So I'm in a production of Once Upon A Mattress right now...- Page 2

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:18pm

I think you should turn yourself in, Edna.

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:27pm

I've already handcuffed myself and have the red and blue lights on my car all ready. Now I just need someone drive me to jail. Maybe I could just put my car in drive and hope for the best.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:29pm

You're doing the right thing. Now you won't have a breakdown every time you're in the cereal aisle of the grocery store. Justice will be served! (with fat free milk and sliced fruit!)

[D2]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:32pm

Speaking of ad libbing through a performance, which performer was it who routinely ad-libbed through a show and then would make a curtain speech telling the audience he was grateful they were there, and even more grateful that the authors weren't?

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:33pm

Well, I guess this is goodbye, everyone. It's been fun. I'll be sure to spread the cheer of the best shows EVAR, Wicked and Hair (but only the revival cast) with all of the inmates! I'll also start a petition to get Lea Michele as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl and Annie in Annie. Bye!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:46pm

Stay strong!

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 5:50pm

I'll sing Cell Block Tango all the time. Does anyone have any other jail-themed showtunes I can sing while in the slammer?

[wendilin622]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:00pm

The Big Dollhouse from Hairspray!

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:04pm

How the heck could I forget it of all things?! I'm struggling today.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:11pm

I have a handwritten letter from Neil Simon which authorizes me to revise the dialogue in BRIGHTEN BEACH to make it suitable for high school productions. I wouldn't make the revisions otherwise.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:23pm

Did you get that letter from him the same day you hooked up with Levi Johnston?

[Lusoo]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:23pm

The portugese production of La Cage aux Folles changed the setting from St. Tropez to Lisbon and Oporto, followed the script of The Birdcage. Cut the reprises and replaced them with Tap your Troubles Away and It's Today, added jokes about portugese politics (changing along the run) , introduced scenes like Jacob watching Mr. Dindon congress on the internet, les cagelles celebrating Albin's birthday and a ballet scene to music from the Swan's Lake. Truly La Cage Awful. It didn't close, in fact it's still playing. How can this happen?
Clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVB76YsyLXA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIhnKLle5KQ&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b94PqKGJOtY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktWaNHnUHxg (It's Today sung by Georges now with lyrics about the theatre and wonders of being an actor.)

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:38pm

Lusoo, not all countries recognize American copyright laws. I have no idea if Portugal is one of those countries, but when it comes to protecting your work overseas it can sometimes be very difficult, if not impossible. Back in the days of the Soviet Union there were many American works, not just plays and musicals, but also books and movies, that were either direct or very thinly veiled plagiarisms/carbon copies with the original (American) authors receiving no credit and/or compensation.

[Lusoo]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:42pm

It acknowledged the authors. But God it was awful!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:43pm

My high school changed the drunk character in You Can't Take it With You to always be "tired."

Not sure if that's illegal so much as stupid.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 6:47pm

How funny. I played Lady Larken in middle school and indeed, our director cut the pregnancy. I REALLY wanted to get married.

Curiously, while it was inappropriate for me to be pregnant, no one saw a problem with a high school senior playing Avril Raines crawling out from under Buddy Fidler's desk wiping her mouth in City of Angels.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 7:15pm

>>"Did you get that letter from him the same day you hooked up with Levi Johnston?"<<<

No, Smarty Pants! I got the note from him at a book signing. I was planning to direct BRIGHTON BEACH at the school I was teaching at but felt that one scene made the play unsuitable for high school presentation. I asked Mr. Simon if a high school version was available. That led to a short conversation and the note of permission. He was very cordial.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 9:01pm

Directors make changes ALL THE TIME. Anyone who is an actor on this board has been in a production were at the very least a line was changed. There is no crime in what my director is doing. So what? She made a change. The production isn't charging admission, and we got the rights from MTI.

This is no better or worse than when in a mentioned production of Annie the ending was changed to where it was all a dream, or in a production of Company when some of the couples where changed to same-sex couples. Or any alteration large or small for ANY production.

In order for a piece to be fresh, things for certain productions are added or cut. It happens all the time. It's not like we're completely destroying the piece. And none of this, "It's not what Jonathan Larson would've wanted!" bull****, because for all anyone knows, he would've changed it later on.

I stand by my director 100% by her decision, and while everyone's entitled to their own opinion on the ending change, your basis for why or why the change affects the work shouldn't be based purely upon legality. The organization I'm working with has been a generous sponsor of MTI and has launched many premiere shows from them, so we're not out to f**k over their work.

Directors aren't there to change the plot. The production you're in isn't even dealing with just a line change. Your director basically rewrote the ending, which as much as you don't want to admit it, is against MTI rules (and illegal). Clever directing will keep the piece fresh, NOT rewriting major plot points. No one is questioning the intentions of the director, and I'm sure everyone has good intentions and isn't out to f**k over MTI, but that doesn't change MTI's licensing rules.

Who cares what Jonathan Larson may have done with the piece later on in life? Coulda, woulda, shoulda. The way it is written now is the way you are required to perform it. Using the excuse that others have changed lines isn't a reason why another production should do the same.

You're right - additions and cuts happen all the time, but you need the proper permissions. And unfortunately people do not do so in many cases. MTI also licenses junior versions of many of its shows. Why? So directors aren't going crazy making line cuts and additions in order to make a show more appropriate for a younger crowd. It's one thing that you are toying with the integrity of the piece, but it's another thing that the legality of this production is in question. I find it funny how you say "So what?" and just brush it off your shoulder. The company may face fines and be forced to shut down the production.

Updated On: 8/18/10 at 09:01 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 9:20am

Unless an author has complete control over performance rights, does a letter legally give you any room to stand on? Just curious.

Shbrt, I saw a production of Once Upon a Mattress in high school, which was the only time I'd seen it until years later when it was remade for tv. Watching it on tv, I was like, "Wait, Lady Larken is pregnant?"

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 9:42am

Ha! "My God, it all makes sense!"

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 10:33am

Jordan, don't stain the mattress. It's a loaner.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 10:35am

Too late x4

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 10:36am

It probably has bedbugs.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 12:08pm

Well the bitch lived in a swamp, afterall.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/18/10 at 2:00pm

Wait, you guys aren't joking about the pregnancy in Once Upon a Mattress, right? Because now I can't remember if that was changed in my high school production or not. And I don't remember the tv movie either. Interesting stuff though.