Elegies: A Song Cycle- Royalties?

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 7:59pm

Does anyone know what company Elegies royalties can be purchased from? I checked a few sites like MTI and Theatrical Rights Co. but couldn't find the show.

Any help would be great.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 8:02pm

You need special permission from Samuel French.

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 8:33pm

I saw they had Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens but I only saw the Elegies CD.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:12pm

Yeah, I actually asked this question a year or so ago... apparently Samuel French holds the rights but only gives them out to certain theatres. You need to contact them with your request, and then they will either accept or deny it.

At least that's what I was told..... someone could very well be lying. I do know, however, that amateur productions ARE possible, as there is a theatre in my area doing one in January.

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:30pm

Thanks so much!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:35pm

What a ****ing fantastic show. One of my favorite shows AND cast recordings of all time. Good for you for trying to do it!! More theatres should consider Elegies: A Song Cycle.

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 9:54pm

Yeah it is amazing. The company I work for is Greenroom Productions Inc. near Chicago. we are an improv group that moved into sketch comedy and then musicals. We are planning to do our first full season of productions. We will have a sketch comedy show for Valentines day, a play in late spring, a large musical in the summer and a smaller one in the fall. Any suggestions for shows would be appreciated. We would like to do one comedy and one other.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 11:09pm

If you're an improv group, you'd have a field day with The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco. It's an absurdist show with some GREAT jokes and opportunities for physical comedy. Samuel French holds those rights as well, but you can buy a copy in just about any book store. It's wonderful.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/5/07 at 11:39pm

That sounds ambitious and great. Good luck, theactorsociety!

[scot]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 10:40am

www.theatre3dallas.com
This company staged
Elegies-A Song Cycle in
the recent past. They
may be able to give you
some specific information
about rights etc.

Good show. Good luck!

[bigred3535]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 2:13pm

I know the director of a theatre company who managed to get the rights last year. Apparently, because the show is so deeply personal for William Finn, he has direct approval over which companies get a license because he does not want there to be any poorly done or tasteless productions. I think generally only equity theatres are able to get the rights, though the particular theatre company I'm talking about was non-equity (Finn actually came to see the production, though).