A new marketplace connecting those who write plays with those who need them, means we are never going to search for plays in the same way again. Ink Pellet reports on how TreePress is already changing the way amateur plays are distributed and licensed.
TreePress co-founders, Adrienne Ferguson and Laura Fisher, met whilst producing a school play in Edinburgh almost 10 years ago. Like many others, when Adrienne – a drama teacher of 15 years – ran out of options for the large casts in her school productions, she started to write her own. The same stories were being told over and over again on the school stage, and it was time for change.
The pair started informally sharing their work with schools, directors and theatres around the country. They met other playwrights, competition winners and organisations that were doing the same. Whenever a teacher or director starts the journey to find a play, it’s not a straightforward process. You know the drill. Start with the publishers, do a few Google searches, ask your colleagues and maybe even enquire in an online forum or two.
At the same time, Laura was running several creative businesses and working as a Digital Management Consultant (not to mention time spent performing in London’s West End) and asked: “Why, in a digital world, was this process so broken?”. Teachers need somewhere they can find the right work to meet their needs. Directors need somewhere to secure the performance rights instantly. Playwrights need somewhere to share their stories with the world. Publishers need technology to manage and protect their work online.
And so, together, they created TreePress. An online marketplace and community that encourages playwrights to create, develop and write work for the school and amateur stage. More than just the words on the page, this is a place to secure licenses, download resources, get in touch with peers and much more.
For the first time, TreePress are gathering published and unpublished plays and listing them in one place. TreePress.org allows directors to search according to what matters to them most like genre, length and cast size.
What is exciting about TreePress is that a director is able to immediately gain the license for the play. No more waiting, phone calls or letters to write. As soon as performance dates are entered the price shows on screen, with everything included. You don’t just see the price of the script but also performance licenses, photocopy fees and photography rights. No surprises or extra costs, you know exactly how much it will be to put on a show. These are all paid for in a matter of clicks, so rehearsals can start immediately.
And let’s not forget about the magic. Directors who have just bought a play are given a custom mini-site that announces the play. You can share the excitement, announce auditions or send it round to your production team.
Plays on TreePress come from a huge range of playwrights, publishers and theatres from around the world. There is work from resident playwrights in youth theatres and award-winning professionals and everything in between. They’ve managed to source plays from independent, undiscovered playwrights – from places as far as Trinidad and Tobago and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The beauty of a marketplace like this, is that it grows. Everyday something new is online. Over the summer, they will be onboarding content from publishers and commissioning theatres. Adrienne and Laura have heard news of some exciting new partnerships from hubs of creative excellence from around the world which they can’t wait to share. This is definitely one to watch.
As well as scripts and licences, for some plays, there are also free resources available to download. Lesson plans, set designs, rehearsal schedules, director’s notes and more to help you get from page to stage. Full of insights from industry experts, the TreePress blog is another rich source to equip and inspire. From top tips about how to manage a dress rehearsal (and stay sober!) to why the performance arts are vital in our schools, it’s essential reading for those working in the performing arts.
Jump in and check out their plays by visiting www.treepress.org If you’ve got a killer resource that you want to share with other teachers, submit to their blog (blog@treepress.org).
For those who have written work, don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your plays with the world. TreePress are currently running an invitation-only access to the platform and have given InkPellet readers a chance to skip the queue! Send an email to invites@treepress.org and quote InkPellet in the email to get early access.
For further information about TreePress please contact Adrienne Ferguson, Creative Director adrienne@treepress.org
T: 0207 993 8641 Follow them online at www.treepress.org Twitter: @TreePress Facebook: facebook.com/treepress