial producer or regional theater taking the lead.

This is the top of the development chain, and it means your next step is a full production. Although plays may also use the tiers, I find that they are more useful in the development of new musicals.

New plays are new musicals that are not represented by a commercial producer or a regional theater may still move on to a full production, but these are usually developmental productions like those using an AEA Showcase Code and/or those shows in a Festival.

More on Showcases and Festivals next week!

Have questions? Comment below!

It’s Time to Go Virtual

by Cate Cammarata | Aug 15, 2022 | Dramaturgy, New Musical Development, NPD

Is it necessary to add virtual to your development tasks? YES. Are you uncertain or even scared about this? YES. Should you continue to do it anyway? YES.

But only if you want to get your play in front of more people.

Why Virtual

I remember when cable tv was just beginning to be a force in the industry in the 80’s. At the time I was the new Programming Director for a new cable channel (I was young and came cheap), and my task was to find and develop programming for a voracious new 24-hour cable channel. The demands of providing content were enormous, as the beast was insatiable. We had to air everything we could license as often as possible, with multiple repeats of every episode to make sure that something was on the air 24 hours a day, every day. It was exhausting.

The need today is similar with social media. You should always be broadcasting something to create an awareness of yourself as a professional in the industry. This is not easy! I constantly try to do better, because I must. As theater professionals we must first do the work but then also promote and disseminate it to as broad an audience as possible (hence the term broadcasting). It is as exhausting today as it was back in the early days of cable.

Virtual readings and performances, promotional videos and “happenings” are all proven strategies to promote yourself as a successful playwright (even if you don’t consider yourself one yet). But you must first carve a space for yourself online.

How to Add Virtual Content

The ability to add virtual content to your website and promotional materials is well worth the effort. Plays and musicals that consistently promote themselves online brand themselves as ready for production. Is your show ready for production?

If the answer is yes, then concentrate regularly on broadcasting yourself and your play to the public by embracing virtual content.

Promote your show online. It goes without saying that each of your shows should have a website, Facebook page and/or an Instagram site, and a NPX page. Musicals should add a YouTube channel. You must be “discoverable” when people look you up, and have a contact page if people want to make contact. Update these as often as possible with audience testimonials, “coming soon” notices, sizzle reels, etc.
Plan a reading. Put it out to your email list and promote free tickets to attend. Build up to the reading with regular content to promote your actors, director, and yourself. If you can record the reading (for archival use only), do so in order to share later with interested prospects. Capture outstanding feedback from audience members for written (or video) content.
Make demos of your music. Record excellent quality musical demos to put on your website and on YouTube with playlists.
Plan “happenings.” Be creative and plan events at local spaces to promote an awareness of your work. Have a play about immigrants? Interview real life characters that speak to the themes in your play and livestream the discussion on Facebook live. Do you have a musical that speaks to young girls? Partner with an establishment that has that audience and then plan an event centered around your musical to promote it. Get your work in front of your target audience as often as possible, and record everything.
Have a professional sizzle reel. A great sizzle reel makes your work stand out from the others online and makes it memorable. A sizzle reel becomes your online pitch that works even when you sleep – so make sure it is everywhere you have want to have a presence. Also, a good strategy is to link your sizzle reel to your email signature page so it’s available to everyone that you communicate with – if they know you they should know about your show.

Scared? Do It Anyway

I have a phrase that has helped me get through everything in life that has frightened me out of my wits, but the I knew I had to do anyway.

“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.”

That may seem counter-intuitive to you, and you may even be shocked that I’m recommending it. But the way I think of it is, this saying gives me permission not to be perfect. Sometimes just crossing the finish line, even in last place, is a success. And, if repeated often enough, you’ll just get better and better each time.

So give yourself permission to go virtual “imperfectly.” Just do it.

Rinse and repeat.

I’ll be taking my own advice this year and helping others do go virtual with me. Will you be one of them? Join ETC and get in on the action. We’re adding new members in September.

Get your Virtual Checklist here to use as a reminder.

Interested in learning more about The Experts Theater Company? Register for our free OPEN HOUSE on August 30th!

How to Move Your Script Forward

by Cate Cammarata | Aug 9, 2022 | Dramaturgy, New Musical Development, NPD

Moving Forward

This summer has been a time for reading scripts. It’s my favorite thing to do in the summer. It’s so exciting to discover a new play or musical that’s ready to move forward into a developmental workshop or even into a complete production.

The problem is, right now that’s harder than ever to happen.

I don’t have to tell you how the shutdown has impacted our industry – we’re all painfully aware. The good news is that audiences are slowly returning, and with various incentives from grants and subsidies more shows are being produced. What’s different is that the cost of production has never been higher.

What does that mean for your show? And how does it impact moving your show forward?

How do you strategize as a playwright right now?

You must continually write new work. Build up your portfolio of new work of all types.
Develop your work online and in-person, and let the world know
Submit your work everywhere possible and feasible
Plan readings & record them

Nothing new here, right? Well, hold on. There’s a few more insider tips I’m sharing with my writers.

Write Like a Producer

Every writer must think like a producer right now when beginning a new script. What would make this new work attractive to producers? What experience, new thoughts or new ideas could it give an audience? What’s the journey you’re asking an audience to go on with you? How can you make your script more cost-effective to produce?

After reading easily four dozen new plays and musicals so far this summer, here are some things that now stand out to me as central as reader, and as a producer.

First, I’m looking to be immersed in an interesting world, preferably one I’ve never experienced before. There’s a million and one locations over time and space that are possible, so be creative. Have fun building this world! The more delight you take in the research and conception of it the more we’re going to enjoy it later. Make us laugh! Entertain and delight your audience.

Second, by the first 15 minutes make it clear on whose journey I’m on and what your main character is after. Don’t make me wonder what’s going on 30 minutes in.

Also, make sure your script is ready to be submitted. It’s not my job to edit out scenes that go nowhere or characters who sit and talk endlessly. Ditto for typos and other poor formatting. Not sure of the proper formatting? Look it up. Make sure you look like a pro.

Writing like a producer means to think about holding to a small cast size (2-8 max, even for musicals), a single set, and limit including any unnecessary projections, props or stunts in your script. Instead, craft fully-realized characters where each action and interaction flow from their intentions.

I love it when a script is based on a story in the public domain, or based on a known person or event. My recognition of what your show is about helps me understand it at the very beginning – and that can give your play a definite advantage later when a producer can capitalize on that audience awareness.

Write, Then Promote

After your play is written, the real work of promoting it begins. You must write AND promote. Even if you have an agent, you must continue to promote yourself consistently. There’s no way of getting around it.

The best ways to do this are:

Submit your work constantly. Give yourself a goal of at least 3-5 submissions a week (or month) and hold to it. Check online resources like the Dramatists Guild or Play Submissions Helper for current opportunities.
Research regional theaters to see which ones have produced work similar to yours. When you find them, reach out to them to ask about their submission policy (if not stated clearly on the website). Initiate a conversation – poof, you’ve made a contact.
Hold a reading, either in person or online. Listen to the feedback.
Record it and send the link to your email list. Show your fans your progress. Password-protect it on Vimeo or YouTube and send it out when requested.
Have the reading edited into a short sizzle reel and put it on your website, on your email signature, on your YouTube page and New Play Exchange page. I’ve seen many dynamite sizzle reels in the past year – make sure yours is one of them. (Sometimes the sizzle reel is better than the script, but that’s a different blog post.)

Get to Work on Your Next Play

Then get to work on your next play. Remember you’re playing the long game here, and if you’re a writer, you write. Consistency pays off.

But don’t neglect your other darlings. Write daily, and then promote weekly. It’s a lifestyle – one that you say you want.

Persistence is the only way to get anything done in the theater. Or anywhere.

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