Dec 03 2008
You’ve written a play - now what?
Being a playwright is wonderful in so many ways. I just love developing new characters and giving them their distinct voice. But to leave a play in its written form, just words on a page, doesn’t do justice to this genre of writing.
So what’s a playwright to do?
Get a production, that’s what!
There are lots of avenues to explore when hoping to secure a production of your play.
CONTESTS are a great way to win a production. Many theatres offer these contests as a way to receive a large amount of works by new voices. Any search engine will provide you with an abundance of contests to choose from. Personally, I avoid contests with fees (unless the fee is a very small reading fee) but if you do decide to enter a contest with a fee, make sure the fee is reasonable in comparison to the prize being offered.
SUBMITTING TO THEATRES is also a viable option. And now finding them is going to be a whole lot easier thanks to Writer’s Digest books as they are introducing a new market book for 2009 called “The Screenwriters’ and Playwrights’ Market”, available at all major book sellers and also online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and many others. ***on a personal note, my article, “The Business of Playwriting”, will be included in the 2009 edition.
SELF-PRODUCING is another option. Do you have access to a community theatre group or a drama school? See if you can partner up with someone in your community and get a local production of your piece OR, as some playwrights have done, hold auditions and cast and direct the production yourself.
It’s up to you to get your play out there and these are three great ways to make that happen.
Check out these great web resources, too:
Nothing beats watching your characters literally leap off the page and onto the stage.
