| I know how tempting it can be. You have a
copy of a script – A Chorus Line, for
example – and a well-meaning friend gives you a readable photocopy of the
conductor's score. Being a creative, intelligent person, you start
thinking . . . why not have your school or theatre group present the
show! After all, you have the essentials in hand, so you won't need to
contact the licensing company, right? Think of all the money you can save by
not paying rights! With all the millions that A Chorus Line has
made over the years, no one will mind your little production – heck, no
one outside of your neck of the woods will even hear about it. All
you need is a few photocopies of the script and score, and you'll be in
business. . .
You'll be in business alright – illegal business.
Every year, misguided but well-intentioned teachers and community
theatre directors put on unauthorized productions of familiar musicals. And in
so doing, they become bona fide criminals.
What, you don't like me putting that way? Tough. Amateur theatre
productions can make tremendous positive contributions to the lives of
communities and individuals. However, those contributions are
compromised when the production in question is criminal. (Yes, I will
keep using that word because we are discussing criminal activity!)
Your cause may be a good one, but what kind of moral statement are you making?
I am not going to try scaring you with tales of police shutting down your
production and carting you off in handcuffs. While such things can happen,
I've never heard of it being done to amateur producers. However, we live in
a litigious age, and licensing companies do take legal action against
unauthorized productions. If you think that you can get out of all this by not
charging admission, you are wrong. You are still obliged to pay rights fees for
any material you use.
This is not just a question of law, but one of basic fairness.
Writers and composers have a right to receive pay for their work. For
some time after their deaths, their descendants inherit that right. The
licensing companies that preserve and distribute the scripts and scores
for these shows also deserve compensation. The fact that you are raising
money for a good cause does not give you the right to deny these people
an honest share in your profits. And that is all the rights money
amounts to – a share. An intelligent budget, effective publicity,
and decent ticket sales will bring in enough money to pay for all cost
(rights included) -- while still earning a fair amount for your school
or group. In some cases advance fundraising is needed, but that
can be a surprisingly manageable process and can add to
your production's community-building effect.
Even if you have convinced yourself that there is no way for your
group to pay for the rights to a well-known musical, there are plenty of
inexpensive options. These options are not only legal, but
offer solid, entertaining possibilities for performers of any age group
or level of experience.
So do yourself and everyone involved in your production a favor.
Set aside that script and fuzzy photocopy of the score -- they would
have been cumbersome for your cast and orchestra to work with anyway. Then call the legitimate licensing firm handling the title of
your choice and see what kind of package they can offer. You may be surprised. You will also have the satisfaction of creating a
great event that serves a good cause in a moral way.
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