News: Copyright

Join our Business Affairs Staff for an enlightening discussion on Artificial Intelligence and its implications for theatrical writers. This event will explore how new innovations can influence the creative process, copyright issues, and the future of theatre writing. Theatre writers are increasingly concerned about AI's potential to scrape online scripts without permission, create AI-generated plays, and replace human dramatists. Legal and ethical...

January 1, 2024, is Public Domain Day, the day each year when copyrights expire and new works enter the public domain in the United States. This milestone means these works are now free for all to copy, share, and build upon, offering a treasure trove of cultural and artistic riches.  The "Progress Clause" of the U.S. Constitution established the legal basis for federal copyright law, and it did so to encourage the progress of our society, incentivizing the creation of new works that...

The Dramatists Guild of America announced today their full slate of programming and special guests for their 2023 BroadwayCon panels. BroadwayCon will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis from July 21-23, 2023. “We’re excited to partner with BroadwayCon to facilitate conversations on what writers do, how we work and why we are a vital part of our theatrical landscape. We’ll be emphasizing the significant cultural impact of writers within the theatre community while also...

Calling all theatre educators! We're thrilled to announce the launch of our new  DG publication: Can I Do That - A Helpful Guide to Performing Plays and Musicals in a Classroom or an Educational Environment! Playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists recognize the importance of your work as an educator; we want to support you as you inform, guide, and cultivate the next generation of theatremakers. That's why we've created this new guide, specifically designed to...

This Copyright Advocacy Week, it's time to get all of your copyright questions answered! Join us for a special DG Copyright Registration webinar on April 25, and sign up to participate in our one-on-one copyright clinics on April 27.     Copyright Registration 101: Learn How to Register Your Work with the U.S. Copyright Office!   Tuesday, April 25   ADT: 3pm...

UPDATE: Decisions are made by those who show up, so the Dramatists Guild congratulates the Cardinal High School community of Middlefield, Ohio for raising a fuss over the cancellation of their school’s planned production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, we applaud the authors for agreeing to change a few “damns” to “darns,” and we are grateful to the school board for their flexibility in reconsidering their position in response to these efforts. Most of all, we...

January 1, 2023 was Public Domain Day, the day each year when copyrights expire and new works enter the public domain. The “Progress Clause” of the U.S. Constitution established the legal basis for federal copyright law, and it did so in order to encourage the progress of our society, to incentivize the creation of new works that would eventually enrich the public ​domain and be accessible to everyone. So each work entering the public domain is an example of...

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), which represents 59 education, publishing, religious, and arts organizations, has joined the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund and PEN America to call attention to the cancellation of plays at two universities following protests over their content. The groups...

Recently, the Copyright Claims Board (“CCB”) made a new resource available that may be beneficial to any playwrights, composers, lyricists, or librettists who are looking to bring copyright claims before the CCB. This new resource is a directory of both clinics and organizations who work with law students to represent parties in a dispute before the CCB. It also includes a list of organizations that provide a range of pro bono assistance. While having legal representation is...

Your work cannot be performed without your permission. And it is never okay for someone to change your words, lyrics, or notes, without your approval.  This rule applies whether the desired alteration is a significant change to the text, such as rearranging scenes, adding lines, cutting an entire monologue, or removing an explicit word. It also applies to changing the setting or casting requirements. Casting requirements and settings are a part of an author’s work; if any defining...

#DGuKnow that the Guild has four new DG Guides for Dramatists?! These guides address a myriad of different writer's needs, from submitting your work to contests or festivals to negotiating contracts with theatre companies to understanding the Guild's Approved Production Contract to creating a piece of devised theatre. Scroll down below to learn more!   Art of Negotiating Theatre Contracts It can be daunting to negotiate with a...

When is it appropriate to pull the rights to my show? We all recognize that the theatre industry is not perfect and often theatres and theatre companies that are intended to be safe spaces for collaboration turn into the exact opposite. We are also living through a time in which theatre-makers of all kinds are more empowered to speak up than ever before in response to violations of their rights while working in...