Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Public Domain Question

Author

Message

jayzehr
Celebrity

Joined: 8/11/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 537

Topic: Public Domain Question
Posted: 3/06/10 at 2:04am

If Charley's Aunt was first produced in the 1890s, why isn't it the public domain by now?

Anybody know anything about that?

IP Logged

jayzehr
Celebrity

Joined: 8/11/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 537

Posted: 3/06/10 at 8:45pm

So, I found one reference to "the public domain original" but nothing else. Samuel French wants royalties. According to the preface, the copyright has been renewed several times with at least one revision but what is now being licensed is the original 19th century version. Everything else I can find states that anything written before 1923 is in the public domain no matter what.

Not a burning issue for me, just curious.

IP Logged

POB14
Celebrity

Joined: 7/01/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 349

Posted: 3/18/10 at 3:49pm

Dunno. Thought I had an answer here earlier, but now I think I was wrong.

Edited by POB14 - 3/18/10 at 3:54pm

POB
Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard

IP Logged

SeanReidLaw
Player
Player

Joined: 4/25/10
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10

Posted: 6/24/10 at 11:16am

Are you sure that it is the ORIGIONAL script and not one of the many adaptations that have been created? Adaptations would have their own copyright.

IP Logged

edh915
Celebrity

Joined: 11/19/09
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 325

Posted: 6/24/10 at 11:15pm

I just happen to have a copy of "Charley's Aunt" recently purchased from Samuel French.

The title page says "This Acting Edition is printed from the MSS by Brandon Thomas as first performed in 1892."

The second page says, "Copyright 1935 by Jevan Roderick Brandon-Thomas and William Deane Barnes-Brand"

It would seem that although the play was first performed in 1892, it wasn't copyrighted until 1935.

Interesting...

IP Logged

mark_j
Lead
Lead

Joined: 11/28/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 31

Posted: 7/05/10 at 1:00am

The copyright should take effect the moment the play was written and it should last until 70 years after the author's death. At least that is how I understand it.

IP Logged

jonplaywright
Star
Star

Joined: 7/20/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 53

Posted: 9/03/10 at 4:39am

Current copyright law is life plus 70, but that's a more recent development. Best to visit the US Copyright Office website for more information.

Cheers,
Jon

Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights
Resident Playwright, Final Draft

YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences
www.youthplays.com

IP Logged

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

Author	Message
jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Topic: Public Domain Question Posted: 3/06/10 at 2:04am
	If Charley's Aunt was first produced in the 1890s, why isn't it the public domain by now? Anybody know anything about that?

	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 3/06/10 at 8:45pm
	So, I found one reference to "the public domain original" but nothing else. Samuel French wants royalties. According to the preface, the copyright has been renewed several times with at least one revision but what is now being licensed is the original 19th century version. Everything else I can find states that anything written before 1923 is in the public domain no matter what. Not a burning issue for me, just curious.
	IP Logged

POB14 Celebrity Joined: 7/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 349	Posted: 3/18/10 at 3:49pm
	Dunno. Thought I had an answer here earlier, but now I think I was wrong. Edited by POB14 - 3/18/10 at 3:54pm
	POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard
	IP Logged

SeanReidLaw Player Joined: 4/25/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 10	Posted: 6/24/10 at 11:16am
	Are you sure that it is the ORIGIONAL script and not one of the many adaptations that have been created? Adaptations would have their own copyright.
	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 6/24/10 at 11:15pm
	I just happen to have a copy of "Charley's Aunt" recently purchased from Samuel French. The title page says "This Acting Edition is printed from the MSS by Brandon Thomas as first performed in 1892." The second page says, "Copyright 1935 by Jevan Roderick Brandon-Thomas and William Deane Barnes-Brand" It would seem that although the play was first performed in 1892, it wasn't copyrighted until 1935. Interesting...
	IP Logged

mark_j Lead Joined: 11/28/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Posted: 7/05/10 at 1:00am
	The copyright should take effect the moment the play was written and it should last until 70 years after the author's death. At least that is how I understand it. mj
	IP Logged

jonplaywright Star Joined: 7/20/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Posted: 9/03/10 at 4:39am
	Current copyright law is life plus 70, but that's a more recent development. Best to visit the US Copyright Office website for more information. Cheers, Jon
	Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights Resident Playwright, Final Draft YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences www.youthplays.com
	IP Logged

Topic: Public Domain Question( Topic Closed)