Writing Plays/Screenwriting/Pitching

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Expert: Roger S. H. Schulman - 1/9/2009


Question
Hi, I have just written a Christian play and I want the production to be in April of this year. I have actors and I am working on a stage crew. My question is how do I go about pitching my play to theatres so I can secure a location. I have acted in plays,even did make-up,and backstage crew, but this is a whole new arena for me. I would really appreciate any advice you could give me. Thank You!!! Be Blessed!!!!

Answer
As a screenwriter I'm not experienced enough in the theater to be able to answer your question, but I consulted  a colleague who's done much work for Broadway.  Here's his reply; hope it helps.  

Most theatres pick their plays a year in advance, so the chances of having it done this april are slim.  Very often a theatre or theatre group starts with a reading.  The Dramatist Guild is a good place to start.  http://dramatistsguild.com/publications.aspx  
Get the Dramatist Guild Resource Directory.  It lists every theatre in the country, the types of plays they're looking for, deadlines, etc.

Writing Plays/Screenwriting

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Roger S. H. Schulman

Expertise

I can answer questions on the creative aspects of writing for features and television comedy: brainstorming, character development, plotting, story structure, dialog, rewriting, editing, etc. I can also address the business side of show business: pitching, writing and presenting treatments, "taking" meetings, common pitfalls, etc. I'm also well versed in the relationship between screenwriting and computers: software for scriptwriting, brainstorming, presentation, outlining, an d general organization. I'm also a producer, and so can answer questions regarding the ins and outs of television production, specifically the half-hour arena. Visit my scriptwriting blog at http://scriptwriting.tumblr.com/

Experience

I have been working in Hollywood as a screenwriter for both TV and features for many years. I'm an Executive Producer and "showrunner" who has run several prime-time and cable comedies. I've written several featurs and contributed to many more for several major studios.

Organizations
Writers Guild of America, West

Publications
Newsweek, BusinessWeek, GQ, Connoisseur, UPI, New York Daily News, please visit my blog at http://scriptwriting.blogspot.com

Education/Credentials
I have a Masters of Science in Journalism from Columbia University.

Awards and Honors
Academy Award Nomination, Best Adapted Screenplay British Academy Award, Best Adapted Screenplay Emmy Award Nomination, Best New Series NAACP "Image" Award, Best Television Comedy "Annie" Award, Best Animated Film

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