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Tips for Working with Pioneer Drama Service
A back-to-school guide to help you get exactly what you need from usWelcome to Pioneer Drama Service! We want to run through some basic how-tos to help you get exactly what you need from Pioneer Drama. Along the way, we’ll include some hints to help even the most experienced!
You have so many scripts to choose from! Where do I start? First, use the search parameters on our website to narrow your search to a reasonable number of scripts. Besides selecting “musical” or “play” and whether it’s children’s, Christmas, etc., you can use the search engine on our home page to indicate the cast size and running time you want.
Hint: Use a computer for this since the slider bars work best with a mouse, not a touchscreen.
From there, you can narrow your search even further by specifying what genres you want.
Hint: Our search engine also lets you EXCLUDE any genre. For example, if you’re a high school teacher looking for a spring show, you can use the search engine to exclude children’s plays and Christmas shows.
Okay, I have a reasonably sized list of search results. Now what? You’ll notice that this list puts any new plays on top, followed by the other shows that meet your search criteria in order of popularity based on the number of productions they’ve had.
Hint: Popularity is our default listing, but you can change the SORT order to list alphabetically or by cast size or running time. This is especially helpful if looking for a cast size of a very specific number.
Click on any show to see more details. From there, you can click NEXT or PREVIOUS or, if you want to skip around, BACK TO SEARCH RESULTS.
There’s a lot of information on this show’s page. What’s most important for me to notice? Most people look at the show’s “vitals” first: cast size, running time, set. Then, in the same orange box, you can click the MATERIALS & PRICING tab to see exactly what materials are available and how much each part and performance costs. Pioneer Drama Service has fixed royalty prices, and we publish all our prices upfront so you know exactly what your budget will be.
From there, we encourage you to read the catalog description, then check out the SCRIPT SAMPLE from the orange buttons below the description. The script sample includes the cast of characters, the set description, and all the production notes, as well as about a third of the actual script.
Hint: Many teachers have students use their phones to pull up this script sample then read it in class together to see if they like it. Some even read a couple different plays this way then hold a class vote!
Another hint: This script sample is PRINTABLE if you want to make copies for your students or use it for auditions.
I like the script sample, but I want to read the entire script. How can I do that? Good for you! We highly recommend reading the entire script before placing a production order, so we make it easy for you.
To read it immediately, download an electronic preview, which we call an E-VIEW. Our E-views are not printable but provide the whole script in your E-view library, so you never have to worry about losing a script or misplacing an email. And once a script is in your E-view library, you can even save notes about it! Learn more about our E-view program here.
Hint: Save $20 by finding the promo code for three FREE E-views in the rotating ads on our home page.
To preview a paper copy of the script, click on ORDER THIS TITLE and select the first option on the next page for PREVIEW SCRIPT. For the best pricing, take advantage of BYOB — that’s Build Your Own Bundle pricing — and select 5 different scripts for $30 or 10 different scripts for $50!
Hint: BYOB pricing isn’t reflected in your shopping cart, but don’t worry. We hand-process all our orders, so we promise we’ll adjust your pricing before processing your order.
I’ve chosen a show. Now what? You’re welcome to place your production order by whichever method is most convenient.
It’s fastest to email purchase orders to Orders@PioneerDrama.com.
We’re also happy to walk you through the ordering process when you call us at 800-333-7262, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 8 pm eastern time. The majority of our customers place orders online so they can immediately receive a transaction confirmation.
Hint: Ordering online does NOT require prepayment as long as you provide school or district billing information. We can also bill other organizations with a legitimate business address.
I’m in a hurry. What are my options? All our books and play materials are available either traditionally or electronically, so if you can’t wait for shipping, you can select either e-materials or Get It Now! as a delivery option. Get It Now! is the fastest, providing IMMEDIATE delivery with prepayment. E-materials are emailed with one business day and allow you to order with a purchase order or request to pay your royalties closer to your production.
If you want your materials shipped, keep in mind that we ship from Colorado in the middle of the country, so it doesn’t take more than four days to get our packages to either coast. Or, for just $13 more, you can expedite your order to 2-day rush shipping.
Hint: Our cutoff time each day is 2:00 eastern time, so your order will go out the SAME DAY if you order by this time Monday through Friday.
How can I get an exact quote in order to generate a purchase order? That’s easy! Simply place your order complete online, then while you’re checking out, indicate QUOTE ONLY in the Special Instructions box near the shipping address. You can also call us with your order if you prefer. Either way, we will email you an exact quote within one business day and then hold your order until you provide us with a purchase order.
Hint: Some customers use their transaction confirmation as their exact quote, so they don’t even have to wait for an email from us.
I want my music tracks electronically but all the other materials shipped to me. Can I do that online or do I have to call it in? Pioneer Drama is proud of how easy we’ve made it to order whatever parts you want electronically. Simply place your production order for the number of scripts and other materials you need. The DELIVERY OPTIONS in the checkout process is where you indicate which parts you want emailed vs. mailed. You can select exactly which parts you want emailed and which you want mailed.
We have two different options for electronic delivery, depending on whether or not you want to prepay for everything, including royalties. This chart helps you understand our various options.
Hint: Gmail sometimes blocks our transaction confirmations and Get It Now! links, so we recommend using a different email address when ordering, if that is an option.
How much does it cost for livestreaming rights? What about having parents videotape a live performance? EVERY show has both recording and livestreaming rights available, and our royalties are the same for every type of performance. These rights are even interchangeable if your plans change midway through rehearsals! Just check with us regarding how many performances rights to arrange based on your plans.
I have more questions. Who can I ask? We have customer service representatives on both phones and live chat Monday through Friday, 9 am to 8 pm eastern time. We are happy to answer any questions or offer recommendations. Please don’t hesitate to reach out — we love to talk with our customers! After all, that’s what we’re here for!
Hint: Our online FAQs are also a treasure trove of information on everything from making changes to a script to understanding the difference between “flexible” and “doubling” in a show’s cast size.
Pioneer Drama Service is the largest full-service publisher dedicated exclusively to the educational and amateur markets. That’s why our prices are affordable and our policies are customer-friendly. Our job is to help YOU be successful, and we promise to do everything we can to provide you the quality tools and support you need! After all, we are Touching Lives Through Theatre... Together™.
