Eldridge Publishing: The First Hundred Years

by Christina Hamlett

Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, the live theater experience has satisfied an audience's need for entertainment that is immediate, intimate and accessible to all ages and levels of society.  Whether performed in an outdoor courtyard, on a vintage stage, in a school auditorium, or above the din of an urban coffeehouse, a play is an ever-evolving and timeless art form that derives its energy from both sides of the footlights.  For young actors in particular, theater represents an opportunity to master confidence, work together as a team, and develop good communication skills that can be used in any field of endeavor as an adult.

This month’s column offers an inside look at the workings of Eldridge Publishing, a company that has not only been printing stage plays for almost a century but continues to examine what constitutes the best in quality entertainment for today’s competitive market.  Nancy Vorhis, owner and publisher, graciously took time from her busy schedule to tell us what Eldridge is all about as well as what kind of material she’s looking for from aspiring playwrights.

When did the curtain first go up on Eldridge Publishing and what prompted the decision to launch this endeavor?

Eldridge is nearly 100 years old.  It was started in 1906 in Franklin, Ohio when Harry Eldridge, an educator, violinist and composer, and his wife, a gifted children’s author, joined up with Seymour Tibbals, a local newspaper publisher.  Together they began writing plays, songs and operettas, printing them at the newspaper’s print shop and selling them by mail.  Their early works were extremely popular, selling in the thousands, and as business grew, they began to buy manuscripts from other playwrights. The company stayed in the Eldridge family until 1985 when my husband and I had the opportunity to buy it.

Who were the company’s original “cast” members?

Initially, of course, the Eldridges themselves were very involved.  Harry, his wife, and later their two sons Harry Jr. and Ted, cousins Anna and Lillian, and finally two granddaughters from whom we eventually bought the company.  As mentioned above, Steve and I have run it since 1985.  Earlier this year, our youngest daughter joined the staff.  A funny side note: Steve’s parents met in the 1940s while acting in an Eldridge play!

Did any of you come to the new company from the perspective of actors, directors or producers or was it primarily a literary background?

Primarily literary and business.  Our journalism degrees and years in newspapers, public relations, and corporate business (including a stint in a mail room one summer), really proved invaluable.  While our onstage and backstage experience is limited, we are “talented” theatre-goers, always appreciative of the heart and soul that goes into even the most amateur productions.

What was the first play (+ author) Eldridge ever purchased?

I’m sorry I don’t know the history of the early plays purchased by Mr. Eldridge.  As for us, some playwrights I worked with in the ‘80s are still with us and as popular as ever…Craig Sodaro, Pat Cook, Rob Frankel, Billy St. John … and a certain Christina Hamlett!  Many of these playwrights we consider friends as well as business associates.

How many plays did you publish in your first year of business?  How many plays do you currently publish per year?

When we purchased the company we only brought out a half dozen plays.  We were inexperienced and because printing was so expensive, we had to be extremely confident in the selection of a new title.  This year we’re thrilled to be bringing out about 35 new titles. We’re able to do this because we have an incredibly talented stable of playwrights; an excellent staff; and we print on-demand in-house, thus controlling inventory and eliminating the need for any warehouse space.

Describe how Eldridge has evolved in terms of keeping pace with—and reflecting—the changing needs and interests of today’s young people.

We keep pace with the needs of young people today through our playwrights, many of whom are young teachers who have the pulse of today’s teens—the way they think, talk, act and react to the problems of today.  Also, their students give them feedback which is priceless.

How do aspiring playwrights go about submitting their work to Eldridge?  (i.e., email, inquiry letter, proposal, complete script)

All of the above are acceptable. We prefer to read entire play scripts.  However, as we only publish one or two musicals a year, we prefer to be queried first.

What types of plays and genres seem to resonate the most with your subscriber base?

Comedies always seem to be popular.  Recently we’ve published several which incorporate parts of Shakespeare.  In our plays “Barbecuing Hamlet,” “The Curse of the Bard,” and others, the setting is current day, but the actors are trying to produce Shakespeare with all kinds of comedic problems.  School drama departments love the fact that these comedies are highly entertaining and can be incentives to study the real classics.

What types of plays would you like to see more of in the coming year?

We’d like to increase our children’s theatre offerings for 2006. As for specific play themes, we’re always open to new ideas. 

How can the study and reading of plays be used outside the drama department?  (for instance, in English or History classes)

Studying and reading plays gives us a better understanding of what it means to be human. Drama creates a detailed picture of a small moment in time. If a play is significant, that picture will resonate, giving us deeper insight into history, politics, religion, old age, love, good and evil, ourselves.

What are some of the common submission mistakes that new playwrights make when sending you their scripts?

Drama is an art that is both visual and aural. The most common mistake of new playwrights is submitting a newborn script – one that has not been performed on stage or at least read aloud by actors.  Getting that exposure and feedback is invaluable.  Another …not mistake but irritation… is stating in the cover letter that the enclosed script was written because after searching through drama catalogs, no other decent script could be found.  That’s discourteous and really, why put a decision-maker in a bad mood?! 

What subjects are taboo as far as Eldridge guidelines? 

We pass on plays which are extremely mature in content. We’re not prudish, just practical.  School drama departments must answer to concerned parents and community theatres must fill seats.  Neither playwright nor publisher wins if a play simply languishes, unsold and unseen.

What advice can you offer to new playwrights who want to improve their craft?

Write, write, write!  Attend as many plays as you can and also work backstage.  Most importantly, people-watch no matter where you are.

Last question: If you had the opportunity to chat over lunch with any playwright (living or dead), who would it be and what question would you most like to ask?

Well, everyone is probably going to say William Shakespeare and I am too. But just onequestion?  I’d ask how he was able to create so much? What inspired him?  What kept him going?  Which play was most meaningful to him?  What does he think of mankind’s progress since the 1500s?  What would he write today? (sigh) I think I’d have too many questions to let the poor man eat!