The Green Room - Copyright laws Vs. Censorship in local theatres.

Reply #40 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:35pm

The Dark Knight Ex Member

Tshep wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:23pm:

[quote][quote author=RENTBOY link=1221847380/30#39 date=1222108739]
What is interesting is that religious organizations often seem to screw with copyright... could it be that these groups consider that their higher power supercedes contractual law.

If you're talking about community theaters in religious communites like Utah . . . yes, you're absolutely rihgt.

However, these are not true "religious organizations", they're community theaters made up of religious people. For example, here we are talking mostly about Mormons who run community theaters. President Gordon B. Hinkley once said "You cannot had one sacred principal at the expense of another." Since one of the LDS Articles of Faith states "We believe in . . . obeying and sustaining the law", that clearly constitutes what we consider "sacred principle", and therefore I would argue Utah Mormon theaters who belive their "higher power' supercedes contractual law are distorting and being untrue to their own beliefs. The religious organization that is the LDS Church DOES NOT support that position.

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Reply #41 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:36pm

sparkledust Offline
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it's kind of distressing to see stage people argue for latitude in changing words. All plays are subject to the director's vision for staging, and much can be done to affect the impact of a playwright's words. But the script is supposed to be sacred.

They worked very hard for their art and in most cases have made very little money. To even argue that its okay to change, especially without getting approval is just mind boggling to me, and disrespectful to art in general.

And yes, it happens in Utah way too much. (Perhaps it happens elsewhere as well) But I would expect that here, the law would be followed, as well as the artist's wishes.

And I can't imagine anyone, least of all a theatre, would presume that cashing a royalty check would impact in any way a legal contract, any more than if I wrote "Last Payment - paid in full" on my mortgage payment check would shed my obligation to continue paying for my house.

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Reply #42 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:53pm

mr. spiker Offline
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I keep thinking about this issue, and didn't realize there was a thread ready-made.

There's no debate that you can't change the text without permission, assuming copyright holds. No argument can be made that it's OK.

What's interesting to me is the idea of the changes in general. Should the local theaters be doing changes at all?

My instinctive reaction is the secularlier-than-thou "how dare those religious zealtos change even one f-bomb" ... but I think I'm wrong on that. Working on Proof, we cut some language. The thing is, I think it was probably appropriate to the audience. The fact is, much "vulgarity" is there for flavor, for character. But that can be location-specific. The characters in Proof aren't particularly foul-mouthed, but would probably seem so to a Utah audience. I think it's an example where honoring the playwright's language may do a disservice to the playwright's intention.

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Reply #43 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:59pm

Wc365 Offline
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spiker wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 12:32pm:

Wc365 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 12:28pm:

Quote:

This is why we should all be doing more Shakespeare.

Pppppphlt!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Shakespeare. �In Utah. �Outside of Cedar City. �

Too funny.

Oh, wait. �I got another one: Opera in Weber County!

Kate--I'm going OT, feel free to delete or move or split or whatever you feel is appropriate.

I need some clarification on what is funny about this notion. �Is it that people won't come to see it? �They will. �They do. �Is it that the actors aren't talented enough to do Shakespeare outside of Cedar City? �They are. �Is it that producers won't support it? �They do.

Help me understand you.

Sorry. I'm speaking as one who live out in one of the more provin�ial regions of this provin�ial state.

I am well aware you and others on this board just completed what I am sure must have been a successful run of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I'm sure attendance was simply booming, and I'm sure the production team that put together your fine ensemble and staged this worthy show are top-notch and are probably planning, as we speak, to venture into some more of the Bard's gems.

However. From my vantage point, here in Weber/North Davis County, such opportunities are very rare, very far between, and with gas at $4 a gallon and the Frontrunner running at rather irregular intervals (and still not covering quite the range we'd like), rather expensive to attend, let alone participate. Put on a Shakespeare show in these parts, you're likely to get, "Never heard of it. Why doncha put on that one show with the cowboys and the farmers and that really creepy guy?"

No further comment.

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Reply #44 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 2:00pm

Wc365 Offline
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Tshep wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 12:35pm:

spiker wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 12:32pm:

Wc365 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 12:28pm:

Quote:

This is why we should all be doing more Shakespeare.

Pppppphlt!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Shakespeare. �In Utah. �Outside of Cedar City. �

Too funny.

Oh, wait. �I got another one: Opera in Weber County!

Kate--I'm going OT, feel free to delete or move or split or whatever you feel is appropriate.

I need some clarification on what is funny about this notion. �Is it that people won't come to see it? �They will. �They do. �Is it that the actors aren't talented enough to do Shakespeare outside of Cedar City? �They are. �Is it that producers won't support it? �They do.

Help me understand you.

Well... at least in Weber county, rodeo and cowboy poetry sells better.

Give the man a see-gar!

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Reply #45 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 2:16pm

Hedgehog Offline
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Wc365 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:59pm:

�Why doncha put on that one show with the cowboys and the farmers and that really creepy guy?"

How did you KNOW that's the show I gave up Midsummers to do?! Weird...

Things are rarely "just crazy enough to work," but they are frequently "just crazy enough to fail hilariously. &&&&

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Reply #46 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 2:25pm

RENTBOY Offline
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Hedgehog wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 2:16pm:

Wc365 wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:59pm:

�Why doncha put on that one show with the cowboys and the farmers and that really creepy guy?"

How did you KNOW that's the show I gave up Midsummers to do?! Weird...

and that show rocked....just so u know

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Reply #47 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 2:44pm

Tshep Offline
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just a little bit dirty.
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Quote:

Tshep wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 1:23pm:

[quote][quote author=RENTBOY link=1221847380/30#39 date=1222108739]
What is interesting is that religious organizations often seem to screw with copyright... could it be that these groups consider that their higher power supercedes contractual law.

If you're talking about community theaters in religious communites like Utah . . . yes, you're absolutely rihgt.

However, these are not true "religious organizations", they're community theaters made up of religious people. �For example, here we are talking mostly about Mormons who run community theaters. President Gordon B. Hinkley once said "You cannot had one sacred principal at the expense of another." Since one of the LDS Articles of Faith states "We believe in . . . obeying and sustaining the law", that clearly constitutes what we consider "sacred principle", and therefore I would argue Utah Mormon theaters who belive their "higher power' supercedes contractual law are distorting and being untrue to their own beliefs. The religious organization that is the LDS Church DOES NOT support that position.

Ah yes... good correction; thank you.

They say, best men are moulded out of faults; &&And, for the most, become much more the better &&For being a little bad.

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Reply #48 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 8:41pm

Redbeard Offline
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Once there was a young woman at BYU who was a playwright and had a few of her plays produced there at the BYU. Some pretty fun stuff. And clean. Kinda squeaky clean even. Some other university off in another state was producing one of her plays. When they flew her out for a week to see the show, she was appalled to discover that they had added a bunch of swearing to the play because her script just didn't feel realistic to them.

Everyone thinks they have the right. Everyone...everywhere.

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Reply #49 - Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 8:59pm

Hedgehog Offline
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Even God gets annoyed with it.

Quote:

Revelations 22:18-19 If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Of course, HE wasn't represented by Samuel French.

Things are rarely "just crazy enough to work," but they are frequently "just crazy enough to fail hilariously. &&&&

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