Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is Commercial Theatre?
What is Commercial Theatre?
Who was Lewis Hallum?
Who was Lewis Hallum?
The person who started the first professional theatre in Williamsburg, VA in 1752.
Actor/Managers were responsible for both management and acting roles in the first century.
Actor/Managers were responsible for both management and acting roles in the first century.
True
What was the purpose of the Theatrical Syndicate?
What was the purpose of the Theatrical Syndicate?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the Actors Equity Association (AEA) represent?
What does the Actors Equity Association (AEA) represent?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the Copyright Law of 1976?
What is the Copyright Law of 1976?
Signup and view all the answers
What are Stock Performances?
What are Stock Performances?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of a Company Manager?
What is the role of a Company Manager?
Signup and view all the answers
Amateur Performances are professional shows governed by the same contracts as Broadway productions.
Amateur Performances are professional shows governed by the same contracts as Broadway productions.
Signup and view all the answers
What are First Class Tours?
What are First Class Tours?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of ASCAP?
What is the purpose of ASCAP?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Commercial Theatre
- Focuses on profit without subsidies, primarily located in NYC (On and Off-Broadway).
- Strongly influenced by television, film, and theatre, with tours often categorized as for-profit.
Actor/Manager
- A combined role where one individual serves as both the main actor and the manager.
Lewis Hallum
- Established the first professional theatre in Williamsburg, VA, in 1752.
Shareholding Companies
- A financial structure where profits from productions are divided based on individual contributions, resulting in variable incomes.
Independent Stock Companies
- Managed by an actor-manager while a business manager handles ownership, leading to stable salaries for actors.
Combination Companies
- Integrate actor-managers and business managers, facilitated by the development of railroads which improved travel efficiency for theatre companies.
Gilbert & Sullivan
- Pioneers in musical theatre, known for their works in melodrama and operetta, laying groundwork for modern musical forms.
The Black Crook (1866)
- A significant production that combined ballet and melodrama, appealing to audience desires for spectacle and profit.
Theatrical Syndicate
- Formed in 1896 through the merger of three NYC booking offices to control national theatrical access, leading to centralized power over producers and actors.
Independent Booking Agency/Office
- Initial efforts to counter Syndicate dominance, later fell under its control.
Shubert Brothers
- Dominated theatre by overcoming the Syndicate's grip, controlling show selection, production, and theatre ownership until challenged in the 1950s.
Actors Equity Association (AEA)
- A union for theatrical actors and stage managers, representing contractual agreements between producers and performers.
ASCAP
- American Society of Composers and Publishers, focused on music licensing and ensuring playwrights and composers receive fair compensation for workshops and public performances.
Dramatists Guild (DG)
- A professional association for playwrights and authors providing minimum standards for agreements while protecting authors' rights, but not functioning as a union.
Copyright Law of 1976
- Protects creative works and ideas, granting ownership to creators for their lifetime plus an additional 50 years posthumously.
Approved Production Contract (APC)
- A contract that defines the relationship between producers and writers, ensuring adherence to writers' intentions while allowing contract modifications by mutual agreement.
Subsidiary Rights
- Refers to additional uses of original properties, including adaptations and merchandise.
Various Performance Categories
- Stock Performances: Professional performances under AEA agreements.
- Amateur Performances: Non-professional performances not requiring AEA agreements.
- Ancillary Performances: Adaptation modifications like transforming plays into musicals.
- Revival Performances: Re-staging plays after original production rights expire.
Financial Agreements
- Option Payment: A fee granting producers exclusive rights to develop a work.
- Advance Payment: Compensation for creators prior to production.
Business Structures in Theatre
- Private Corporation: Controlled by directors, typically family or close acquaintances.
- General Partnership/Joint Venture: Groups share liability and capital investment responsibilities.
Union Contracts
- SSDC: Represents stage directors and choreographers.
- USA: Represents scenic, costume, and lighting designers.
- IATSE: Covers stagehands and technical crew employees.
- AFM: Ensures employment of musicians for productions using live or taped music.
Theatre Contracts
- AEA Production Contract: Standardized contracts negotiated every three years.
- Off-Broadway Contract: Provides minimum salaries and conditions for Off-Broadway productions.
Showcase and Workshop Productions
- Showcase Code: Encourages representation of new works.
- Workshop Productions: Trial performances using union actors for development prior to commercial production.
Tour Formats
- First Class Tours: High-quality Broadway productions traveling with premium design elements.
- Bus & Truck Tours: Cost-effective travelling productions reliant on bus and truck transport.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge on Commercial Theatre concepts with these flashcards covering important terms and definitions. Learn about the roles within the theatre, including Actor/Managers, and explore the influences on commercial productions. Perfect for theatre students and enthusiasts seeking to deepen their understanding.
