Legally, can my middle school perform a Broadway show still on Broadway?

Question:My friends and I want my middle school to put on a production of "Legally Blonde" or "Hairspray", but our music teacher said we can only do musicals that aren't being performed on B-way anymore. Is there a law preventing this or is this just my teacher's policy? By the way, I go to middle school in New York.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: My friends and I want my middle school to put on a production of "Legally Blonde" or "Hairspray", but our music teacher said we can only do musicals that aren't being performed on B-way anymore. Is there a law preventing this or is this just my teacher's policy? By the way, I go to middle school in New York.

OK, let me clarify something. You can legally do a show that is still on Broadway, as long as you can secure the rights. For instance, Hairspray is currently available from MTI -- however, it is also restricted. Usually that means they will not release the show to a group if a professional production is available in the area. Since you are in New York, and Hairspray is still running, then your teacher is correct. It may be possible for me to secure the rights to do that show here in California, as long as I'm not planning my production when the National Tour is coming through the area.

No the amateur rights aren't available until the run closes. Doing it would be a great way to get your show shut down and your school sued, if want something campy try Little Shop of Horrors, or Grease, or Bye Bye Birdie, or Return to the Forbidden Planet.

No, you cannot legally perform a play that is still on Broadway. The school would not be able to obtain the rights to do it or the necessary materials -- scripts, orchestra parts -- until the show, nearing the end of its Broadway run and preparing for a national tour releases the rights for people to do. Even then, the first people to get rights would be professional groups and those have to be in cities where the tour isn't coming. Besides, Legally Blonde should NEVER be allowed at a MS due to the subject matter. There are plenty of other good shows to do without having to do material that middle schoolers simply can't do -- and I don't mean vocally. But teenagers should not be asked to do roles like the Phantom, Jean Valjean, or King Lear. Hairspray is a much better choice IF the rights are available.

My guess is your teacher wants to outright avoid serious royalty payments.

You can get the rights while a show is still being performed on Broadway, but it will be extremely expensive. And with not much return money-wise on a middle school production, there is no real up side.

So, although there is not a law preventing you from producing the work, the rights must be secured through the appropriate channels. And of course, the cost of the rights have to fall within the school budget.

And generally if a show is performing mainstage in the same town, the rights won't be available. Simple as that. Not necessarily illegal, just unavailable.

Yes to Hairspray, no to Legally Blonde. But Hairspray's rights will cost you a couple thousand monies.

It's not that there are laws preventing schools from performing shows on Broadway, but the show has to release rights. For example, Beauty and the Beast released their rights long before it closed on Broadway, and high schools snatched it up. Other Broadway shows that released rights include Phantom of the Opera and Rent.