After receiving a cease-and-desist order, then receiving much media publicity, a high school in the bronx is staging a performance of Chicago next week. They of course are doing this in complete violation of copyright law. They’re also violating a non-compete agreement because ‘Chicago’ is currently playing just a few miles away on Broadway.
For those of you who don’t know, you have to have permission, and usually pay royalties to perform a published play. Granted, not everybody knows this, but a high school drama teacher should. Doesn’t it sound at least a little fishy that Anthony Cerini, the drama teacher, “transcribed the ‘Chicago’ script while watching the movie version.”
No one at Lehman High School made the application and the principal, Robert Leder, said he had not recalled having to apply for anything in 27 years of putting on high school musical events. -NY Times
27 years and never payed royalties or received permission to perform a play? Wow.
“The irony here is that ‘Chicago’ is about women who commit murder and go to jail, but if you are beautiful enough and you have enough money, and especially if you have the press on your side – in this case the Daily News – you will get what you want,” -(legitimate) “Chicago” producer Barry Weissler