The TLC Formula: Why 6% Musicals and 4% Plays are the New Standard

by tracyrenee | Jan 26, 2026 | Producer Tips, Script Spotlights

The TLC Formula: Why Transparent Royalties are Better for Community Theatre.

Most play licensing houses treat their royalty rates like a state secret. You find a script you love, but then you have to fill out a long form, submit your ticket prices, and wait days or even weeks just to get a quote. By the time you know if you can afford the show, you have already lost valuable rehearsal time.

At TLC Scripts, we think that is a relic of the past. We don’t hide our math.

The Simple Math of Success.

We use a flat, transparent royalty structure that lets you plan your season with confidence:

4% Royalties for Plays.
6% Royalties for Musicals.

It is that simple. You do not need to send us your tax returns or wait for an approval letter. If you can do the math, you can license the show.

Why This Structure Works for You.

Budget Certainty. You know exactly what your costs are before you even hold auditions.
Fairness for All Sizes. Whether you are a 50 seat black box or a 500 seat auditorium, the rate scales with your actual ticket sales.
Revenue Preservation. You keep more of your hard-earned revenue to put back into your sets, costumes, and your next production.

Part of a Bigger Picture.

Transparent royalties are just one half of the TLC Way. When you combine these rates with our “Keep Your Scripts” policy, you are removing the two biggest headaches in community theatre: hidden fees and the “eraser brigade.”

We aren’t here to blow smoke. We are here to make it easier for you to get stories onto your stage without the administrative nightmare.

Calculate Your Royalties Instantly

Don’t wait days for a quote. Use our Licensing Calculator to see exactly what your royalties will be for your next production. Whether it is a 4% play or a 6% musical, the math is always transparent.

4 Person Play Scripts: The Small-Cast Producer’s Secret

by tracyrenee | Jan 26, 2026 | Producer Tips, Theatre Management

Why Small-Cast Plays are the Modern Producer’s Secret Weapon.

In the world of community theatre, “big” isn’t always “better.” While the massive 30 person musical has its place, the savvy producer knows that the real magic and the real profit often happens with a cast of four to eight actors.

Why Small Casts Win.

Intimate Engagement. Smaller casts allow for deeper character development and a closer connection with the audience. In a 4 person play, every actor is a lead.
Production Agility. Scheduling rehearsals for five people is a dream compared to thirty. You can work in smaller spaces, move faster, and pivot when “life happens” to a cast member.
Budget Freedom. Fewer costumes, fewer props, and lower material costs. Combined with our 4% royalty rate, a small-cast show becomes a high-margin win for your theatre’s season.

Not Just “Small,” but “Scaled.”

At TLC Scripts, we specialize in this “sweet spot” of theatre. We aren’t blowing smoke when we say these shows are built for impact. Whether it is a tight 4 person comedy or a sweeping 8 person drama, these scripts are designed to fill your stage without draining your resources.

The TLC Advantage.

Keep Your Scripts. No matter the cast size, every actor keeps their script. No returns, ever.
Direct Support. Small-cast shows often require specific staging tweaks. Our playwrights, Judie and Gary, are available to help you make it work for your specific venue.

Ready to see our full list of small-cast shows? [Click here to browse our 4-person and 5-person script catalog.]

The End of the Script Rental

by tracyrenee | Jan 24, 2026 | News, Producer Tips

Why We’re Letting You Keep the Scripts

We’ve all been there. The show closes, the cast is exhausted, and instead of celebrating, the stage manager is chasing people down to collect scripts. You spend hours erasing pencil marks, franticly searching for that one lost copy, and then paying a small fortune to ship a box of heavy books back to a warehouse.

At TLC Scripts, we decided that the “old way” of doing things just didn’t make sense for modern theatre.

Why Rentals Are a Relic

For decades, the “Big Three” licensing houses have used the rental model to control their inventory. But in an era where we can print on demand and deliver files digitally, the rental model is just a series of hidden fees disguised as tradition.

Security Deposits: Why should your budget be held hostage?
Late Fees: Because life happens, but you shouldn’t be penalized for it.
Restocking Fees: You’re paying them to put a book back on a shelf.

The TLC Way: You Bought It, You Keep It

We are theatre people making theatre stuff for theatre people. That means we know that an actor’s script is their Bible. It should be highlighted, dog-eared, and covered in blocking notes.

Mark Them Up: We want your actors to own their process and have a memento when it’s all over.
No Post-Show Stress: When the curtain falls, you’re done. No erasing. No shipping. No invoices for “damaged” books.
Future Reference: Your theatre keeps the scripts for your archives or for actors to keep as a memento of the production.

The Math of Fairness

This “Keep Your Scripts” policy is part of our larger commitment to transparency. Whether it’s our flat 4% royalty for plays or our zero-fee digital delivery, we are here to be your partner in the wings, not a bill collector at the door.