Category Archives: Theatre law

Theatre Producers make historic vote to form L.A. League

A room full of producers with a wide variety of concerns voted unanimously to form a new, independent organization, a trade association

Quoted on ReelGrok about Crowdfunding and the JOBS Act

With the signing of the JOBS Act, crowdfunding for investment in entertainment projects like films, plays and musicals is a step closer to becoming a viable option, but the risk of fraud is significant, and producers using this approach must still comply with significant anti-fraud rules.

Broadway’s Spiderman: weaving a tangled web

When Spiderman:Turn Off The Dark’s original writer/director ,Julie Taymor, sued the show’s producers late in 2011, nobody was particularly surprised. Ms. Taymor’s lawsuit alleged numerous counts, including the obvious breaches of contract, and the not-so-obvious copyright infringement claims. That suit seeks millions in unpaid fees and royalties allegedly due Taymor, and an order enjoining the…

What you absolutely must know before you approach investors for your film / play / musical.

I am often consulted by film and stage producers who tell me they’re ready to start work on raising the financing for their films/ plays/ musicals, or what-have-you, but often as not,  as we get to work, it becomes clear that they’re not as ready as they think. Before going out to investors, it’s important to…

Ask the readers: What do YOU want to know about the theatre business

Will you help me help you?  I’ve prepared the following one-question survey about the theatre business.     Please take a moment to let me know what you would like to know about producing theatre. Thanks. Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool. Tweet

Why theatres ban photography, even before the show.

If you’ve been to the theatre recently, you may have noticed ushers admonishing patrons against taking pictures, even before the show begins. In this Article from Playbill.com, several explanations are offered. Tweet

Subsidiary Rights Clauses in Theatrical Production Contracts. What’s the big deal?

One of the most heatedly negotiated provisions in theatrical production licenses these days is the Subsidiary Rights Clause. In this post, I’ll briefly explain what subsidiary rights are, and why they’re such a big issue for producers and authors alike.

The merging of Book, Lyrics and Music in theatrical collaborations: A complex and frequently mishandled issue.

The contractual provision between collaborators that determines when their respective contributions to the work become a single unified whole is a tricky, and often overlooked provision which can have long-lasting consequences.

Congratulations to our friend Cricket Myers

Earlier this week, the Tony nominations were announced, and my friend Cricket Myers was honored with a nomination for her work on “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo“, starring Robin Williams. Congratulations Cricket! Tweet

Court ruling may have implications for theatre owners, managers and producers

The Case of Feldman v. Pro Football, Inc. __ F.3d __, Nos. 09-1021, 09-1023, decided on March 25th, 2011 isn’t, strictly speaking, an entertainment law case, but it could have implications for clients in the theatre business, who struggle with decisions about how to accommodate patrons with disabilities.