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Write A Play And Get It Performed: Outline

by Lesley Bown and Ann Gawthorpe

An outline can be a detailed description of a play you are planning to write or a short description of a play already written – in either case it can be used as a selling tool to try and get the play commissioned.

Clearly it needs to be written in a sharp and engaging way and cover the whole plot. Don’t withhold information – if the play has a surprise ending explain what it is, and what impact you expect it to have on the audience.

You may be given an idea of what length is acceptable, otherwise keep it to one side of A4. It will probably only be successful if it’s accompanied by a c.v., showing you’ve already had some successes.

A proposal and a synopsis are similar terms to an outline, but generally a synopsis is a more detailed description of an already written play, although it shouldn’t normally be longer than a side ofn A4 page., while a proposal is generally usually put together before the play is written. Again both are selling tools to persuade theatre companies to look at the complete script. When you send out a scripts, include a synopsis at the front.
 



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