Here’s a truth that can save you a lot of time, money, and heartbreak:
Not every theatre is the right fit for your play.
That might sound discouraging, but the way I see it, that’s a good thing–if you take it to heart.
A lot of playwrights take the “spray and pray” approach, submitting their work to every theater they can find. But when you submit blindly, you end up sending your work to theatres that would never, ever produce it. No matter how strong it is.
This wastes everybody’s time while giving you the illusion that you’re doing everything you can to get your work produced…when in reality, you’re not putting yourself in a very good position at all.
Instead, I would urge you to think about your submissions more strategically.
Theaters choose plays based on a couple of factors, including their…
* Mission – Are they looking to showcase underrepresented voices? New works? Edgy, political content? Family-friendly fare?
* Audience – What kind of people does this theater cater to? A late-night college crowd, an older intellectual crowd, an experimental theater-savvy crowd, etc.? It goes without saying that a theater wants to produce work that will be appreciated by its subscribers.
* Available resources – A 10-character epic won’t likely land with a small black-box company. But a 2-hander with a simple set might be exactly what they’re looking for.
This all makes perfect sense, right? In fact, it probably seems blatantly obvious how these things factor into the plays that a theater decides to produce.
So take note of them! And look for theaters whose mission, audience, and resources line up with the work you’re creating.
How do you do that? Here’s what I’d recommend:
* Read the theater’s mission statement. It’s probably on their website.
* Study their past seasons. If you aren’t familiar with the plays they’ve produced, try reading them. Ask yourself: would your play fit alongside these?
* Assess their resources and aesthetic. The best way to do this is to see a play live, in person. But if you aren’t local, then try skimming through their production pictures online or on social media to get a feel for the production quality of their shows.
Going through an exercise like this can narrow the list of theaters that you submit to…but it can also ensure that you’re submitting to the RIGHT theaters–the theaters that are likely to appreciate your work.
Those are the theaters you want to get to know and start building a relationship with.