Stop waiting for theaters to discover your show

Written by TMS CEO Monica Hammond

If you want your show to have a life beyond its first production, don't just make it available for licensing and hope the right theater finds it.

Treat licensing like a marketing campaign.

Regional theaters, community theaters, universities, and schools are constantly choosing what they'll produce next. Your job is to make sure the right decision-makers know your show exists and understand why it's a fit for them.
Here’s where to start:

1. Identify your ideal theaters.
Think about where your show fits best based on cast size, genre, audience, production requirements, and comparable shows. A large-cast musical might be perfect for universities, while an intimate play might be better suited to regional theaters.

2. Build a targeted contact list.
Find the actual people involved in selecting programming: Artistic Directors, Literary Managers, Theater Department Chairs, drama teachers, and season-selection committees. A little Google or AI search can go a long way.

3. Create a licensing package.
Make your show easy to evaluate. Include a strong hook, synopsis, cast breakdown, running time, production requirements, photos, reviews, production history, and a simple way to request the script. This can be in a letter form, or a more professionally designed brochure package.

4. Reach out.
Consider a combination of direct mail and personalized email outreach. A package in the mail can introduce the show, while email gives you an easy way to follow up and share additional materials.

5. Follow up.
One unanswered email doesn't mean "no." Theater professionals are busy. Create several thoughtful touchpoints over a few weeks rather than sending one message and giving up.

6. Track everything.
Treat your outreach like a pipeline: Prospect → Contacted → Script Requested → Conversation → Licensing Inquiry → Licensed. A CRM platform like our TheaterMaker CRM can help make this process easier. (Watch our demo here).

The biggest mindset shift?

Stop waiting to be discovered.

You created the show. Now create a system for getting it in front of the people who could put it on their next stage.

If you’d like to inquire about our marketing services to help you create a professional licensing campaign, click here.