Questions and Answers
What is Commercial Theatre?
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.
True
What was the purpose of the Theatrical Syndicate?
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What does the Actors Equity Association (AEA) represent?
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What is the Copyright Law of 1976?
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What are Stock Performances?
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What is the role of a Company Manager?
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Amateur Performances are professional shows governed by the same contracts as Broadway productions.
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What are First Class Tours?
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What is the purpose of ASCAP?
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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.
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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.
