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script changes JACKSONVILLE BROTHERS GIVE UNPUBLISHED PLAYWRIGHTS A HOME by Dolly Penland, Folio Weekly November 12, 2002 |
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| A 16-year old Wyoming teenager writes a play -- a really good play. Chances
are no one will ever read it, much less bring it to life on stage. "A teen wouldn't have a chance in the publishing world," says Jonathan Rand who, along with his older brother, Douglas, founded Playscripts, Inc. The two Jacksonville siblings are giving playwrights who might otherwise be shut out of the process a high-tech venue in which to exhibit their work. Their effort has paid off. "Rapunzel Uncut," a play written by Mariah Everman, the aforementioned teen, is currently being produced in several countries, and a French translation was just completed last month.
Playscripts, found online at www.playscripts.com, evolved from an earlier Website Jonathan created while at the University of Pennsylvania to market his play, "Hard Candy," an International Thespians winner in 1997. He's licensed his play to more than 100 groups around the world via the Website. The Rands are Stanton College Preparatory School graduates who wrote their plays for the school's Night of One Acts. "From the beginning, we knew that we wanted to use the Internet to help level the playing field for the authors," says Rand. "We let the authors' words speak for themselves." At playscripts.com, interested parties may read a scene from a particular play to decide if they're interested in purchasing the rights. The text is encrypted so it can't be copied or printed, and the Website automatically sends info to the playwrights about where plays are being produced and what royalties they are due. "One of our major innovations is making text available online," says Rand. "Also, all printing is on demand, so when you buy a book from us, it's printed when you order it. We don't carry a large [physical] inventory, which is reflected in the cost of the book. So, if we see a beautifully written play and for whatever reason, it will only be performed once in a blue moon, we can still publish it." The Rands also print a catalogue (the newest was released last month) that features 72 authors and 100 plays. To date, Playscripts has licensed more than 700 productions and sold books in 26 countries. Books cost from $5 to $9 and performance rights for an amateur troupe range from $35 for a one-act to $50 for a full-length play. The Rands say they're different from traditional play publishers. "[Most publishing companies are] only selling those plays that get a great review in the New York Times or win an Obie," says Douglas Rand. "We've been meeting and talking with many literary agents that say their clients, well respected, award-winning authors, are essentially shut out of publication." Case in point: the new catalogue includes "Rich Relations" by David Henry Hwang, who wrote the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit "M. Butterfly." |
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