CMU School of Drama


Monday, March 03, 2025

Why Your Development Readings Need Real Audience Members (Not Just Industry Insiders)

Ken Davenport: I get a lot of invites to see readings and workshops. And I produce a lot of readings and workshops. My first instinct (and probably yours too) is to invite other producers and industry insiders to see ‘em, with the hopes of gaining support, from investors, producers, etc.

1 comment:

Mags Holcomb said...

A lot of times there’s this fear of giving one’s work for the world to see, especially new works. The tendency is to only allow trusted friends and colleagues to see one's work. Stepping outside this comfort zone can allow for invaluable feedback. It’s important to get all sorts of audience point of views typical theater goers and first timers, a range of ages, genders, cultures, and different geographical regions if possible. While scary at first, this depth of feedback will allow creators to make their show the tightest it can be and hone in on the story they want to tell. With that said it’s one thing to get people in seats, but it's another to get their responses. This is where the business aspect comes in. How can you collect the most genuine, raw audience responses in an informative, engaging and fast way that people will actually do?