What are Commissions?
- When an author receives a fee from a producer or theatre to specifically commission the author to create a new work;
- Generally, commissions are paid by resident theatres, or other non-profit institutions, in order to establish a relationship with a particular author, or to produce a play on a particular subject or theme;
- Commissions are also paid by commercial producers in order to have an underlying work they control adapted to the stage by dramatists;
- A commission is a fee for the author’s services. It is NOT a purchase of the play, nor is it an advance, option, or royalty for licensing the work;
- There is no standard commission fee. The amount is generally negotiable and dictated by the reputation and experience of the author, as well as the standard practices and financial means of the commissioning theatre or producer.