A question about the performing arts library

[winston89]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 11:33pm

I had mentioned to my dad that I might stop over to the Performing Arts Library before we met up for dinner prior to going to see The Allman Brother's Band at the Beacon tonight. I had told him that I wanted to see the archive of Footloose considering that that is the show I am going to be doing with my college. We spoke about how you have to have reservations for the archives and how you have to have what they consider to a good reason to watch them.

That was the part that confused him, and then me once I actually thought about it. I felt he made a good point when he said that most libraries wouldn't really care what the reason is, if you want to see resource materials they let you see them. However, he didn't understand why it was that at the performing arts library they are strict about the whole process.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 11:38pm

and yet there is no question... surprise surprise

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 11:40pm

They're only strict regarding the tapes. And that's because of union regulations and such.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 11:49pm

That now makes sense. I guess if there weren't any union regulations or things of that nature I would feel that them checking as to why you were watching the tapes would be a moot point considering that it really shouldn't matter to you as to why you wanted to watch them.

As I said, it makes sense now that I heard that. I guess the unions allowed the shows to be filmed for a particular use and the library wants to make sure that they are being used for the particular use.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 12:33am

The tapes have also historically been used to illegally copy the work of designers and choreographers - I have no idea if that plays into the reasons for the restrictions, though.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 2:39am

If you're going to be doing a show at your college, that is considered a research purpose, whether you'll be directing, designing, acting, musical directing, etc.

You don't necessarily need a reservation. Most weekdays you can just walk in. But it's advisable to have reservations.

If you don't have a reservation, it's advisable to show a bit before one of the two daily showing times, either 12 or 3. Also, except perhaps for Saturdays, you can probably almost always make a reservation for the following day. If you'll know be there on Thursday, just call on Wednesday.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 1:44pm

nobodyhome, thanks for the info. If I recall, the last time I used it I went as a walk in. I think it has to do with the availabity of what it is you want to watch. If, for exampel, there is an open spot, but you want to watch something that someone else is watching, then they might have you wait. If you want to watch something that isn't being watched and there is an open spot then they usually let you sit and watch the archive of your choosing.

Plum, I am not sure if the reasons that you listed are reasons why they put the restrictions in place. I mean, I guess I could see them working if your going to do the show on Broadway or something like that. But, as nobodyhome had said, if your going to be doing the show, like at a a college (where I am doing Footloose) or a school in general then that would be okay. I guess that if I were to be student directing it, then there is a chance that I could be stealing the blocking from what I was watching on the archvie. Granted, I am playing one of Ren's friends and spending most of the time in the ensemble so I don't think that that is going to play a factor. But, I guess a student director or even an adult who is directing a college production could potentially do what you just talked about.

[commasplice]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 1:52pm

"The tapes have also historically been used to illegally copy the work of designers and choreographers - I have no idea if that plays into the reasons for the restrictions, though."

It does, sort of -- you used to be able to watch them an unlimited amount of times, but after Gary Griffin (of The Color Purple fame) did this and subsequently ripped off the 1992 staging of the Most Happy Fella revival for a regional production in Chicago (at the Drury Lane Oakbrook), they changed the rule so that you could only watch a show once.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 1:59pm

I was under the impression that they did that on a case by case basis. I have a friend that is clearly a student and you can tell by looking at him that he isn't going to be doing any of the things that Griffin did. And, he was able to watch the same video more then once for different reasons but all of which classified as research and they didn't say boo.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 3:36pm

I don't think they enforce those restrictions much. I think the restriction on the number of times you can watch a video probably really just restricts you to one viewing within a certain period of time. I think if you watch a video and then want to watch it again three years later, there's probably not a problem. I suspect they don't keep that kind of record for so long.

It's really all pretty casual, at least in my experience.