Here’s a recommendation that comes straight from one of my consultation clients.
One of the tips I teach to my Get Your Show Off The Ground seminar participants is to submit their plays or musicals to as many contests, festivals, etc. as they can. Because stamping a show a “winner” always makes it look like, well, a winner. And that status means something to agents, producers, theater companies, regardless of when/where/what the contest is. Obviously the Pulitzer holds more weight than The Acclaim Screenwriting Competition, but every little win helps (I won that Acclaim thing once myself – and I still don’t know what that is).
For those of you who have submitted to contests and festivals and more, you know it’s hard to find them all . . .
Enter an entrepreneur who put together a list of hundreds of opps for playwrights for you, to save you time so you can start writing your next show. Like most time savers, it will cost you some bucks, but it does come with a money-back-guarantee, and since this client o’ mine loved it, I thought I’d pass it on to you.
It’s called the Play Submission Helper, and you can get more info and get it for yourself here.
But whether you use the helper or DIY, make sure you submit your stuff. Maybe you’ll win something! Worst case scenario, you won’t . . . which means you’ll be in the same place as when you started . . . which means you might as well give it a whirl.
(Got a comment? I love ‘em, so comment below! Email subscribers, click here then scroll down, to say what’s on your mind!)
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5 Responses to Need help submitting your play?
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Dear Kenny ,
I saw your recommendation for submitting plays .Well , will they accept my religious play , ” The Musical Passion of Christ ” , ” Titled ” Thy Will Be Done On Earth ” with 11 Lyrics and the pictorial reference of all the scenes . ( 22 nos ).I have got the copyright too from India .Please let me know a foreigner is entitled to present his Play and also who are the people connected ? May God Bless you .
Thanking you ,
Yours affectionately ,
C.J. George Michael .
Ken,
Thanks for endorsing the product. I was waffling, looked at it several time and you pushed me in the direction of getting it. I was catching up on your posts and somewhere I noted you said you received 250 e-mails a day (wow). Here is my question: At some point could you comment on what drives you crazy in e-mails and what makes for compelling reading? We’re all competing for a nod from busy producers — how does the style of our communication help or hinder. As always much valuable information on “the producers perspective”.
Great idea, Ken. One caveat for writers though… be careful. Not all festivals and contests are on the up-and-up. There are several out there that charge significant entry fees, and some whose rules state that winning entries belong to the contest organizers.
I’ve even seen one that claimed all submissions granted the organizer a subsidiary rights participation in perpetuity.
(A Court probably wouldn’t enforce this, but why take chances… and it says something about the integrity of the folks behind that contest, anyway)
So, it can be pretty onerous. Be sure to read the rules, and make sure you can live with them… ’cause you might have to.
Ken – We have just finished an extensive review and series of comments about this project on the Dramatists Guild group on LinkedIn. It is a very bad idea. There are a number of FREE web sites and publications that list submission opportunities. This one not only charges a fee, but is also being run by a young man that has not special access to submission opportunities. If people want to know about where to submits they should: First join the Dramatists Guild and get its annual Play Submission Opportunity Guide. Then they should purchase the Dramatists Source Guide from Theater Communciations Group (available on Amazon) that lists over 500 opportunities. Then long on to the Dramatists Guild discussion group on LinkedIn and get a list of online monthly listings. ALL OF THIS IS FREE AND VETTED FOR SCAMS AND CONTESTS THAT ARE RIGGED. There is no need for this pay for play service right now.
Think “Disney Store” up and down the West Coast and in Manhattan and across the country. Some guy should jump at the chance to retail the shows. The turn-over (open and close) of shows will keep the merchandise fresh. It’s a great idea and again it is promoting the ‘Great White Way’. Do it!!!