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The “Performance Rights 101” Guide for Boards

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Performance Rights 101: The Board’s Guide to Staying Legal

When you license a play, you aren’t just buying a book; you are entering a legal contract for Intellectual Property. Understanding the “Rules of the Road” protects your board from liability and ensures your production stays on the right side of the law.

1. The Script is the Law

  • The “No-Edit” Rule: Legally, you cannot cut scenes, alter endings, or modernize dialogue without written permission.

  • Gender-Swapping: Unless the script is marked “non-gendered,” changing a character’s identity requires a contract rider.

  • The Ad-Lib Trap: “Improving” the playwright’s jokes is technically a breach of the license agreement.

2. Video Rights & The Digital Footprint

  • Archival vs. Public: An “archival” recording for the cast is standard, but posting it to YouTube or Facebook is a major copyright violation.

  • Streaming Licenses: Reaching a digital audience requires a specific “Streaming License” separate from your standard “Grand Rights.”

3. The Paper Trail Checklist

Keep your “Business Office” organized for audits and tax filings:

  • Executed Contracts: Keep a signed copy of the license in a dedicated folder.

  • Payment Receipts: Match invoices with check stubs for clear non-profit accounting.

The “TLC Exception”: A Different Kind of Partnership

At the risk of turning this Wiki into a sales piece, we thought this was really important to get across here where it was most relevant!

While the rules above are the industry standard for the “Big Houses,” TLC Scripts operates differently. We are family-owned and creator-led, which means we actually want to hear from you.

  • Easy Access: You aren’t calling a call center; you’re reaching a person, and can get to talk to the playwrights rather easily. If you need to alter a scene to fit your specific stage, your audience, or your artistic vision—just ask.

  • Collaborative Edits: We often say “Yes” to changes that make sense for your production.

  • We Love Your Ad-Libs: Our playwrights are constantly looking for ways to improve the work. If your cast hits a comedic gold mine during rehearsals, tell us! It’s not unheard of for an actor’s ad-lib to be officially incorporated into the script for future productions.

The Bottom Line: Don’t be shy. What’s the worst that can happen? We say no? How awful! 😉

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