Publishing/Copyrighting Shakespeare

FTJoshua

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Howdy everyone. First time caller in this forum...

So in 2002 I wrote and directed a script for "Macbeth" for my small community theatre company. Mostly this consisted of making cuts, reassigning lines to different characters, and doing a little gender-bending with the cast to create mostly the same story but with much different motivations than given in the original.

Now if someone else wanted to produce this version of the script (which I retitled to make it distinct from the original for my own sanity), what would be the best way to either A) publish it or B) at least "guarantee" I got credit as the creator (or I suppose co-creator...)?

I'm not worried about royalties or anything, just that my name goes on any PR/playbill/marketing if it were produced. Since this wasn't in New York or anything, I don't think the major playscript companies would even be interested in publishing it for theatrical use.

Does this look like a job for the copyright office and Lulu? If it matters, I do have an agent (for YA fiction) and book coming out from a Big 5 (are there still 5 big publishers...?)

Thanks!
 

Mac H.

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Why not simply put it up on Scribd with a Creative Commons 'attribution' license?

Add a very short preface with notes on the changes made, with suggestions for adapting it further if cast changes are required.

Good luck !

Mac
 

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Keep in mind that you may not have all the rights--is there another writer? Did you sign a work for hire contract?

But I'd use a Creative Commons license, if it were me.
 

FTJoshua

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The only other writer was Shakespeare. All I did was rearrange and/or trim things within the extant script. There was no contract, it was a labor of love for the company, nothing else.

I assume a Creative Commons license is easy to find and understand if I were to Google it? I've heard of them, but never really investigated what it was.

Thanks for the help!
 

David Wisehart

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Did you do any actual new writing, or was it all edits? Not sure what kind of copyright protection you would get for editing choices, or why anyone would need to credit you for making similar (or even the same) edits for another production.

Last year I re-wrote the chorus part for Pericles, for a local Shakespeare in the Park production. In that case, I'm protected by copyright because my writing was original, albeit based on source material.
 

ComicBent

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Copyright

It sounds as if you have made enough changes and additions for your work to qualify as an adaptation, not just an edited version.

I would suggest filing for copyright. It is not that expensive. You can still make the script available for free use to nonprofit theaters, or whatever. You can stipulate that they have to credit you as the author.

EDIT to add: By the way, do not ever sign a "work for hire" contract for a stage play. The theater world is different from the screenwriting world in regard to this issue. The Dramatists Guild of America does not approve of "work for hire" because that kind of arrangement undermines the position of the playwright. Google *Dramatists Guild of America "work for hire"* to find several discussions of this issue.
 
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