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 Questions commonly asked by Theatricals customers... Q: Who do I contact regarding payments or to request an application or perusal copy? A: The following addresses and phone numbers pertain to the Theatre and Concert Libraries. For the fastest service, be sure to contact the appropriate department! AMATEUR CUSTOMERS Signed License Agreements and all Payments: PROFESSIONAL CUSTOMERS Return of all Materials: OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION: CONCERT CUSTOMERS Signed License Agreements and all Payments: THE RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN ORGANIZATION Have a question? Q: Do we always need a performance license? Even when we plan to remount a show we did a few years back? A: All of the musicals represented by R&H Theatricals are copyrighted by the authors as dramatic works and require a performance license each and every time they are presented. This copyright, called a dramatic performance right (or "grand right"), protects the authors’ ownership of their work, (or "intellectual property") and allows only the authors or their exclusive representative, R&H Theatricals, to decide who may perform the show, where it may be performed and what license fees will be required. On behalf of the copyright owners, R&H Theatricals grants your theatre company a license to produce the show and collects an intellectual property fee (or "royalty") for all performances. Furthermore, every performance license contains specific language governing how the copyrighted work must be presented. R&H Theatricals enforces the grand rights of the copyright owners by prohibiting changes to the show, monitoring unlicensed productions, determining and collecting fees, as well as protecting certain productions from competition in geographical markets (which is why performance rights to a certain show may be unavailable or "restricted" as addressed below). Q: How do I apply for performance rights and what information do you need? A: Once you’ve decided on the show(s) you’d like to present, complete and submit our license application (you may do so on-line using our “apply for the performance rights now” icon, or print it out and fax it) which asks for the following information: 1. The name, address, daytime phone and fax numbers of the organization requesting grand rights; the name and email address of a contact person to whom all correspondence should be forwarded; and the delivery address to which all materials should be shipped. Customarily, materials are shipped via United Parcel Service and cannot be delivered to post office box numbers; we must have a street address for delivery. 2. The title of the musical(s) you wish to present. 3. The scheduled opening and closing dates, the total number of performances scheduled, and the number of performances in each month of your run. If your dates are not yet set, you may give us an approximation and advise us at the time when the actual dates have been scheduled. 4. The name and address of the theatre/auditorium (venue) in which the musical will be presented, the seating capacity of the venue, and the average attendance at each performance. Also, tell us about any unusual circumstance we should take into consideration, for example: you perform in a venue that seats 3,000 but you print and make available only 500 tickets for each performance. 5. The full range of single ticket prices for the production. If it is part of a subscription series, please indicate the percentage of your audience that is on subscription and enclose a copy of your subscription brochure clearly setting forth the number of offerings in the series and the range of subscription prices. We ask that dinner theatre producers advise us of the range of admission prices for the show as well as the price of the total ticket, if that option is offered to your customers. 6. Any additional materials you may require, and additional time periods during which you need the materials. Upon receipt of a fully completed application, we will determine whether the rights you have requested are available, and if so, we will issue a License Agreement clearly setting forth the fees. Always wait until you receive your License Agreement before planning a production or announcing your season. Q: How does my organization secure the Performance Rights? A: When you receive our License Agreement, check the information carefully, fill out all sections, sign it and return it to R&H Theatricals along with payment of all fees. The License Agreement is valid for three months from the date of issue. It is only when you sign and return the License Agreement with full payment that a contract between us is established and your performance rights are secured. If the License Agreement is not returned within this timeframe, the show’s availability and/or the fees quoted may be changed or withdrawn. Should you decide not to present the musical, you are under no obligation to proceed. If your production information has changed from your original application, specifically performance dates or venue, please advise us in writing immediately, as changes can affect the availability and conditions of the License Agreement. Each amendment to the License Agreement after it has been returned and processed will be subject to a handling fee.
Q: What are the fees associated with a performance license? A: R&H Theatricals charges three basic fees: royalty, rental and security deposit. Royalty Fee: Rental Fee: Security Deposit:
Q: What will comprise the rental materials we will use for our rehearsals and performance? A: Once R&H Theatricals has received your signed contract and the appropriate fees, your production is “booked” into our system and the rental materials are scheduled for shipment. These materials are everything you need to present your show and are normally shipped to arrive about two months before your first performance. We customarily provide a “rehearsal set” which includes copies of the script (libretto) and vocal arrangements (when combined referred to as a libretto/vocal book) and piano-vocal score, along with the “orchestration,” which if required can be ordered as a full set or as individual parts. When filling out your application form, please advise us of the accompaniment you desire. You can review each musical’s orchestration listing found on its individual page on this web site). If you require additional copies of the script and vocal arrangements (Libretti/Vocal books), which we provide in sets of 10, the piano-vocal score or orchestra books, or if you require the materials for a longer rehearsal period, please indicate these request(s) in the appropriate space(s) provided on the License Agreement before returning it. Additional fees for extra rental time and extra materials are clearly outlined on the License Agreement and can be requested at the time the initial order is submitted or any time during the rehearsal period. We also offer partiturs (full orchestral scores) for some musicals, as indicated in the orchestrations listing. Q: Why are titles you represent sometimes restricted from licensing? A: There are times that the rights are not available to present the musical of your choice on the dates you have requested. While nothing frustrates us more than having to deny you the rights to present a musical we represent, we are sometimes required by the copyright owners to restrict performances in some areas for a variety of reasons including touring productions, initial commercial production runs or revivals. Because restrictions can be put in place or lifted at any given moment, it is always important for your organization to formally obtain an executed License Agreement to "secure" the rights before announcing your production. Therefore, the further ahead you are able to plan, the better for us all. We recommend you apply for rights not later than six months prior to your planned opening date. In the event we cannot grant rights to the musical of your choice, we are always eager to assist in your selection of a viable alternative. Q: I’d like to read the script before I select my next musical. Can I receive perusal copies of your musicals? A: If you are not certain which musical you want to produce, we are pleased to provide perusal (reading) copies of the scripts and vocal arrangements (libretto/vocal books) for up to three musicals at one time. This is a great way to determine if your cast is well suited to the material, how your audience will respond to the story, or simply to familiarize yourself with a few shows. In many instances, CD recordings of the scores are available to assist you. We are also able to provide piano-conductor scores for perusal purposes upon receipt of a minimal refundable deposit fee. You may retain the perusal material for up to four weeks for a nominal shipping and handling fee. You may request perusals via our web site, by email to by fax or by mail. Q: May we videotape our production? A: Copyright law gives the authors/copyright owners the exclusive right to control the reproduction of their work including the right to decide when or if their work is recorded in any way. Even a videotape made for classroom use, as a personal memento or as an archival school record violates these rights. However, we have great news! By special arrangement with the copyright owners, R&H Theatricals is pleased to offer archival and cast/crew video rights to many of our best selling musicals such as OKLAHOMA!, SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I and CINDERELLA. Please visit the Archival Video section of this web site for an overview of this program. Q: Can we make changes to the scenes, songs or lines of dialogue in the rental materials you provide? A: In accordance with the copyright laws governing a dramatic-musical work, we expressly state in our License Agreement the regulations you must abide by in presenting the show. When you enter into a License Agreement with R&H Theatricals, the show you license must be performed “as is.” Changing the show, by making alterations in the music, lyrics, book, gender of a character, orchestrations or vocal arrangements, is a violation of the author’s rights. Whenever you feel the need to make a change, it is important that you contact R&H Theatricals and receive permission to make the change. You should not make any changes unless you have obtained prior written permission from us to do so. Without prior permission from R&H Theatricals, your actions may subject you to liability - not only to the authors, but also to us - for breaching the terms of your license agreement. Q: We’re often invited to perform an excerpt at our local theatre festival or participate in competitions. How do we go about getting permission? A: You are correct to seek permission and we thank you. The creation and use of an excerpt or any other adaptation of a copyrighted work without the express authorization of the authors or their agents is a violation of copyright law. When available, we are happy to license excerpts, scene cuttings or individual songs for participation in theatre competitions, festivals and individual performance contests. Advise us of the nature of the excerpt or cutting, along with the dates, place and number of performances to be presented in the initial competition and, if approved, we will issue the appropriate Special License. We ask that you keep us informed of subsequent competitions should you move on to the next level, and we will amend the license accordingly. We cannot, under any condition, grant permission to omit the score from one of our musicals for presentation as a straight play. |