Guest post by Ken Davenport

One of the most common questions people ask me is “How do I get producers to see my show?”

As a Tony award-winning Broadway producer, I have a thought or two on this subject.

Getting the right people to attend a reading, workshop or performance of your play is crucial. But, Producers like me get invited to so many readings and events that you really have to make sure your show is ready to be seen. The fact of the matter is . . .

It’s almost impossible to get Producers to see a show twice.

It’s hard. Very hard. So make sure you’ve done the work necessary to get it to the best possible place, because you only get one first impression.

That being said, you don’t have to be perfect. Did you hear that, Type As? You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to show potential.

Before you get Producers in the room, I highly recommend getting script coverage from an impartial professional, doing several readings . . . make sure your work is the best it can be.

Side note . . .you know you don’t have to have a huge budget to put on a show or reading, right?

I always tell my PRO members and consult clients to do a “pizza reading.” It’s exactly what it sounds like  . . . you get a bunch of friends and family in a room, order pizza, and read your script out loud. It’s not Broadway, but it’s invaluable feedback and a great place to start so that when you do get a Producer to see your show, it’s in the best place possible.

So, when you are ready to invite Producers to your show, the first step is to figure out which Producers to invite.

One approach could be to get your hands on a list of Broadway Producers (hint: there’s a list of several hundred Producers on PRO) and send all of them an invitation.

That’s one approach, but I’ll argue it’s not the most effective.

Inviting producers to see your show is NOT a volume game. You should not value quantity over quality, because not every Producer produces work like yours. The truth is . . .

There are 2 main reasons why Producers get involved with someone else’s show:

1. Because of the People Involved
2. Because of a Passion for the Project – and not just YOUR passion.

(These also happen to be two big reasons why people will invest in your show.)

Let me give you an example . . . one of my PRO members recently put on a successful reading of her show and invited a few Producers (using our list) that she knew were right for her particular production. How did she know they would be interested? They had all previously produced shows that featured her cast members!

OK, OK, this all sounds great, but where do you find Producers?

Well, if you don’t have access to alist, you should start putting in the time and effort to build one! Go to industry events, networking opportunities, search LinkedIn . . . do what you have to do to find the right Producers for your show.

Then . . . invite them!

If you’re still feeling a little queasy about navigating the whole process, don’t worry, I’m here to help.

I love to help writers like you navigate this business and take your shows from the page to the stage. So let me help you.

In one of my recent webinars, “How to Get Producers to See Your Show,” I break down everything from who to invite and how to find them, how to properly create invitations, what really gets producers going (aka Producer Catnip) and what to do after a producer has seen your work (hint: it’s all about the follow up!).

And guess what? That webinar, and tons more (there’s even one the “Dos and Don’ts of Producing a Reading!”), are available for FREE to all PRO members.

I encourage you to check out The Producer’s Perspective PRO which will give you access to:

• FREE Monthly Webinars & Archive Access with 30+ Hours of Training! (including “How to Get Producers to See Your Show”)
• Monthly Newsletters with Tips and Trends every Writer should know!
• Writer & Director Database
• Vendor Resource Guides
• PRO Community Networking& Social Events
• Invitations to Private Industry Readings
• And a whole lot more!

And, I’d love for you to join me for just $27 for your first month.

Check out the site, unlock the content, connections and career building tools that are all at your fingertips!

Click here to get started today for just $27 and you just might see me at your next reading.

Ken

P.S.  If you’re interested in learning more about pizza readings and my blueprint for the road to Broadway, register for my free “Road to Broadway” webinar here!

And if you want more playwriting advice, tips, and hacks, make sure to check out the comprehensive PSH Playwriting Course.

Ken is a Tony Award-Winning Broadway Producer who has produced over a dozen Broadway shows, including Deaf West Theatre’s Spring Awakening, Allegiance, The Visit, Kinky Boots, Macbeth, Mothers and Sons and Godspell, as well as six Off Broadway Shows, including Altar Boyz, The Awesome 80s Prom, That Bachelorette Show, and Daddy Long Legs. In addition to his own work, Ken was recently named the Executive Producer of North America for Andrew Llyod Webber’s Really Useful Group.

Read more about Ken at https://www.theproducersperspective.com/about-ken

The opinions contained herein are solely those of Ken Davenport, and not necessarily those of Play Submissions Helper.