Q: Is there an audience at your play-readings? May I invite guests? Would you put me on your mailing list for future events?
A: Yes to all. We advertise all performances and play-readings as (usually free) public events. At the end, people in the audience are encouraged to give feedback to the playwrights. Send your request to receive advance notices to: [email protected]
Q: Is “Scene & Heard” a staged reading where actors rehearse the play beforehand?
A: We do not rehearse the scenes, although (with the author's permission) we may email the scenes to the actors to preview.
Q: Will someone read my stage directions?
A: You have one minute to introduce your play and set the scene for the audience before the actors begin the actual reading, but no stage directions will be provided during the reading itself. Try to let the dialogue reveal what you want to get across. In the words of one stage director: "If it isn't in the dialogue, it isn't important."
Q: I use script-writing software; may I use that?
A: Sure. If you have writing software, that’s great, but you still have to be sure to pick the correct format — not a screenplay template but one for stage plays. That is also what you need to use when sending your script to playwriting contests, literary agents, and theatres. If you don’t want to go to the expense of purchasing special software, use the play script example on this website or search the internet for other templates.
Q: Can you give me some general tips to make it easy for the actors to read my script?
A: Use standard play script formatting (not the way you see plays printed in books) and fonts (serif type, such as Courier or Times New Roman). Spell out dates the way you want them to be read (“January 15th” vs “the 15th of January”). Use abbreviations sparingly or not at all (Fr. = Father; Ave. = Avenue). And no two-sided copies! You can save the rain forest some other day.
Q: I don't want to hear just a ten minutes except. Can I have my whole play read on stage?
A: We encourage writers to submit scenes in the early stages of developing their play. It is to help them hear their characters, and to help them shape the play early on. We have had staged readings of complete one-act plays at the end of a season... but only for writers who had participated in Scene & Heard presentations earlier on. So be humble, start small.
A: Yes to all. We advertise all performances and play-readings as (usually free) public events. At the end, people in the audience are encouraged to give feedback to the playwrights. Send your request to receive advance notices to: [email protected]
Q: Is “Scene & Heard” a staged reading where actors rehearse the play beforehand?
A: We do not rehearse the scenes, although (with the author's permission) we may email the scenes to the actors to preview.
Q: Will someone read my stage directions?
A: You have one minute to introduce your play and set the scene for the audience before the actors begin the actual reading, but no stage directions will be provided during the reading itself. Try to let the dialogue reveal what you want to get across. In the words of one stage director: "If it isn't in the dialogue, it isn't important."
Q: I use script-writing software; may I use that?
A: Sure. If you have writing software, that’s great, but you still have to be sure to pick the correct format — not a screenplay template but one for stage plays. That is also what you need to use when sending your script to playwriting contests, literary agents, and theatres. If you don’t want to go to the expense of purchasing special software, use the play script example on this website or search the internet for other templates.
Q: Can you give me some general tips to make it easy for the actors to read my script?
A: Use standard play script formatting (not the way you see plays printed in books) and fonts (serif type, such as Courier or Times New Roman). Spell out dates the way you want them to be read (“January 15th” vs “the 15th of January”). Use abbreviations sparingly or not at all (Fr. = Father; Ave. = Avenue). And no two-sided copies! You can save the rain forest some other day.
Q: I don't want to hear just a ten minutes except. Can I have my whole play read on stage?
A: We encourage writers to submit scenes in the early stages of developing their play. It is to help them hear their characters, and to help them shape the play early on. We have had staged readings of complete one-act plays at the end of a season... but only for writers who had participated in Scene & Heard presentations earlier on. So be humble, start small.