Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Royalties for Music in Shakespeare?

Message

   Hi,

My first question on this forum! My friends and I are trying to start a youth theatre group in our area specializing in Shakespeare. To attract the interest of teens and preteens, we want to modernize the plays by setting them to rock music. Here's the thing: would we need to pay royalties to play the music  or have the characters sing to it? We would be charging money for tickets, but my high-school drama teacher told us that amateur productions don't need to pay royalties for background music.

I just wanted to get some professional opinions--it would definitely suck to have legal troubles before our first show even closed...Thanks in advance!

Author	Message
Chookas Walk-On Joined: 4/02/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Royalties for Music in Shakespeare? Posted: 4/02/09 at 4:36pm
	Hi, My first question on this forum! My friends and I are trying to start a youth theatre group in our area specializing in Shakespeare. To attract the interest of teens and preteens, we want to modernize the plays by setting them to rock music. Here's the thing: would we need to pay royalties to play the music or have the characters sing to it? We would be charging money for tickets, but my high-school drama teacher told us that amateur productions don't need to pay royalties for background music. I just wanted to get some professional opinions--it would definitely suck to have legal troubles before our first show even closed...Thanks in advance!

	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 4/03/09 at 8:57am
	Your high school drama teacher is dead wrong!!! Perhaps he is confused - SCHOOLS can use music as educational exercises. NOT amateur theatres. Yes, royalties must always be paid on music that has a copyright. Which would include any recorded music (even classical music has copyright on the PERFORMANCE of the piece). A fee paid to ASCAP usually covers all the music you want to use.
	IP Logged

Chookas Walk-On Joined: 4/02/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/03/09 at 10:53am
	Great, thanks! I had a feeling that was how it worked. So, about how much do royalties cost per song, per performance? I'd love to still be able to do it, but if cost is an issue, we really can't afford it.
	IP Logged

imamember Celebrity Joined: 8/18/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 121	Posted: 4/03/09 at 3:50pm
	ASCAP is a one charge covers all type deal if I remember correctly.
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 4/04/09 at 9:10am
	imamember is right. it might not be as much as you expect. when you fill out the application, do NOT try to make your group more "important" than it is. Remember: you are HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, working VOLUNTEER on SHAKESPEARE with LOW COST TICKETS and expect VERY SMALL AUDIENCES. They aren't going to charge you $10k if you are only going to be making $87. ... and good luck!
	IP Logged

Other Topics
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Other Topics

Topic: Royalties for Music in Shakespeare?( Topic Closed)