A Letter to Someone Who Thinks Making Script Changes Without Permission is Okay

Dear Someone Who Thinks Making Script Changes Without Permission is Okay,

In regards to your email that "it's okay to make changes in a script as long as you don't get caught". Or as you said, "Do it a Re-bar where they can't get you."

To make changes in a script without the playwright's permission is not just unethical and immoral but it is also ILLEGAL.

Period.

It's part of the contract that producers sign when they pay for the rights.

This is not quibbling over semantics or points of view. And while many out there bend and/or break the rules, it does not justify the action.

For instance, there are also many theater companies who don't even bother to pay royalties and/or even ask permission to perform the play. Is that permissible, as well? As long as they don't get caught?

By the way, doing a new play without telling the playwright or licensing company is also illegal and unethical, as well.

Should plays be cut? Probably. Anything "can" be cut, and might be better served for it. But that decision is always the writer's, not some director or producer who is leasing the rights.

That's not to say the production team couldn't have asked for permission to make changes--that happens all the time. And licensing companies and/or the playwright can be pretty accommodating to production needs. (We're not all protective Samuel Beckett tyrants.)

And I know you know there's a difference between Shakespeare that's beyond just the legal aspect of he's dead and his work is in the public domain. Any smart and professional director knows that the playwright is not some control mad tyrant but a valuable resource and respected collaborator. I know many a respected director of classics who would kill for the chance to whisper to Shakespeare in a rehearsal room, "But what the hell is he talking about with this whole 'To be or not to be speech...'"

Playwrights don't write their plays for money. Any money we get is nice but when we do receive any royalties its a pretty paltry sum. If we want money we have to cross over to write TV/film where production companies own the copyright and can change whatever they want. We write for theater because it is more poetic, immediate, more demanding, and ultimately more collaborative than other mediums. So please let's not take artistic participation and control away or you'll find more playwrights jumping ship to other mediums where they can actually feed their kids when others bastardize their work.

My question to you is why do you think it is acceptable for companies to treat another artist with such disrespect for their work? Why would you take away not only their legal right, but also cut them out of the artistic conversation? It's possible that suggesting a cut to a playwright might make them realize that the play is better for it and the change becomes a permanent aspect of the script. In that sense, you might be helping the playwright by asking for permission to make cuts.

So, again, I ask, why wouldn't you want work with the playwright?

Because making selfish choices under the wire hoping not to get caught is making selfish theater. And last I checked, theater was about community and collaboration.

But most importantly, it's the difference between professionals and amateurs. It is not about control. It's not about payment. It is about respect for the work and your fellow artists.

Regards,

A playwright

Upcoming Town Hall Information

Okay, everybody, as you've all seen on the Drama Guild newsletters, our first Northwest Town Hall is coming up next month. In conjunction with Seattle University and the Northwest Playwrights Alliance, below is the schedule of events.

We're still working on the exact date and time of the Town Hall Meeting so stay tuned for that!

Hope to see as many of you there as possible!

All events will be held Seattle University's Lee Theater (former venue for the Empty Space) or Vachon Room.

Seattle University
Fine Arts Building
901 12th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122-1090




SAT. May 10

Steven Dietz Playwriting Workshop

2-5 p.m.

Vachon Room



SAT May 10

Performance: The Hairy Baby by Ki Gottberg

Lee Theatre

2:30 pm - $6/$10



SAT May 10

Performance: The Hairy Baby by Ki Gottberg

Lee Theatre

7:30 pm - $6/$10



SUN May 11
Essential Truths of Playwriting (in Craft and Career)

11 am -2 pm

Gary Garrison, Executive Director of Creative Affairs, DG. This workshop will explore the rights of dramatists in any creative collaboration as well as the fundamental truths of dramatic writing any dramatist must embrace while refining their craft. Fine Arts Building, Vachon Room. Free event.


SUN May 11

A Conversation With Steven Dietz

4 p.m.

Interview & Q&A led by Sheila Daniels (Assoc. director and Literary Manager at Intiman). Vachon Room. Free event.



SUN May 11

6:30 p.m.

Reception for Steven Dietz in the theater lobby



SUN May 11

Performance: The Hairy Baby by Ki Gottberg

Lee Theatre

7:30 pm - $6/$10



MONDAY May 12
A Forum for Northwest Playwrights

Lee Theater

7:30 p.m

Gary Garrison (Dramatists Guild), Ki Gottberg (playwright, Seattle University), Elena Hartwell (playwright, Northwest Playwrights Alliance, Iron Pig Productions), Elizabeth Heffron (playwright), Glenn Hergenhahn (playwright, A.D., iDiOM Theatre), John Kazanjian (New City Theatre), Charlotte Tiencken (Book-It), John Longenbaugh (playwright, critic, director), Jerry Manning (director, Casting Director, Seattle Rep) and Allison Narver (former Empty Space Artistic Director). Where have we been, where are we going, how can we make it better? Free Event.

Out of the Country & the NPA Reading Mon 3/10

Hey folks,

I'll be out of the country touring through India until March 21st. Don't miss the NPA reading next month, details below!

Cheers,
Dennis

Northwest Playwrights Alliance
& the Broadway Center
present a reading of

Play, by Dan Erickson, directed by Mary Ann Valentine
The Chore, by Nick Stokes, directed by Tim Hoban
Books on Tape, by William Missouri Down, directed by Jac Royce
The Home Front, by John Allis directed by Anders Bolang
The Trip, by Richard Bliss, directed by Mays Salamah

Monday March 10 - 7 p.m. - Broadway Center Rehearsal Studio - 915 Broadway - Tacoma
FREE ADMISSION

About the Playwrights
William Missouri Downs has authored 20 full-length plays, 4 books and written for such NBC sitcoms as Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and My Two Dads. He has had nearly 100 productions of his plays from New York to Singapore and from Israel to South Africa, including LORT theatres like the Kennedy Center and the Berkeley Rep. Bill holds an MFA in acting from the University of Illinois and an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA.

Nick Stokes is a playwright and author of fiction. His plays include Whiteout (Richard Hugo House, Hugo Writers Fund, directed by Skye Moody); Surviving the Hobgoblins (Charles Wright Academy, directed by Mike Moffitt); and The Martyred (finalist James W. Rodgers Playwriting Competition). He lives in Tacoma with his wife, son, and soon-to-be baby.

John Allis is currently attending Fairhaven College at Western Washington University. This year he will graduate with a Concentration in Drama, Social Theory, and the Language Arts. After graduation John plans to pursue theatre internships in Literary Management, and ultimately to continue his formal education, to enroll in graduate school, and to study Dramatic Writing.

Dan Erickson's full-length play, "Convention," was recently invited to the Kennedy Center/ACTF regional finals. Last year Dan was awarded first and second place in the KC/ACTF regional ten-minute play contest for "Play" and "Snippy," which was just produced in the NPA Festival of Northwest Plays, and also produced with our Japanese AIE program. "Snippy" will make its UK premiere later this month with NPA' British Arts Tour. Dan is currenly in L.A. having lunch with weasels.

FINAL DRAFT DISCOUNT & TEMPLATES

This just in...

Now that Final Draft (the leading software company for script writing) will include the DG Format for Plays and Musicals, we are pleased to announce that our friends at Final Draft have graciously awarded our members a substantial discount for the software.

On the market cost: $229

Discounted cost to Dramatist Guild Members: $109
That’s a $120 savings, folks!

DG Members are being afforded the full-functional, downloadable educational version of the software.

For DG members to order at a discounted price they may go to:

https://www.finaldraft.com/specials/specials-orderprod.php

and enter the code: dramaguild8

Once you’ve downloaded your version of Final Draft, you can visit the company’s template library to add the DG Formats directly into your software by visiting: http://finaldraft.com/support/software/templates/

Can they do that?

Just got back from Laramie a few days ago. If you've never attended a regional festival for KCACTF, or any festival/conference like ATHE or MATC or SETC or...whatever, it's a thrilling experience. For one, you get to hang out with a whole bunch of theater folks, making conversations over beer or coffee, making friends, meeting old friends, but also the chance to attend classes, forums and panels. I met a lot of great playwrights, both students and faculty, and also met some folks from the "real world", like Kate Snodgrass at Boston Playwrights.

This is why we need an annual conference for The Dramatists Guild of America (and we're working on it! Really!)

I had been invited there by the Northwest Drama Conference (NWDC) as an invited playwright and representative of the Guild. I was there to teach a Monologue and a “Business of Playwriting” workshop. Here's the blurb for the latter:


“Can They Do That? The Business of Playwriting”
Playwriting is a business. Once your play is selected by a theater or university for production, you need to know much more than how to craft a scene. Do you know what a director can and can’t do with your script? Do you know the difference between a dramaturg and a co-writer? This class answers those questions and more We’ll cover the Dramatists Bill of Rights (or what should be in any contract) as well as discuss other production aspects including copyright, casting, rehearsals, billing, subsidiary rights, and compensation. We will also introduce you to the oldest organization advocating for your rights, The Dramatists Guild of America.

I was surprised to see The Business workshop overflowing—kids were sitting on the floor. As I went through my notes and talked about the Bill of Rights, I at first thought, “I’m not a lawyer and don’t know all that much…” then quickly realized, “Holy crap, these students are being taught absolutely NOTHING about new play development ins and outs”. They still thought playwrights could be banned from rehearsals and that the directors had the right to change stage directions without asking the playwright. This was a bit eye opening to me, especially since there was even a faculty member in the audience asking me questions.

I prefaced the class that though I was talking about contracts primarily, what we're really talking about is relationships. We're talking about how to work together in a way to make the show a success. Because the producers, directors, actors--we all want to put up a brilliant show. But sometimes we all have different ways of getting there and different needs. And its about opening the conversation so that there aren't misunderstandings later. It's not about being the Playwright Police, but about being included in the production process.

Afterwards a student said to me, "Man, I didn't know ANY of that stuff." And I replied, "How would you?" When I first started writing plays in college, I knew nothing about marketing, copywright, contracts, and other business stuff. I just wanted to see my play put up. I joined the Guild in NYC only after some really bad experiences and getting contracts in my face and me not knowing what industry standards were. I had no idea of the amount of things I didn't know.

And I think most of us are in that category.

I plan to present this workshop here in this region to our members as one of our free seminars. Likely that will be in April, but will keep you all posted.

So if this is something that you're interested in and want to see, let me know. Shoot me an email or give me a call.

Festival of Northwest Plays

Festival of Northwest Plays
co-sponsored by NPA and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts & Univ. of Puget Sound
Discounted Festival Passes Available Now!

Four new full-length plays
three evenings of ten-minute plays

Including works by
C. Rosalind Bell, Brent Hartinger, Ki Gottberg, John Longenbaugh, Gregory Hischak, Kamarie Chapman, Paul Mullin, Bryan Willis, Beth Amsbary, Phillip Atlakson, Sol Olmstead, Eva Suter, Glenn Hergenhahn, Dan Erickson, Jon Haller, Sean Walbeck, Bryan Willis, C.P. Stancich, Emily Freece, Michael Gaiuranos, Lindsey Newman, Gregory Youtz, Adam Quesnell, Terri Clark, Jon Haller, Dano Madden....

Buy your pass now and
See Every show for only $50!

Where: Theater on the Square, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, Tacoma
When: Feb. 22 - March 2, 2008
Tix: Reserve you pass with a $50 check payable to "Northwest Playwrights Alliance."
Group Rates available.

Mail orders to:
Bryan Willis
NPA
P.O. Box 1088
McCleary, WA 98557
for more information contact willis@olynet.com

KC/ACTF Regional Festival Next Week

Just FYI for all, I will be attending the KC/ACTF Regional Festival in Laramie, WY next week, hosted by the University of Wyoming.

So if you don't hear from me for a little while, that's where I'm at.

If you're going to be at the festival for some reason, please let me know and maybe we can get together and chat.