Stageplays.com is an English language division (Dallas, TX and Norfolk UK) for the French giant Cyber Press Publishing, with a mandate to eventually gain rights to “every play ever published in the English language.” They are apparently almost there, reminding me of Amazon’s appetite for control of the book industry. This is a development which has sneaked up on the drama industry, but Amazon has actually been very good for me so I decided to throw my lot in with Stageplays, or Cyber Press, and the play went up for sale online yesterday.
They only do e-publishing and sell the play cheap, since it is performances that we really hope to market, for a share of every gate. Licensed producers can make as many copies as they like from the one they buy, and offer them free to whomever they please, and so can you. Unlike with books, we are apparently happy to see pirated copies going everywhere, leading eventually to production contracts ... certainly not free! Cyber Press sells the performance licenses on my behalf and maintains business control as well as monitoring artistic aspects on my behalf. Five scripts sold yesterday and today; no performance licenses yet.
If you can spare $7.99 on a credit card, some initial purchases would positively influence the publicity and promotional position assigned by the publisher to this play. Or just experiment with the slick way they deliver a teaser, then a sample, and finally the full text. To do either, please check out the link at http://www.stageplays.com/products/three_testamentscategorycyberpresscode516 .
An Invitation for your input: Over the last year my editorial adviser, Ellen Frankel, and Arthur Strimling, our director for the production next June, have both urged more music, more movement on stage and more conflict. I have tried to respond and they will see some development in this published version, but a play is a living organism. There will almost certainly be more changes before it goes on stage, reflected in a new edition online next spring. I invite your input with suggestions for music, movement and conflict. Perhaps the Leonard Cohen Hallelujah piece is hackneyed … any alternatives? Is there a “peace” song that could fit in appropriately somewhere? Do some of the scenes still have too many “talking heads?” Are most of the characters still too nice for theatrical engagement and dramatic development? Please send potential improvements to bbrown17@cogeco.ca and thanks for your interest and any assistance. Everything I do seems to require a team effort to come up with the best ideas.