Amateur production of CABARET (Is this allowed?)

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 4:12pm

Were they allowed to copy the the revival's set, costumes, staging, and choreography THIS much? It's almost identical.

I remember this happened with a production of CHICAGO that completely copied revival, and many of us reported the youtube videos.

But this CABARET production is like a replica of the revival. Is it still illegal if the Broadway revival closed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKfWmE_r7Jo


Updated On: 12/24/08 at 04:12 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 4:27pm

Youre right! Its very IDENTICAL! No sir!

Here's with Raul Esparza & Gina Gershon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajrXUft8p3g

That's what happen when they shoot all these bootleg copies of the show! Wow! its been 10 years since I saw the revival at The Kit Kat Club (which is really the HENRY MILLER THEATER) then they moved it to the newly open STUDIO 54. The theater look like nightclub complete with tables and chairs, broken light bulbs- very decadent looking! (only in the ORCHESTRA section) Great memories!

J*

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 4:47pm

Yeah....pretty much illegal. It's one thing to be inspired by the actual thing...but SHEESH. AND stealing the set design! Wow...I wonder if the "choreographer" and "set desinger" took full credit! I'm guessing the director did everything. COPIED everything, that is.

Sheesh.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 5:23pm

Yeah, this is really making me mad. It's a shame these amateur directors cannot come up with their own damn ideas. The best is how they gloat in the video description how their production is "based" on the Broadway revival.
Updated On: 12/24/08 at 05:23 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 5:41pm

It's a total rip off.

Big bentwood chair, cheap knock off costumes and all.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 5:45pm

Sadly, most folks would have no idea how wrong what they did is. IF they did....they wouldn't be admitting it on video no less!

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 5:54pm

While on the subject of "Don't Tell Mama," here's an interesting find...

Give a working girl a chance

Updated On: 12/24/08 at 05:54 PM

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 6:40pm

I think some theater company and entities think that licensing a show includes the direction, choreography, costumes and set design. They really should know what is legal and what is not.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 7:37pm

I guess it is illegal, but it's a grey area, because it happens all the time and no one says anything. This specifically is illegal if they used the actual revival script because as far as I know it's still not available to licence, but because it's available to purchase I've seen first hand a company xerox copies of the coffee table book for the cast. For me personally, I find it way more offensive when local directors and choreographers, like here in San Diego, are winning actual awards for their direction and choreography for productions that are exactly like this -- copies of the recent revivals. And you know there's illegal activity going on because the choreography was exactly the same. (This is in reference to a production of Urinetown I saw.) So unless they knew someone who'd been in the Broadway or tour production I have to assume the choreography was recreated using a bootleg and that's not something anybody should be winning an award for.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 12/24/08 at 11:29pm

Often costumes from closed Broadway productions get bought by various rental houses and then sent out as complete show packages, so seeing identical costumes is not necessarily a sign of plagiarism. However, everything else that looks identical usually is. If only more creative teams paid attention to what is going on out there like the Urinetown team did and actually took action against some of these companies. You would definitely start seeing a rise in creativity and original concepts.

[hpeabody930]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 12:01am

Here is a much *better* rip off of the revival sets/costumes/ etc. And not only that, this is from a high school. You must admit, pretty impressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tbvgiiSaY0&feature=channel_page

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 4:38am

Frequently, at least in the UK, both the SETS and COSTUMES from professional productions are sold off to hire companies and then leased to amatuers. The sets and costumes can then dictate that the show follows the original quite closely e.g. in terms of choreography.

A good example is LA CAGE (in which I was a Cagelle!!), the three opening chorus costumes i.e. COATS, PYJAMAS, SAILOR pretty much meant that the routine mirrored the original. We even had the ROBIN WAGNER show cloth and deco back drops. Together with the arrangements there is not a lot you can do to avoid copying the original opening number. The owners of the costumes where original London Cagelles and so reproduced all the hair and make-up changes too.

Other shows which came out to amatuers complete were 42ND STREET (Broadway/London revival) and IRENE (London Production which was stunning) and I am sure there are many more. CRAZY FOR YOU was leased to amatuers and you could buy the rights and directions for all the original choreagrapy (Susan Stroman)

There are also many licensed companies who reproduce the original sets for hire with no credit being given to the original designers so maybe your beef is with them??

Don't knock what the amatuers provide as despite there being many more excellent tours there are still SOME productions that don't make it into the Regions and all this for a price that most people can afford.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 10:20am

Sorry, but no. They do not license the revival design. It was stolen. There is a trend happening, where an Amateur group watches a bootleg and just copies all of the elements, and this group went as far as copying the staging, choreography, sets, and costumes. It's sickening. Come up with your own ideas!

[sondhead]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 10:29am

"I guess it is illegal, but it's a grey area, because it happens all the time and no one says anything."

That doesn't make it a grey area... stealing is pretty much just stealing.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 10:31am

You people gotta learn to mind your own business.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 12:26pm

What's wrong, Yankeefan007 - are you worried someone might report you for ripping off someone else's work?

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 12:37pm

Well, at least the Emcee was cute.

Thanks for the Judi Dench video, Smaxie!

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 12:53pm

Everything Ljay says is valid I suppose... and I might object if the people putting on this production made a great deal of money... but I don't think they did... aside from that... why bother? Why does it matter? If it's your work... I get it... you should be compensated... but why bother if it isn't? It's obvious these people aren't talented... and clearly they aren't very creative. They had a good time and their friends had a good time... and we're having a good time with our smug disapproval. Who cares beyond that? It seems unnecessary to rain on someones harmless parade... particularly if said parade happened a long time ago.

What you're saying isn't wrong... I just don't get the uproar.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 12:56pm

But it isn't harmless. It's illegal. The director should know better.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 1:55pm

Right, but he/she doesn't--or didn't. And, mostly it is harmless. Who, exactly, is it harming? Certainly not anyone posting in this thread.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 2:04pm

It's harming the designers, director, and choreography. Their work is being stolen. How would you like something you created with your name attached to it stolen, and used as someone else's work?



Updated On: 12/25/08 at 02:04 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 2:24pm

Remember the Urinetown lawsuits?

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 2:40pm

I had someone steal my riffs and use them in their production from a youtube video I had posted of my show. I got over it. Not saying it's the same level lol. Still, there are a lot of illegal things that are harmless. Just cuz it's illegal doesn't make it awful or done out of bad taste.

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 2:45pm

I think what KJisgroovy is saying is that no one beyond the people in the auidience are giving this director credit, in the sense that, they didn't win any large scale recognition.

Maybe they're on the mindset that imitation is the best form of flattery?

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/25/08 at 2:48pm

Just cuz it's illegal doesn't make it awful

LOL. This is the quote of the day. Many things that are illegal are usually awful and of bad taste.