Script Assessment
The Script Assessment service assists new and emerging playwrights in the development of their skills and art. Theatre Ontario arranges for any play script (within the following procedures and guidelines) to receive an honest and qualified assessment with constructive feedback from an established professional playwright.
Applicant (Playwright)
Applications will be accepted from any Theatre Ontario individual member under the following terms:
- The Playwright must provide one electronic or three paper copies of the work to be evaluated (“the script”). Please note that hard copies of scripts will not be returned unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed in the original package.
- The script must be paginated and formatted in conventional format (character identified in the left hand margin and segregated from the dialogue, etc.). The playwright’s name is not to appear on the script except on the covering title page.
- The Playwright must provide legitimate contact information and applicable assessment fee.
- The Playwright must sign and submit an application form that agrees to the terms of the assessment and provide a statement verifying he/she is the author of the script.
Theatre Ontario strongly recommends that you protect the copyright of your manuscript in the following, inexpensive manner. Mail yourself a copy of the script and take it personally to the Post Office and ensure that the stamp is legibly franked (cancelled.) Or, send it to yourself registered mail. When the script is delivered to you, do not open the parcel but keep it in a safe place should you ever have to produce proof that you had a copy of the script at a certain date.
Theatre Ontario
Upon receipt of a script:
- Theatre Ontario will acknowledge receipt of the script and establish the time frame.
- Select and contract an appropriate assessor.
- Transmit a copy of the script to the assessor devoid of any authorship particulars.
- Maintain a timetable of assessments and follow-up with the assessors.
- Upon receipt of the evaluation, will forward it to the playwright (or discuss with the assessor possible revisions prior to forwarding).
- Maintain one copy of all scripts together with assessments.
Assessors
Theatre Ontario will assemble a list of professional artists qualified and willing to assess scripts under these terms and publish this information. However scripts will be evaluated under a double blind situation and the Playwright and the Assessor will not know the identity of either.
- The Assessor will be contacted by Theatre Ontario and contracted to evaluate a script within a specified time period.
- The Assessor will evaluate the submitted script within the agreed time frame and in accordance with the published evaluation guidelines
- The Assessment will be in written form and will be complete, constructive and detailed, but not excessive.
- The Assessor will be paid the contracted fee only after receipt and acceptance by TO of the assessment.
- Assessments will be conducted based on the following script assessment guidelines (PDF format).
Fee
The fee is $100, however the first script submitted during any calendar year is discounted to $75.
You must also be an individual member of Theatre Ontario
For more information about the Script Assessment service, please contact Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator, at cornelia@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.10.
Discuss Script Assessment on the Theatre Ontario Blog