Submission Guidelines
Guidelines for Eldridge Publishing
• Please submit plays and musicals suitable for performance by all kinds and sizes of churches. We are an independent publisher not supported by any specific religious denomination.
• We welcome shows on all subjects; however, Christmas plays are very popular. Plays and musicals should run a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Include a cover letter giving us a brief description of the story of the play, its running time, and its performance history. In addition, we would like to know a little about your writing experience.
• Let us know if this is a simultaneous submission.
• Our standard royalty contract is 50% of royalties and 10% of copy sales. Playwrights are paid twice a year. Occasionally, outright purchase contracts may be offered.
• Please note that we receive hundreds of manuscripts a year. We give each manuscript careful attention. Once you have submitted your manuscript, please allow 8 weeks for our response. Do not send more than one manuscript at a time, as flooding us with your work will not be to your benefit.
TO SUBMIT:
Using your cover letter as the message, attach your play as a Microsoft Word or PDF document and e-mail to: NewWorks@histage.com. For musicals, please include a small-sized audio sample or web sharing location where we might hear more.
Special Tips for Submitting
• We like all kinds of plays and are always open to new ideas. Generally speaking, our customers like plays with more female than male roles or flexible casting in which roles can be played by either men or women. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, however. We like easy costuming and scenery, if possible, as many church budgets are limited.
• Don’t worry too much about formatting. Our editors are more concerned with content.
• We strongly recommend having your script workshopped, read, or performed. Scripts rewritten after this process are of a much higher caliber.
• Include web locations of any reviews, production photos or videos, if available.
Eldridge Publishing has the highest respect for its playwrights
We offer 15 distinct advantages to publish with us
1. You are given a proof copy of your work to approve before publication. We encourage you to add dedications and first performances and original cast lists.Any awards or compliments from reviews are also included.
2. Full - color art is specially designed to help advertise your show.A black and white version of the art is designed into your script cover.
3. Eldridge applies and pays for copyright in your own name.
4. You receive a dozen complimentary copies upon publication.
5. Your biography, photo(optional), and brief interview about your new work is posted on our web to let customers get to know you.
6. Promotional packages of your new play or musical are sent to six directors or theatres of your choice.
7. Your work is highlighted as "New" through color and special placements in our catalogs and on our website for a full year.
8. Our catalog is mailed to some 24, 000 + congregations and thousands of individual pastors and youth ministers across the country yearly.
9. Royalties are paid promptly twice a year, in January and July, not just annually.
10. Online production buttons list group names, locations and upcoming dates, so if you find your show while web - surfing, you can verify performances are licensed. Performance locations also allow you to attend a show if nearby.
11. We encourage customers to comment on your show and submit high-quality production photos, all to help increase your show’s visibility.
12. Eldridge follow - up programs done in-house allow you to feel confident every effort is being made to protect your work from unlawful copying or unlicensed performances.
13. Select plays and musicals are also translated and sold in Europe through a publisher in the Netherlands.
14. Editors will keep you in mind for new play ideas they’d like to see developed.
15. Eldridge editors handle any other details with your best interests always in mind: to give you time to do the work you do best—write plays!