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Hello! Welcome to my weekly newsletter!
Enjoy a dose of my playwriting process,
writing confessions, and all the mess in between.
In Malaysia, I’ve been pushing for a “playwrights must be producers too” mindset.
Why? Because we’re facing an extreme shortage of everything — except actors. (And honestly, I think that might be the case in a lot of places.)
So if you want to actually see your plays come to life, here’s thing that I do, that you can too:
1. Small Cast
Unless you’re planning to pay people peanuts or nothing at all (which you absolutely shouldn’t do), write a 2-hander, a 3-hander, or maybe go up to 4 actors, tops.
Bonus tip: Add cameo roles that alternate every show. It gives your actors something new to play with and helps boosts marketing.
Additional bonus: Cast influencers or influential figures as cameos; but make sure they’re people outside your usual theatre circles.
2. Single Set
Too many locations means too many set changes; even if they’re minimal.
Focus your story in a single setting: a bedroom, a dungeon, a bookshop. You’ll save a lot on cost, and you’ll keep the staging tight and intentional.
3. Low Tech
As playwrights, we can write technical requirements — spotlights, red washes, specific cues, etc. But getting too creative on paper can get very expensive on stage… especially if your story depends on those effects.
Think: Glinda and Elphaba both flying. Fun? Yes. Affordable? No. lol
4. Contemporarise (When It Makes Sense)
Contemporary stagings are cheaper: fewer specific costumes, props, and builds.
But if you have a specific historical or themed story you need to tell, go for it. Don’t compromise your story just to save money.
If you’re not sure where to start, though, contemporary is a safe bet.
5. Clear Story, Clear Theme
Being “producible” isn’t just about making it stageable — it’s about making it sellable.
A play that’s easy to explain is easy to market.
Clear visual motifs help too. In POLY, I used a paper airplane, a crown, and a fork as visual mnemonics for each segment of the play. It made designing the posters and promos so much easier.
6. Minimise Licensing Issues
You’re writing your own play — great!
But is it an adaptation? Will you need licensing rights from a book or film?
And what about music? Are you requiring specific tracks, or can your sound designer work around it? Are you planning projections that need stock footage or expensive clips?
Take all these into consideration.
7. Avoid the Expensive (When You Can)
Unless you’re aiming for West End or Broadway budgets, don’t write Sunset Boulevard with the staircase or Miss Saigon with the actual helicopter and car.
If you can’t avoid a big element, ask yourself: is there another, cheaper way to achieve the same impact?
Problem-solving often leads to more creative choices anyway.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, you control what you write.
But don’t let producibility limit your creativity.
Guardrails can make you more inventive…
or sometimes they can just be demotivating.
You need to find the balance that works for you.
These are simply the things I think about while I’m writing.
But if you’re stubborn (like me) then do whatever you want!
Do you have other tips on how to make a play more producible?