“A play that lives only on paper is a screenplay that forgot to be filmed. Get it off the page and onto a stage. Even a tiny one. Theater was meant to be experienced, not filed.”
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
Publishing a play is different from publishing a novel. For playwrights, ‘publication’ often means production—getting your work performed. And the path to production involves readings, festivals, submissions, and a whole lot of networking.
The Playwright’s Path to Production
| Stage | What It Involves |
| Cold Reading | Actors read your script aloud with minimal preparation. You hear what works. |
| Staged Reading | Directed reading with some blocking. A more polished test run. |
| Workshop Production | Full rehearsals and limited performances. You revise in real time. |
| Festival Production | Short run at a theater festival. Great for exposure and networking. |
| Full Production | Professional staging with design, marketing, and a real audience. |
How to Get Your Play Produced
- Submit to festivals and competitions. Start local, then go national and international.
- Join a playwrights’ group. Feedback, networking, and collaboration opportunities.
- Produce it yourself. Rent a small space. Cast actors. A self-produced reading is better than a drawer.
- Build relationships with directors. Directors champion plays. Network with them.
- Submit to play publishers. Samuel French, Dramatists Play Service, and others publish and license plays for production.
Your Move, Creative
Find three theater festivals or competitions accepting submissions. Submit your play to all three. The path to the stage starts with the submission. Every produced playwright started with a cold reading.
Stop letting your stories stay stuck.
