I wrote a play and I want someone to put it on - what should I do?

The first point to make is that the Mill Theatre doesn’t accept unsolicited scripts and unless there is a specific call for scripts from any producer, company or venue, please don’t just send your script. The reason is, it shows you haven’t done any research into the producer, company or venue. Below are some steps which Lexi recommends and lots of handy open source resources. This is not a fail-safe guide but just a few ideas to think about (from only one person)!

Writing is a craft, learn it

Try to find a program, group, course or book to start getting some ideas about the craft under your belt. One of the best books for playwriting is Simon Stephens’ A Working Diary. Or you could find a free course like the Come Write program run in the ACT. 

You can also find great free resources online. Megan Riedl has written a great blog on how to handle writing stage dialogue.

Not only will you learn at least one useful thing, you will also start networking and being able to ask around about what other people have done and what other groups and avenues there are to test your work. 

Submit and share your work appropriately and with one goal - to redraft it!

Research producers, companies or venues which seem to be doing similar types of work. Go and watch that work. Think about what is similar and what is different. Be informed when you share your work with that company. For example, the Mill Theatre does revivals of Australian Plays and yet people keep sending me their brand new Australian plays and some of these writers have never seen any work I have produced! Producing any live event is very, very hard. Try to do the groundwork to find the right place and the right people for you. 

If you write as a hobby, find the right group which also loves doing this as a hobby. If you write and are seeking to have your work licensed so you can be paid, find the companies which operate in the same way. You might want to think about getting an agent to help make those connections for you. It depends where you are at in your writing career.

If you are not sure - go and see the work. Ask if they are taking submissions, find open calls and festivals for new work by brand new writers.

If you are really stuck, it might be that your work simply is not ready. In this case, get it read aloud and not by your mates. See if a community theatre near you would like to do a reading. Maybe a couple of professional actors would be open to reading it for you and you could offer a fee for this and then request some feedback. 

There’s lots of avenues and it can be hard figuring out exactly what to do. Sometimes the live events industry doesn’t have very clear pathways and you have to make your own. When you find people with similar expectations and values, your work has a greater chance for success!