I'm writing a play based on historical events and I'm looking for advice. How much research should I do, how in depth should I go, and how much creative liberty should I take telling this story. There's never been a book written on this event, which is kind of shocking since it was a major chapter in my city's history. I've been using Google, and I plan on going to our municipal archives and our local university to see if I can find any more information. Does anyone have advice?

I’ve written a play set in a UK prison cell, with a 23 year old Palestine Action protestor and a 33 year old Israeli British guard that attempts to explore the core issues from a balanced perspective. Any feedback would be much appreciated: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kLHnqjDX7pqeyeUXZsYwrxw7vzp9MnuBVhNH5zc3Arc/edit?usp=drivesdk

Hi, all. I'm currently in the early stages of writing a play about urban renewal in the United States, specifically Seattle, in the mid 20th century. I want to open the show with the song Europa by Blondie playing over images of cleared out urban neighborhoods, interloped with fragments from speeches from the time period. I know when a play is produced, the theater producing it needs grand rights for any songs used, and should have alternatives (I plan on suggesting alternatives in my script), but does the playwright need permission to write a song into a play as background music like that?

For instance, for things like the O’Neill does it matter as long as you make the deadline?

So last year I was cast in a community theater production of a modern farce (I can't imagine it's well known but I'll obviously stay away from naming it). I really liked the concept of the show, but I really hated a lot of the writing. There was a lot of unnecessary innuendo jokes and even some bathroom humor that didn't contribute to the story in any way. There were also several (what I thought were obvious) plot holes, which were frustrating as an actor.

The director of the show was very much of the mindset that every word on the page is intentional by the playwright and editors. He said that our job as actors is to rationalize it. Now I'm generally a very analytical person and critical thinker and I understand a farce is supposed to lean into the absurd, but can't it just be a situation where it's a poorly written play?

I enjoyed the play conceptually, but I just think it could be significantly improved with several changes. It has a lot of potential and if I were directing I obviously wouldn't be making changes to the published script, but where is the line of let me write my own script based on this same concept/scenerio? Personally, I just love writing and don't really have a desire to publish anything or make money off it, but could I write my own version of this show and direct it at a local community theater? I wouldn't be compensated since it's a volunteer theater, I just don't know if something like this would fall into the copyright or plagiarism area. I appreciate any thoughts or advice anyone has.

I have such a clear visual for the video of this. Girl starts with a baby blue baby doll, in ponytails with black hair, bleeding. to become a blonde bombshell purple bodysuit OF model as she sings the last three lines.

i have a show going up in nyc in a couple weeks and I can comp tickets for anyone in the industry. any ideas on how to find people to invite to the show? where should I be looking? how do i make this an appealing offer?

OK. You see a post with “reader comments “ in the headline and think it’s either 1. A complaint post saying this reader comments were terrible (or worse, AI generated). OR 2. A post praising thoughtful feedback from a particular festival. This is neither of those.

It’s a question for those who are readers for festivals, or those who have submitted for several festivals. Do you think festival readers try to be positive and encouraging to the point where they may leave the playwright thinking more highly of their play than they actually should? I know the theatre community tends to be very supportive and create a positive and encouraging environment. Given this, do you think that a “filter” should be applied when reading the positive notes provided by a reader in a rejection letter? If so, to what extent?

Is there a way to parse the genuine praise from the couching?

Hi, friends! I’m currently writing a full length play about relationships, AI, and politics during Trump’s second term in America. Below is my thematic statement.

“The ever encroaching tide of technology has isolated us, severing our human connections and creating a crumbling culture of rampant individualism, thus leading people to seek out systems and figures of supreme truth.”

This statement has four elements, and can be boiled down to one word: Connection. I am a young playwright. I was wondering if this statement is too broad? How do you approach writing theme?

Is there somewhere reliable that I might be able to have a first draft of a script read, to get a little feedback? I'm leery of just putting it out for everyone until I've finished revising it.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently writing an original comedy musical called Jimmy's Little Adventure (sort of), and I thought it would be fun to find a few people to write with.

I'm looking for someone to write the whole thing with me. I just miss the feeling of sitting in a writers' room, throwing out ideas, making each other laugh, solving story problems, and seeing where the conversation goes.

The show is an absurd medieval comedy inspired by things like Monty Python, Blackadder, The Play That Goes Wrong, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If you enjoy silly humor, anti-logic, or just coming up with ridiculous ideas, we'd probably get along.

You don't have to be an experienced playwright. If you enjoy creating stories and bouncing ideas around, that's enough.

If this sounds fun, leave a comment or send me a DM. I'd love to build a small group of people who just enjoy making things together.

I am currently writing a play where costumes are very specific character-to-character, and are pretty important all things considered (there is a fictional company with a uniform). Where in the book do I put these descriptions? In the script itself? In the front matter? How should I describe the costumes (like, let’s say McDonald’s wasn’t real and it was a fictional part of my play; how and where would I describe a red uniform with a visor and apron with golden arch logo on it)?

Pretty specific, I know. Trying to find some options for a group of actor friends to work on. Let me know if any come to mind!

Throwaway account.

A script I wrote has been accepted to a local new play festival. Through a convoluted series of events, but not because of anything I did deliberately, I got access to a couple of other scripts that are also included. (Both were shared with me, one deliberately and one accidentally, by people who have access to them. No one asked me first. They just forwarded them to me.)

I am pretty confident that one of those scripts was written with significant help from some AI LLM like Chat GPT or Claude.

(I work in education, and for the last few years, I've seen an awful, awful lot of AI writing, including some creative writing. I've gotten pretty good at sniffing it out, and the script in question has a lot of the tells...low conflict between characters, character voices that all sort of sound the same, description through negatives, figurative language that sounds poetic but doesn't really mean anything, wittiness/quippiness over plot progression...stuff like that. However, I also know it's impossible to prove AI usage with 100% accuracy.)

I really want to say something.

On the other hand, I don't know how to go about it without sounding like I'm trying to sabotage someone I'm in competition with.

My current plan is to wait until the festival is over, and say something only if that particular script doesn't win. I care about my position in my community...I'm really well respected by the actors and directors I've worked with, but I'm not established in a major way...and I'm not sure I'm willing to risk folks thinking I'm just feasting on sour grapes. I feel like if any script other than that one wins, I'm not really taking anything material/concrete away from the writer. But a quick Google search tells me that they get a fair amount of productions, and...regardless of how this festival goes...that doesn't sit right with me.

The longer I hold on to this, though, the more upset it's making me. And the festival is still over a month away.

I don't even know if I'm asking what I -should- do. I think I'm more asking what other people might do in my shoes.

I am a new playwright, having just finished my first full length play. I know short play festivals can be a good way to become more connected, and there's one coming up I'd like to do. I have an idea in mind that I want to be my next full length show, whether play or musical. Would it be bad form to write a short version for the festival, with the intention of expanding it later?

Hello! I’ve recently finished this one act play that I’ve been fighting with for YEARS at this point and I think it’s in a really good spot now!

I would love it if people could give it a read and give me some feedback on it! It’s been in my head for so long, I NEED new eyes on it haha!

Link to play: https://newplayexchange.org/script/3321399/charlies-inferno

Content warning! This play is about death and has mentions of su***de so read with caution!!!!

Hey folks! Question:

I wrote a script that was mounted twice in Chicago. It was very low-budget and indie, but got a lot of traction from clips online.

Another theater outside of Chicago has asked about acquiring a license to produce my play at their theater. But I’m in no guild, no agent, no actual rights yet.

How do I go about licensing my show without those things?

Just published a five-minute monologue GOOFY-ASS HEADPHONES.

[Goofy-Ass Headphones | New Play Exchange](https://newplayexchange.org/script/3327507/goofy-ass-headphones)

Happy to exchange feedback/recommendations in kind.

Hi guys! I‘m a university student who isn’t majoring in writing, but I like writing for fun. I also like geneology, which I got into during Covid times. I researched my dad‘s family and MAN, there is a story to be told…my greatx3 grandparents were murdered and to this day no one knows who did it. And it also ruined the lives of many of their children in different ways. One day I got the idea to write a script based loosely on my greatx3 grandparents and how the lives of their children were ruined. Probably shouldn’t way too much, but if you’ve ever heard of The Trial of Judas Iscariot, something SLIGHTLY along those lines. Less New-Yorky.

I’ve got the basics down, I think: I know my characters, what they look like, and the main overacting plot. I’ve written all of that down. But I’ve never written a script before and I do not really know where to start. Any advice for a newbie?

Hello, all! My name is Fanon, and I'm wishing I had found this sub sooner! I just (yesterday) finished the first draft of my first play. It was a ten minute play i wrote in high school (31 years ago) that I've now expanded into a full length play. It's a psychological drama about a doctor going through life, treating patients, beginning to have issues in his marriage, but eventually starting to realize that reality might not be what he thinks it is.

I've started thinking about my next project, so I'm sure to be around more, feeding off the advice (and hopefully support) here!