Stop Pitching the Plot. Do THIS instead.

Written by TMS CEO Monica Hammond

Imagine you have 5 minutes with a Producer and they ask you what your show is about.

You take a breath and start explaining.

“Well, it starts with this woman who moves back home after her father dies, and then she discovers this box, and inside the box is a letter, but you have to understand what happened between her and her father when she was younger…”

Five minutes later, you're still explaining the plot.

Sound familiar?

Here’s the problem: Your plot is not your pitch.

A producer doesn’t need to understand every twist, character, subplot, or act break to get excited about your show.

They need to understand why they should care.

Instead of explaining the plot, sell the experience.
Think about the shows you love.

You probably don't recommend them by giving someone a scene-by-scene synopsis.

You say:

“It's a hilarious musical about two Mormon missionaries who get sent to Uganda.”

Or:

“It's the story of the founding fathers told through hip-hop.”

Or:

“It's basically Romeo and Juliet, except the question is: What if Juliet didn't die?”

Immediately, I can see something. I understand the hook.

And most importantly, I want to know more.

That's the job of your pitch.

A great pitch creates curiosity.
Instead of trying to tell someone everything about your show, give them just enough that they start asking questions.

Start with:

What's the hook?
What's the one idea that makes someone lean forward?

Why this story?
What makes this worth spending two hours watching?

Why now?
Why will an audience connect with this story today?

Who is it for?
Who is going to buy a ticket?

What's the experience?
Is it hilarious? Heartbreaking? Immersive? Spectacular? Intimate? Uncomfortable? Joyful?

And then there's one more question TheaterMakers often forget:

What do you want?

Are you looking for a producer? A developmental opportunity? A theater? An investor? Collaborators?

Because pitching isn't just about getting someone to say, “That sounds interesting.”

It's about getting them to say:

“Tell me more.”

And your pitch deck should do the same thing.
Your pitch deck isn't supposed to be your entire script squeezed into 20 Canva slides.

It's a visual invitation into the world of your show.

The imagery, typography, story, characters, audience, creative team, and opportunity should work together to make someone understand what you're creating, and want to be part of it.