sections of MTI contract

Recently got a contract from MTI and found the following item interesting:

COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS: You agree as a condition of this license to reserve two (2) complimentary tickets (if requested) for the use of MTI and the Copyright Owners for each performance and MTI agrees not to sell such tickets.

Also the stuff about sending them copies of the program, as well as a sworn statement about actual number/location of performances and their access to all your accounting records for the production.

Has anyone ever had MTI request these comp tickets to see a show you produced? Or had them inspect your accounting records? Do they get mad if you don't send them a program?

Just thought I'd ask, as we've only delt with Tams-Witmark before and so all of this, while completely understandable, was a bit surprising.

I work for a performing arts school in Richmond, VA, and we've produced musicals and licensed from MTI for over 20 years, and never sent in (or been required to send in) one single program, or set aside any comp tickets for MTI repts/copyright holders. I'm not sure what this new clause is. We recently licensed "Little Shop of Horrors", and there's nothing in the contract about that.

Well, it's a good thing I'm not the one in charge of the signed contracts around here! LOL

Do they get mad if you don't send them a program?

Unless your program is going to show them something they shouldn't see, why is it even an issue? Why wouldn't you just send it to them?

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I've dealt with MTI for 30 years, and have never sent a copy of a program, and they have never asked for it. It is in the contract so in the event they DO ask for it, you can't say no.

The same with the comp tickets. The rule is in the contract so that in the rare event someone from MTI happens to be in town and wants to see your production (or in case they were tipped off that something in the production was against copywright), they can call up the theatre and say "I'm from MTI and I want to see the show tonight" and you can't say,"Sorry - we're sold out. You can't see it".

I seem to remember that being an issue for the first regional production of "The Goodbye Girl", but its fuzzy.

I do remember that comps were set aside for Bernadette Peters who was performing locally and they were never used.

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Back in 94, my high school was the first school to get the rights to Once on This Island and we did in fact have a MTI rep show up 10 minutes to curtain and ask for a seat. We had to shuffle some folks around because we were in fact sold out, but all was fine.