Collaboration is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a playwright, composer, lyricist, or librettist. Writing can sometimes be a lonely task but when you write a work for the stage, you get to join forces with other creatives to bring your words to life. However, disagreements will inevitably occur when multiple people, with different priorities and perspectives, are invested in telling a story together. If you are co-writing your show with other writers, that adds another element of complexity to the process.
Student writers often have the added challenge of being obliged to share their work in progress, and reveal their collaboration dynamic, to professors who might have the power to grade their work and/or decide whether to champion this team for opportunities in the future. A musical theatre writing team might have an advisor who is more knowledgeable in one medium (book, music, or lyrics) than in the others, even though they are supposed to equally support and guide all members of the writing team.
Nevertheless, there are ways to safeguard your interests and your work throughout your collaboration, so that you can focus on the creative aspects of writing together, instead of on the logistical complications. Whether you are a playwright collaborating with another playwright, a musical theatre songwriter collaborating with a bookwriter, or two students collaborating on a thesis musical together, we encourage you to check out the Dramatists Guild collaboration agreements for plays and for musicals.
No matter where you are in your career trajectory as a professional writer, the Guild can advise you on how to navigate the nuances of your collaboration and provide you with model agreements to help protect you and your work.
Career Training Webinar: How to Collaborate as a Theatre Writer in Grad School or College
Discover what joint authorship entails, how to legally adapt a published work, how to use collaboration agreements, and more! Our career training video is free for all to watch.
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Working Together: A Compendium on Non-Authorial Collaboration
The most prominent concern currently confronting playwrights, composers, and lyricists writing for the theater today remains the notion of “non-authorial” collaboration and the burdens that such collaboration may impose on dramatists. By “non-authorial collaborators,” we mean all the folks working on your play whom you do not consider to be your co-author, including actors, producers, designers, directors, and dramaturgs.
This document is part of a suite of resources designed to help playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Visit Business Affairs Resources to learn more. Only active members of the Guild may view, download, or help desk articles. The Dramatists Guild provides low cost or free memberships to students.
Download a Collaboration Agreement for Musicals
Form agreement for collaboration between authors writing a musical. It is in the best interest of parties to enter into a collaboration agreement early in the creative process, to avoid potential difficulties that could arise at a later time.
This document is part of a suite of resources designed to help playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Visit Business Affairs Resources to learn more. Only active members of the Guild may view, download, or request sample contracts. The Dramatists Guild provides low cost or free memberships to students.
Download a Collaboration Agreement for Plays
Form agreement for collaboration between authors writing a straight play. It is in the best interest of parties to enter into a collaboration agreement early in the creative process, to avoid potential difficulties that could arise at a later time.
This document is part of a suite of resources designed to help playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Visit Business Affairs Resources to learn more. Only active members of the Guild may view, download, or request sample contracts. The Dramatists Guild provides low cost or free memberships to students.
Devised Theatre Contract: Collaboration Agreement Solely Between Writers
This model should be used when all of the participants in the devised process are writers (alternatively, “ensemble members”). The Devised Theater Committee and Business Affairs Department are proud to announce the availability of four contract models designed specifically for devised theater, a Collaboration Agreement Solely Between Writers, a Preliminary Agreement to Participate, a Collaboration Agreement Between Writers and Non-Writers and a Devised Theatre Production Agreement. Accompanying the contract models is an innovative Devised Theater Resource Manual, which includes, among other things, an explanation of legal principles, discussions about craft, and a glossary of terms.
This document is part of a suite of resources designed to help playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Visit Business Affairs Resources to learn more. Only active members of the Guild may view, download, or request sample contracts. The Dramatists Guild provides low cost or free memberships to students.