Beauty & the Beast: Is It Even LEGAL?- Page 2

[Sleeth1]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 2:11am

Becoz: Thanks. I guess you're right. I'm just shocked. It'd be one thing for a local theatre to put on something like Company or even Frost/Nixon (if they DARED!) I just think it's presumptuous for them to put on Beauty. I thought you guys would all agree with me... but apparently not. I'd give anything to see Beauty on Broadway before it leaves. Maybe my injustice for not living closer is that I must be submitted to seeing an elementary school production of it. A version in which the prinicipal of the school is the one who hand made all of the costumes. If Disney doesn't care... then maybe I shouldn't either. Thanks again.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 2:14am

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[Tom148502]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 2:17am

The Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY is not a community theatre.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 2:23am

Below is a link to the Music Theatre International website, the licensing house for Disney's Beauty and the Beast. If you scroll down, there is a list of the many theatres doing it around the country.

And consider all of your options! We just have the Broadway production through July, but you can see it at the Brazosport Center Stages in Clute, or the Christ Chapel Bible School in Ft. Worth, or the Garland Civic Theatre, or the Hills Country Community Theatre in Marble Falls, or at the Laredo Music Theatre, or the Masquerade Theatre in Houston, or McKinney Boyd High School, or McMurry High School in Abilene, or the Port Neches Middle School! Talk about choices to make!

Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Updated On: 5/26/07 at 02:23 AM

[IMsooHyprToday]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 2:24am

omg... is this guy serious?

[HumATune]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 3:07am

This can't be real.

[Tag]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 3:15am

Too funny.

OT: Any truth to the rumour that Disney will tour the Broadway version after it closes in NY?
AND
If you get the rights to Beauty from MTI, are you licensed to use Disney imagery? (ie. can your costumes look like the Disney characters from the movie -- but not a copy of the Broadway costumes?)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 3:31am

Damn, this gave me a good laugh.


It's hurting my stiches.



I guess all of those community theatres around the country who are doing 'Disney's Beauty And The Beast' are goign to be receiving an angry email or phone call from Seeth1.

God, I hope that's not him in the picture. That would make me sad.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 4:05am

Sleeth- What is with you?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 4:17am

I think he's on the crack.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 4:30am

Part of thw whole licensing thing is that it has to say Dieney's because it it their version that you've licensed. Not some other random version.

It is available for licensing by groups. I've got an online friend whose *gasp* high school put it on.

And yes, it's toured a time or two.

[nztheatreluva]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 4:52am

I'm confused-why is it presumptuous for a community theatre to put on Beauty and not Company or something else? Or should I just accept the fact that your whole argument was a little ridiculous and take it at that?

[Sleeth1]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 6:32am

"And consider all of your options! We just have the Broadway production through July, but you can see it at the Brazosport Center Stages in Clute, or the Christ Chapel Bible School in Ft. Worth, or the Garland Civic Theatre, or the Hills Country Community Theatre in Marble Falls, or at the Laredo Music Theatre, or the Masquerade Theatre in Houston, or McKinney Boyd High School, or McMurry High School in Abilene, or the Port Neches Middle School! Talk about choices to make!"

B U R P !!

[Sleeth1]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 6:37am

Must EVERY reply contain an insult? Is my original question THAT stupid? Forgive me. I had no idea that I would just come on here and be ridiculed to pieces! No offense, though. None taken. I got pretty familiar with all THAT the last time I was in New York!

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:07am

I wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread. It started my day with a laugh!

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:07am

>> If you get the rights to Beauty from MTI, are you licensed to use Disney imagery? (ie. can your costumes look like the Disney characters from the movie -- but not a copy of the Broadway costumes?)

When I designed it for Theatre Cedar Rapids four years ago, the contract specifically said you could NOT use anything from the film or the then-current stage version. I gather Disney has seen that clause for the folly that it is and quietly dropped the restriction.

And that's a shame, because our own production, had the director followed through, would have proven you can indeed go from what's now pretty tired visual stuff into a whole new direction. It wasnt "minimalist" by any stretch, by the way; BEAUTY had one of the largest budgets TCR ever dropped for a show, and every penny was visible onstage. My only complaint was that we would up renting the costumes for the principals from the production in (I think) Oklahoma City, which was one of the very first non-Broadway mountings, and the costumes, which looked great on the website, were pretty lousy onstage. Still, in response to the original poster, yes, the rights have been available for some time now. Last year, BEAUTY was the "flavour of the month" for almost every middle and high school out there, and Disney probably made more money that summer in licensing and royalties than throughout BEAUTY's original run. :)

But your post raises an intruiging question: Why should we allow some little community theatre to do a show as big and techincally complex as BEAUTY? How (to use your word) presumptuous of them! I gather you believe community theatre should only mount those kind of shows they are best suited for, like OKLAHOMA or RUN FOR YOUR WIFE or (shudder) ANNIE. How do you determine what is and is not acceptable for some small theatre company to produce? Really, I'm not being insulting. I'd like to know what criteria you believe they should follow.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:16am

Sleeth-
I presume you are talking about Artisan Center Theatre, in Hurst. May I point out a few things about said "dinky" theatre.

Yes, it presents theatre in a 120 seat, in the round. However, they do MORE shows a year than Casa Manana (Which now sucks, thanks to Denton Yockey), Onstage, Circle Theatre, Stage West and most of the theatres in the DFW metroplex. All of their shows are of a suprisingly fresh quality, and are exposing people to shows at a reasonable cost that they might not otherwise see. They are 100% family friendly, the shows begin at a reasonable hour, and unless you are *Really* awful, you can be cast. Who knows, when person X is playing Belle there, in five years, they might be the next Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone or Betty Buckley. (Who, might I add has her own awards in Fort Worth, and in 2005 Haltom High School won several for being the first High School in the Fort Worth area for producinig it, INCLUDING Best Actress.)

Anyhow, I don't expect you to listen to this, or even begin to understand, but I did want to defend the theatre that I got my start at.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:23am

Thanks for the laughs.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:26am

>> Casa Manana (Which now sucks, thanks to Denton Yockey)

I grew up on Casa Manana Musicals; we used to drive to Fort Worth at least three times a year to see them. In those days (and we're talking the 60s here), you got to see not only the big popular things like WEST SIDE STORY and MAN OF LA MANCHA but also now obscure little things like MR. PRESIDENT and HOW NOW DOW JONES. The stagings were fun and really utilized the space well, and it;s sad to see what the place has now become. Last time I was in Ft. Worth, which was about three years ago, I was more than a little shocked at just how much the theatre itself has deteriorated. Buckminster Fuller must be just spinning in his grave.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:26am

>> Casa Manana (Which now sucks, thanks to Denton Yockey)

I grew up on Casa Manana Musicals; we used to drive to Fort Worth at least three times a year to see them. In those days (and we're talking the 60s here), you got to see not only the big popular things like WEST SIDE STORY and MAN OF LA MANCHA but also now obscure little things like MR. PRESIDENT and HOW NOW DOW JONES. The stagings were fun and really utilized the space well, and it;s sad to see what the place has now become. Last time I was in Ft. Worth, which was about three years ago, I was more than a little shocked at just how much the theatre itself has deteriorated. Buckminster Fuller must be just spinning in his grave.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 7:31am

Ugh, Denton Yockey turned it into this god-awful thrust theatre, with a leaky roof, no traps, and bad sightlines. My VERY FIRST musical to see was "Wizard of Oz" in the round, and I was BLOWN AWAY. I REFUSE to see anything at the old "Dome" theatre, and the actual company really really has to work to get me to go to Bass Hall and see their shows.

Once Joel Ferrell left, it went to Hell on a fast train.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 8:04am

Sleeth. come to NYC and I will buy you a tkt to BEAUTY.

[D2]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 8:15am

"Must EVERY reply contain an insult? Is my original question THAT stupid?"

Head, meet Desk.

ETA: Just curious, Sleeth, are you even legal?

Updated On: 5/26/07 at 08:15 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 9:28am

Maybe some of the confusion here is that BEAUTY has not had an official tour in what, maybe 4 or 5 years and the original threader is not old enough to recall it passing thru their State.

Also when you buy the rights you must use the name DISNEY as a copyright issue and, of course it is not the DISNEY BROADWAY production.
It is in the rights stated that you are not suppose to "copy" the BROADWAY show whuch is kind of ridiculous. I have seen many photos and clips of local and High School shows that do try to copy the costumes to some degree.

Give the guy a break.

[CrazyMutha29]

Posted: 5/26/07 at 10:38am

I think the confusion lies in those of you who are taking this guy seriously!