How can I (and why should I) get involved with Theatre Vault?
At Theatre Vault, playwrights will be able to get their scripts in front of literally thousands of theatre companies with one simple upload.
Theatre companies, as you know, are located all over the country and world, and there are tens of thousands of them — small, large, professional, community-based, new, old, in cities and in the country — there is no "standard" theatre company. So how do you find them? And even if you could find them all, postage isn't cheap. Sending your script to all the theatre companies in the US alone would cost you tens — possibly hundreds — of thousands of dollars.
I hear you saying that you would never send your script to every theatre in the country — only the ones that are looking for shows like yours. Well — your time is worth something, too, isn't it? I would argue that the time you would spend trying to scrutinize every theatre company to see if the kind of work they do is a match for your scripts would far outstrip the cost of postage if you value your time. Besides — you make money writing scripts (or would like to), not researching theatre companies.
Theatre Vault will allow you to upload your scripts, describe them in ways that theatres will search for them, and then lets you move on to your next project (you know the one — the prince who gets out of an arranged marriage by pretending to be gay — yeah that one). The best part is that the theatres will be able to check out the script and contact you if they are interested instead of the other way around. And on top of that, they will pay you your royalties directly through Theatre Vault. It's like having an agent (without all the bad toupees and annoying phone calls).
Theatre Vault, naturally, will take a percentage of the royalties when a company contracts your script for production, but where else can you get your script in front of so many theatre companies in one fell swoop? You may have your favorite script being produced in Ohio, Vermont, Florida, California, Idaho, and Kansas — all at once — before you can say "that Scottish Play."
back to top
As a theatre company, we know that one of your challenges is finding good scripts to produce. Yes, sometimes you'll receive a few submissions in the mail or have them emailed to you, but how many do you actually receive that are high quality, stageable plays?
Theatre Vault can help. Instead of having to go around to a million bulletin boards and send emails to every playwright you know or have produced before, you will be able to search our HUGE archive of scripts, and you will be able to limit your results to get as close as possible to what you are looking for. Need a ten-minute play with one female and two male roles? Search for it. Need that show to cost no more than $10 per night? Limit the list further. Need to make sure that no other Theatre Vault member company within 50 miles of your location has produced the same script within the last 6 months? You'll be able to do that, too. Need someone else to read the script for you? Ummmm — we don't do that. Only you know whether a script is right for your company. But we will give you the tools to make finding that script simple.
Basic membership to Theatre Vault will be completely free, for everyone. And to answer your question, there is no such thing as an "advanced" membership that gives you more functionality for a fee. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But the original and driving mission for Theatre Vault is, and always will be, free:
To bring the world to the arts.
By bringing together theatre companies, playwrights, and the theatre-going public in one place. And making it easy for scripts to be found, contracted, and produced. Our only rule is this: if you find a play on Theatre Vault you would like to put on stage, you must contract it through Theatre Vault. Hey — we have to pay the bills, too! But it won't cost you a penny more to pay the playwright's royalties through the site. Your cost will be exactly the same as if you worked directly with the playwright. Theatre Vault will just act as an agent — minus the terrible toupees and pointless "networking dinners."
back to top
Are you a theatre-goer? An actor? A techie? A stage ninja (you know, the people who wear all black and live backstage and somehow accomplish complicated scene changes without ever being seen)? A reviewer? An English teacher?
You are welcome here at Theatre Vault! Your free membership will make it easy to find local theatrical events to attend, learn more about the craft of performing arts in general and theatre specifically, and might even convince you to finally write that script or screenplay that you've been thinking about for years (you know the one: some dude dies and gets lost on the way to heaven — hilarity ensues)!
If you're a teacher, you will be able to search our database of scripts to find something to use in class — with the playwright's permission of course.
If you're an actor, techie, director, or stagehand (ninja), you will be able to find theatre companies to work with that you never knew existed. You'll find playwrights and scripts that you just HAVE to perform or direct (and find a company to do so with). You'll even find local audition notices, volunteer opportunities, and sometimes — free food. No promises on the food.
If your local area is not yet available on Theatre Vault (hey, we're still the new kid in town) and you're interested in helping us expand our reach — and helping people in your area find fabulous theatre right under their noses — let us know! A small commitment of time will reap huge rewards for your local performing arts scene.
back to top
If you are a theatre company, request a review of your show!
If Theatre Vault doesn't yet do reviews in your area, volunteer as an Area Coordinator!
If Theatre Vault does do reviews in your area, volunteer as a Reviewer!
back to top
Request a review of your show!
One of Theatre Vault's most important missions is to shed light on great theatre that doesn't usually get noticed. We are just starting out, and are based in central Ohio, so right now we can only review shows in that area, but if you are a central Ohio theatre who wants to get more exposure by having a reviewer or two review your show, request a reviewer by clicking this link!
But what if you are among one of the many theatres in one of the many places that are NOT central Ohio, and you are interested in what Theatre Vault stands for, we are looking to expand! Theatre Vault's reviews and Area Coordinators are all volunteer — and if you would like to have Theatre Vault in your area, please volunteer as an Area Coordinator!
back to top
Volunteer as an Area Coordinator!
Each Area Coordinator receives and responds to review requests from theatre companies in your area, as well as finds and coordinates a number of volunteer reviewers. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Area Coordinator for Theatre Vault, click here!
back to top
Theatre Vault attempts to send two reviewers to each show to which we are invited, and we request two free tickets for each reviewer, so you can take along a friend or significant other when you go to see the show. We do our best to get the review of the show up within 24-hours of the reviewer's attendance, so you'll be asked to get the review written in a timely manner. Additionally, we are very careful to avoid the appearance of any conflicts of interest — which means that if you are somehow involved with a theatre company, as an ensemble member or in some other way, you will not be allowed to review a show for that company. This does make it difficult sometimes; once in awhile, we do have to bend our own rules. Regardless, we expect open, honest reviews from our reviewers — criticism where warranted, and credit where it is due.
If you are interested in volunteering as a Reviewer for Theatre Vault, we will happily send you our style guide and requirements — just click here to let us know you are interested in becoming a reviewer!
back to top
