A question of public domain...

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:33pm

So we know there are TONS of plays in the public domain (the Greeks, Shakespeare, etc), but are there any musicals in the public domain?

I ask because I'm thinking of starting a student-run theatre troupe at my college (a tiny liberal arts college, no theatre dept.) and would love to do a smaller scale musical without having to deal with obtaining the rights to produce one.

Or am I just dreaming?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:34pm

Isn't it a question of the age of the piece?

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:38pm

I don't know, that's why I'm asking.

I guess, right not, MTI seems like this big scary Rights Monster that owns everything. I mean, you look at the site and they have some OLD stuff on there. I don't know HOW old makes it public domain, though.

[boxers7]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:39pm

I believe all the Gilbert and Sullivan shows are.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:46pm

Without going through a complicated explanation of copyright law, let me just tell you that -- No; no musical written in the past 75 years or so would have fallen into the public domain yet. Copyright law protects an artist's work basically for his/her lifetime plus additional term of 70 or so years (depending on when it was created and other factors). Some songs and musical works from the 1920s and before either are or are about to be in the public domain, but for virtually every work created more recently than that, licensing fees must be paid.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:48pm

Thanks, Margo. Despite your dashing my hopes and dreams, I appreciate the information.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:53pm

Margo is right.

Most musicals aren't old enough. I know there are new rules in place, which I'm not well versed in, but the old rule was 75 years after the "owners" death. If the estate is still active, or the owners that have published the piece still exist, the piece is most likely not in the public domain. Puccini's Operas, though being dead since the 20s is still not in the public domain, because his publisher and others (theatres that commissioned a piece--the Met being one) own the rights and still exist. Many of Verdi's operas, however, are in the public domain.

Good luck finding a musical...sounds like a great project you're getting involved with!

[TomMonster]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:54pm

Sorry Margo, you beat me to the punch! I posted before reading your entire post.

Oops.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:56pm

It is simple, if a musical was written before Margo was born - you are safe.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 12:04am

I was just perusing MTI's site and I don't seem to see My Fair Lady on there. Is there another liscensing company that would liscense this or dare I hope that my favorite musical is in the public domain?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 12:07am

It is definately NOT in the public domain. I don't know, off-hand, who licenses the piece. There are others.

Be aware, if any major commercial productions are planned, shows are not available. I don't know if any such thing is planned for MFL, but...

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 12:11am

Not like I'd be able to produce/direct it anyway, at least for this project. But the idea is certainly appealing.

What is/are the other licensing agency/agencies?

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/26/06 at 12:15am

My Fair Lady is Tams-Witmark.

And no show is going to be out of copyright for ages, thanks to the paid-off Congress and the publishers who will register everything to keep it covered.

One of the first whose music will eventually go public is Gershwin, as he died so young, but the lyrics will be held for years yet as Ira died so old.