Notes To A Young Director: The different stages of new play development

We have just had a most wonderful experience with a new script reading here in Nashville. Carolyn German, who heads up the Metro Parks Theatre Department, had decided that her department would sponsor a year long new play reading series and the African American Playwrights Exchange was given the opportunity to kick that series off with a reading of BILLIE'S BLUES, Hershell Norwood's new play about Billie Holiday. That reading has lead to other offers, so we are now planning a "workshop" for Black History Month.

One of the joys of this past project was getting to work with an amazing young artist named Courtney McClellan. This was Courtney's first directing experience outside of college. When I suggested that our next venture be a "workshop production" she asked me to define the different stages of new play development. I am sharing my notes with her below in case others may find them of value - or for any feedback or critique on any glaring oversights I may have made in my observations.

Jazmn47

jazmn47@aol.com

Courtney,

Here are the predictable phases of a new play development

PHASE ONE - READINGS

1. Table read - this is generally at someone's home, around a table with scripts, for the benefit of the playwright and the actors, but no audience.
2. Table read level 2 - same as above but with one or two outsiders.
3. Living room read - the actors are set apart and there is an "audience" of close supporters of the project who will give the thumbs up if the script is ready for a more public audience.
4. Invited read - held in a public space for an invited audience of potential backers and artistic team members
5. Public read - for public audience, actors sitting with scripts. Full narration, no blocking
6. Staged reading - for public, with blocking, minimal narration - what we had at the Looby

Readings are usually free to the public, though often donations are requested. The ONLY reason we didn't ask for donations at The Looby was because we had the use of the theatre for free. Asking for donations would have caused a problem with Metro. Randi Michaels & Ted Swindley could have easily charged for their reading of GUESS WHO'S COMING TO SEDER, which was seen by over 300 people, all of whom I think would have paid $5.00 or even $10.00 to see that reading.

PHASE 2 - Workshopping

Actors off book, basic blocking, some narration, minimal lights, sets and props, suggestive costuming. The idea at this point is that the script has been through a pretty thorough development process and all cuts and tweeks have been made. Now we want to release the script to the actors so we can see the physical dynamics at work in their characters and in the relationships.

With workshops, you usually start charging a small amount, especially since you are normally working in a theatre space and have to pay some rent. The rest of the funds usually go to reimburse folks for their small expenses.

PHASE 3 - Showcases

Showcases are important because they allow you to "produce" the script with out calling it a "production"

Oddly enough, getting your script "Produced" can be death for the script because many producers will not touch a script that has been previously produced. Which makes no sense to me, except that often the first "producers" do sign a contract with the playwright which gives them entitlements with regards to future productions. But you would think that having had a play produced would be an asset, when in fact it can be a detriment.

So in New York, scripts often have multiple "showcases."

NELLIE, the Bernice Lee musical for which I was composer and co-lyricist, had 2 Equity showcases - an Off Off Broadway Equity showcase in 1997 and an Off Broadway Equity showcase (at The Lambs Theatre on Times Square) in 1999.

Using Equity guidelines as, well, a guideline - Equity showcases have a cap on the budget which is set by Equity. When we did the Off Broadway showcase of NELLIE in 99, that cap was $17,000.00 of which I put up half, which is one reason I ain't got no money today.

Sadly, actors are not really compensated for showcases beyond car fare, but money goes into costumes and sets. With NELLIE we spent a nice chunk on getting the music arranged by a young fellow who had studied with Sondheim. Unfortunately he made all of my music sound like Sondheim, which was all wrong because my "muse" for that score was Kurt Weill. But at least it wasn't a production, just a showcase, so those arrangements are not set in stone.

You definitely charge for a showcase - I think our tickets were $15.00 or $20.00 and we sold pretty well, but we still lost money - which in a way I recouped as a loss on my taxes, because the NYC showcase is actually set up as a business and you can take a loss.

Similar to "showcases" are "festival" productions. Festivals offer pretty much the same safety net to the playwright and collaborators in that they do not count as actual "productions" - they are really special showcases where a number of plays are mounted and publicized together with the "validation" of having been accepted into the festival. Playwrights and their collaborators bear the expense of mounting the play and sometimes even the cost of publicizing as well.

By the time BILLIE'S BLUES got to us, it had been through several readings and two "festival" productions, so we were ready to at least get the actors on their feet. Knowing what we do now about our audience's reaction to the script and the cast, another reading would be a waste of time, which is why we need these guys off book, blocked and costumed. I'm thinking that we need to get with Sabine and turn that room INTO Mama's Jam with some embellishments, which is what I want to discuss with you as soon as Sabine confirms our date. Even if we just put up photos of Billie and other famous jazz musicians on the wall ( it is an art gallery, after all)

If our "workshop" were to lead to anything further, I would still position that as a "showcase" so as not to hurt Hershell's chances at a future production by a better financed producer. However, Perlie has put me in contact with a producer in Newport News, Va. who might actually be interested in bringing our cast up there. If that were to happen, then obviously we would find ourselves in "production" mode.

Hope this helps to clarify the different stages of developing a script for it's actual life in the American theatre.

AAPEX Interview: Courtney McClellan

Courtney McClellan

I saw Courtney McClellan onstage for the first time in the recent Circle Players production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN. Her hysterical portrayal of the Youngers' meddlesome neighbor, Wilhemina Othella Johnson, brought down the house. I also learned that Courtney sits on the board of Circle Players and is also responsible for the classy, Broadway style playbills for their shows. 

I then had the privilege of working with Courtney on the AAPEX Black History month show at Vanderbilt, where she gave another outstanding comic turn as Eslanda Goode Robeson, wife of the legendary Paul Robeson, who is trying to keep her superstar husband in check as he rises to international stardom.

Here's what Courtney has to say for herself.

Jaz Dorsey

AAPEX Dramaturge

What role did theatre and the arts play in your childhood and upbringing?
My first performance experiences, like many I imagine, were in church and school. I sang in the church choir and did all the Easter plays and Christmas pageants, played flute in the school band, and performed with my elementary and junior high chorus groups. I also did the occasional youth performance workshop and theatre camp during the summer months. I received great vocal training and lots of exposure, but my formal introduction to theatre and the arts came in high school. I attended a private, Catholic, all-girls, largely-based arts high school here in Nashville where I began learning to read music, participated in forensics, took an interest in visual art (some of my work even went up for sale!), held membership in the theatre guild and dance ensemble, and had my first theatrical stage experiences. The arts were always a large part of my life and that came from the exposure in the arts my parents allowed me. They have always been huge supporters and proponents of me trying many things. "You can't" weren't words I heard a lot in my household when it came to my interest in the arts. Thus, the theatre became a consistent comfort to me. Walking toward the stage was like coming home, and in fact I spent much of my time there. I lived in the theatre in high school and college, and went to my house or dormitory to sleep (sometimes). This type of art became a release for me and has absolutely made me a more intelligent, well-rounded, and cultured individual.

Tell us about your own evolution as an artist.
I began in the arts thinking I wanted to be a professional singer. My dream was to one day sing the national anthem at a nationally televised major sporting event. (After watching Christina Aguilera (and countless other vocalists, for that matter,) fumble over the words during the most recent Super Bowl, I laugh at myself.) In preschool, when it was song-sharing time and the other kids got up and sang "Old McDonald Had A Farm," my song of choice was "It Cuts Like A Knife." My teachers had some awkward conversations with my parents, I'm sure. Actually, as I got older my confidence as a singer diminished drastically, but I developed a passion for drama, acting, and speaking, and found the confidence to sing and dance in the context of those things. I think that's when the realization set in, that part of why I love theatre so much is that in order to properly execute it, you have to throw yourself, head first, into the role and completely assume another personage for it. Hence, when I'm singing as a character, it's not really me singing. It's me acting like someone who's singing. Much easier! I'm not embarrassing myself onstage anymore when I sing, because the character I'm playing is the one that's singing. A bit convoluted I know, but it's the difference between my anxiety overcoming me on stage, which, if you're a performer, you know means EVERYTHING in the world, and being able to deliver in the moment. I now consider myself in the ranking of "triple-threatness" to be an actor-singer- dancer, with singer-dancer being a FAR second and third. I've also directed a bit, which is an entirely different art form as well. The bottom line is that, as an artist, I am still evolving daily and enjoying the ride, ups and downs withal. 

Tell us about Circle Players and why you are so committed to this company.
I graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts degree from Hampton University in Virginia in 2008 and returned home to Nashville shortly after. I came off of some not-so-great theatrical experiences in Nashville (imagine that: type casting...in the south? Gasp!?) before attending my beloved HBU (historically black university) where the doors of the theatre opened up countless opportunities and solidified my love for the art. Upon returning home, I prepared to be greeted with the same challenges and hurdles I experienced in theatre before I left. Instead, I reconnected to the arts community with Circle Players, for which LaTonya Turner should receive lots of credit. Not only did the organization welcome me home (to Nashville AND to theatre) with open arms, after a short time overcoming the "new kid" feeling, Circle members were excited to use my professional skills to serve the organization as well as my onstage contributions. I felt valued in Nashville's theatrical community for a change. This coming year will be my third year serving on Circle's Board and, involvement with A Raisin in the Sun (January 2011) and "13" The Musical (coming April 2011) make my eighth and ninth shows with the organization. See! I can barely talk about Circle without shameless organizational promotion. I love the people with whom I've made connections and I know I've gained lasting and meaningful friendships from my participation. I also love what the organization is about, and its commitment to providing open opportunities to ALL types of people who have a passion and interest in theatre. Its board and artist members are dedicated and hardworking and deserve many more accolades for the purely volunteer work they do than I can possibly fit into this interview. I'll continue my involvement with Circle as long as the organization will have me.

What are your thoughts on Nashville as a theatre town?
Nashville has great potential to be a mecca for all kinds of theatre in Tennessee and the South, for that matter. I find its albeit misguided efforts toward popularization as a "celebrity hub" for country music to be a bit inhibiting when visiting other cities known for theatre in the United States. In fact many Nashville natives aren't even aware where the term "Music City" comes from. Some historical references attribute England's Queen Victoria with the term after she heard a performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1873. In the 1950s, a local radio DJ used the term and it stuck. There is a diverse artistic community in Nashville that begs for appropriate physical spaces and funding to be its absolute best. I hope more attention can be diverted towards our city nationally for the theatrical work that it so beautifully provides each season. When the business and commerce behind the city's front back the artistic community as an invaluable part of the city's thriving, as opposed to solely its occasional entertainment source, then can we hope to make Nashville a true theatre town, because the talent is most assuredly present.

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