CHOOSING A PLAY & SECURING

A LICENSEWAINSTEIN, CHAPTER TWO

PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Personal Taste• Available Talent• Budget• Audience and Suitability

(Community Standards)• Stage Configuration• Rehearsal time

MAKING IT LEGAL

Public domain plays do not require a license

You must obtain a license and pay a fee for public performances

FIND THE PUBLISHER & SECURE THE RIGHTS

Stage Agent website• Scroll down to Stage Agent Resources• Type the name of the play• Select the play from the drop down list• Go to the play’s page• See the name next to Licensing• Follow the link or search the name on Google to open the

Publisher’s site• Find the play on the publishers site and proceed from there

FIND A PLAY website

APPLY FOR A LICENSE

Most applications require the following

1. Details and contact information for producing organization

2. Primary contact name and phone

3. Theatre name and address (where it will be produced)

4. Website address of producing company

5. Performance dates

6. Number of total performances

7. Number of seats in the theatre

8. Ticket prices

9. Previous productions produced by producing organization

10. Designation as professional or amateur production

KEEP IN MINDApply in Advance

Stipulate a range of prices

Make sure the right person signs the contract

Read and understand the contract

Pay attention to cancellation clauses

Don’t accept the first fee schedule if you think it is unfair

Don’t claim your production is professional unless it is

Negotiate deposits

Some publishers require weekly statements and payments

Handle rented materials carefully

Shipping cost will be billed

Licenses can be denied

THEATRICAL PUBLISHING HOUSES

Dramatist’s Play Service

Dramatic Publishing Company

Playscripts, Inc.

Samuel French, Inc. (and Baker’s Plays)

Music Theatre International (MTI)

R& H Theatricals

The Really Useful Group

Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.

SMALLER, SPECIALTY HOUSES

Anchorage Press

Broadway Play Publishing

Contemporary Drama Service

I.E. Clark

Miracle or 2 Productions

Pioneer Drama Service

Plays for Young Audiences

Steele Spring

YOUR ASSIGNMENTPRODUCTION BOOK

Script analysis

Blocking/cues

Cast lists

Rehearsal schedule

Journal

Sources (bibliography)

Groundplan

Lights 

Sound

Props

Costumes

Performance rights