URINETOWN: Copyright Controversy

I have actually done quite a bit of research on this issue for a law school paper. Ideas cannot be copyrighted. The general problems with directors gaining copyright protection is that 1) most (not us theatre aficionados, but def. courts) see the work as originating with the playwright, and not the director, thus to most, the director does not create anything "original." But most importantly, in order to be copyrighted, something has to be fixed in a tangible form...while some have attempted to do so via prompt books and video, these raise a whole new set of copyright issues. At this point, I think the balance of copyright seems to favor allowing others to "borrow" some, as opposed to allowing copyrights for direction and perhaps creating an expensive licensing scheme, or just closing access to new director. The general (not well founded) argument against copyright protection is, "what, will someone own the right to enter stage right?". By the way, sorry for any grammatical errors, on my way to the gym. Hopefully, now that this issue is hot, my paper will be published, sans errors. :)

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How can creators claim ownership of staging that was mostly pastiche in the first place?

I've always wondered about this with community theatre. You go see Victor/Victoria, and there's the 2-story hotel set, in maroon and gold, along with the exact same choreography as you find on the dvd...but without giving credit to those who actually designed it.

Sadly, it happens all the time. Personally, I think that once regional and community theatre get ahold of these shows, they should have fun putting their OWN stamp on them.

Usually this is worked on by the originl director's paycheck, taking into account a lot of his ideas will be "borrowed" and he won't see a penny for it. It makes sense in that the original direction will help the production succeed and then be performed for years.

I just find it funny that choreographers and even many designes, may copyright their works, but the director, who sits on top of the food chain cannot.

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When my old HS did Beauty and the Beast, they got a letter that said that the school production was not allowed to use costumes that were similar to the Broadway productions.

snowie862--yeah, I've heard about that. The rule probably gets followed like, eight percent of the time, lol.

But regarding the Chicago production of Urinetown, I had heard from other people in the city that it was basically a ripoff of the Broadway production, and although I did not see it on Broadway, the Chicago version (which I did see) looked very, VERY similar to production photos of the Broadway original. I think this is an important legal issue and I'm glad it's finally being addressed.

When The Company Theatre did The Will Rogers Follies this summer, they had a bootleg of the original Broadway production. And so they took ideas that they really liked from the original production and incorporated them into the show. I think that famous moments should be recreated and very original moments of choreography as well. But I don't think the show should be a carbon copy of the original production. But it shouldn't be crap either.

And if you're doing Joseph, don't have him wearing the coat in his first scene when he sings Any Dream Will Do. It ruins the moment when he actually gets the damn thing.

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I don't see anything wrong with it as long as the original production team gets credit in the prgram. I've seen that a lot in programs for regional shows they will have a section on the title page that lists orignal direction, original choreography and original costume and set designs giving credit to those who created such for the Broadway stage and what, obviously, their direction, choreogrpahy, costumes and sets were based on.

Well for choreography, in the 70's several choreographers, led by Agne Demille, came together to make sure that the Copyright Act which was amended in 1976 included Choreography as a copyrightable category.

Presently the most outspoken critics of copyright protection for stage directors are actually playwrights. John Wiedman made a very staunch argument against it in a previous NYT article. This is probably bec. right now playwrights' copyright includes the right to have that work "performed," wish would be reduced (or shared with directors) if directors were granted copyright.

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Updated On: 11/15/06 at 08:28 PM

"John Carrafa attended the Akron production, which was directed by Jennifer Cody, who was in Urinetown's original Broadway cast as Little Becky Two Shoes. "

I read every word on page provided with the link above and didn't see this sentence at all. Did I miss something?

Sorry Craig...I forgot to post the link. That quote is actually from the Playbill.com story.
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/103580.html

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Jonart,

I think money is definitely at play here as well though, not just credit.

Akiva

It should also be stated that former cast members of many shows (the one that comes to mind the most is CHORUS LINE) constantly direct productions using the staging from their Broadway originals. Why should Ms. Cody be different?

That said, I hate going to ANY regional theatre and seeing a Broadway wanna be staging. Use creativity and make it your own.