Theatrical Licensors Grant Streaming Rights and More During Covid-19 Outbreak

As the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus shutters productions big and small across the nation, theatrical licensors have responded with a series of measures to accommodate arts institutions affected by the crisis.

See how licensing companies are responding:

Broadway Licensing

Broadway Licensing has secured approvals for live streaming over 400 plays from their Playscripts catalog. Broadway Licensing has worked with their playwrights to approve one-time non-precedent setting approvals for live streaming their productions.

Licensees will be required to abide by strict protocols when utilizing this technology.

Learn more here.

Music Theatre International (MTI)

Music Theatre International will be approving postponements and waiving cancellation and late fees for productions affected by the crisis.

The company is also granting special permission for live-streamed performances for nonprofessional licenses. Titles under this special permission include the complete catalog of Disney stage musicals, Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof and Hairspray.

Learn more here.

Concord Theatricals

Concord Theatricals will waive fees for production postponements as well as cancellation fees as they pertain to COVID-19. Individual permissions for streamed performances are being passed along to rights holders for approval.

Learn more here.

Theatrical Rights Worldwide

Theatrical Rights Worldwide has instated a policy to approve all postponements without penalties. Emergency streaming licenses have been made available for their complete catalog, excluding Grease and Spamalot.

Learn more here.

Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

If you need to cancel or postpone your production, normal procedures remain in place. If you would like to postpone your production to a later date when the current threat of infection from the virus may have passed, you do so free of charge by filling out their Request Change of Performance Dates form here: Change of Performance Dates

If you need to completely cancel the license for a scheduled production, you can do so free of charge by filling out the Request Cancellation of Licensed Performances form here: Cancellation of Licensed Performances

Should you wish to move forward to a production by live-streaming it, contact DPS with as much information as possible (number of live-streams, etc.) DPS will individually contact authors and their representatives for permission. Electronic rights such as live-streaming may not be available in any event.

Permissions has been granted from these playwrights to stream any existing Non Professional licenses and certain Professional licenses of all their plays; John Patrick Shanley, John Cariani, Arlene Hutton, Lauren Gunderson, Lucas Hnath, James Ijames, Marc Palmieri, Craig Pospisil. Also the estates of Eugene O'Neill, Edward Albee, John Patrick, and Kaufman & Hart.