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Finding Scripts, Recordings and Sheet Music
Compiled by John Kenrick
Musicals101.com gets so many inquiries regarding show rights, scripts, recordings and
sheet music that I've created this special resource page. If all else fails, you can drop
me a line at jbk@musicals101.com, and I'll
give you whatever help I can. Good luck in your search!
Performance Rights
To buy or borrow hard to find musical librettos,
you may want to contact the company leasing that show's performance
rights. Check Musicals101.com's Show Rights Index.
You'll find the American rights providers for over 500 major musicals shows, and links to
the providers. You can borrow (and/or sometimes purchase) copies if you are considering
a show for school or community theater production.
If a musical is not on our list, do not give up hope -- it simply means no
established licensing form currently carries that title. You may still be able
to track down the rights holders and get permission to produce the show. See see
our guide to tracking down Hard to Find Musicals.
Libraries
When looking for scripts, recordings or sheet music, don't forget to check out your local
libraries. Inter-library loans can give you access to far more than you might imagine. If
you are affiliated with a college or university that has a decent performing arts program,
they may have some impressive materials on hand. And anyone in the are of New York City
should get to know the magnificent Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center --
one of the greatest resources for theatrical materials, and its free. You can get info on
them through the NY Public Library website, www.nypl.org
Cast Recordings/Soundtracks
In the US, the premiere source for Broadway & London casts and Hollywood
soundtracks is Footlight. Vintage albums, hard to find CDs -- if its
out there, this is the place to find it. Their website is a cyber shopper's paradise, and a phone call
(212-533-1572) or e-mail will get you an invariably helpful response from their staff. Stop
by www.footlight.com.
In Europe, Dress Circle is your ticket for recordings and all other sorts of
theatrical memorabilia. If Footlight doesn't have that rare recording you're
itching for, a check a this site may uncover a copy.
www.dresscircle.co.uk
Wondering if a particular show, song or performer was ever recorded? Visit
the Musical Cast Album Database, a
searchable info bank covering over 2600 recordings.
Scripts
To purchase commercially published scripts that are still in print, you can always
check with Amazon -- they carry a
surprising array of titles. If you are in the Manhattan area, stop by the Drama Book Shop
at 250 West 40th Street (between 7th & 8th Avenues) for scripts or full scores -- or visit
their website at www.dramabookshop.com.
There's also Applause Books
at 211 West 71st Street. Applause does not have a web presence (as of this
writing), but both of these fine shops are aimed at the theater loving consumer.
The Internet Theatre Bookshop
is a great British source to purchase hard to find scripts and scores.
Sheet Music
There are pitifully few good sources for Broadway related sheet music. In most cases, you will
have to buy a 'vocal selections' book -- a few shows are available as full vocal scores, and
some major hit tunes can be purchased as singles.
Colony
Records in New York has a decent selection, including some complete vocal
scores -- visit www.colonymusic.com
for info. They also have lots of hard to find recordings, but charge horrifying
prices for them. Their sheet music tends to be at list price.
You can also find historic sheet music posted online (currently viewable at
no charge) by checking out the following sites --
Historic American
Sheet Music - scans of over 3000 songs of the 19th and early 20th
Century, from the collections of Duke University
19th Century
Sheet Music Digitization Project - links to thousands of period sheet
music scans
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