Contracts and licensing are the legal backbone for the creation and production of theater and musical stage plays.
Contracts form agreements between writers and producers and song writing.
Copyright registration protects stage plays and musical stage plays as Works of the Performing Arts (PA). These are dramatic works meant to be performed before an audience. The registration includes the book, the musical libretto, and the stage directions.
Songs that are part of a musical dramatic work, such as a musical stage play or opera, are exempt from the compulsory licensing law that requires songwriters or copyright owners to allow the song to be licensed for cover recordings. Therefore, if you want to make a cover version of a song from a musical, you must ask permission and negotiate the terms and price directly with the owner of the copyright on the song. That's why it is rare and special for a popular song from a musical to be released as a single by an different artist. It has happened, of course, such as when the Cowsills released their version of "Hair." From "Phantom of the Opera," Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson released their version of "All I Ask of You." This means that their lawyers negotiated a contract to give them permission to record and release this song and agreed on terms of payment.
Contact: SusanBasko@gmail.com
or use Contact form below or on sidebar.