Putting the Show Together and Taking it on the Road: Copyright, the Appropriate Protection for Theatrical Scenic and Costume Designs
![handle is hein.journals/syrlr40 and id is 1105 raw text is: PUTTING THE SHOW TOGETHER AND TAKING
IT ON THE ROAD: COPYRIGHT, THE
APPROPRIATE PROTECTION FOR
THEATRICAL SCENIC AND COSTUME
DESIGNS
... there came softlyfrom the upper part of the heavens, a huge
cloud of various colors... which descending in the midst of the
scene opened, and within it was a transparent brightness of thin ex-
halations, such as the gods are feigned to descend in: in the most
eminent place of which her Majesty sat,.., environed with her mar-
tial ladies... The Queen's Majesty and her ladies were in Amazo-
nian habits of Carnation, embroidered with silver, with plumed
helms, baldricks with antique swords hanging by their sides, all as
rich as might be, but the strangeness of the habit was most
admired.I
I. INTRODUCTION
Theatre is my life and I love it! All the world's a stage!2
Throughout history, people have fallen prey to the arms of the
Temptress, Theatre. Backstage, stories are told and retold by genera-
tions of I.A.T.S.E.3 stage technicians who have kept detailed mental
records of all of the events relating to life in the theatre. Recently, a
costume designer at a Central New York LORT4 theatre recounted a
1. O.E. BRCCKETT, HISTORY OF THE THEATRE 222-23 (4th ed. 1982) (citing II
THE DRAMATIC WORKS OF SIR WILLIAM D'AVENANT, Salmacida Spolia, (London
1872)).
2. See B. STEVENSON, THE HOME BOOK OF SHAKESPEARE QUOTATIONS 1729 (ar-
ranged & ed. 1965).
3. Theatre is a unionized industry. Professional stage technicians belong to the In-
ternational Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Opera-
tors [hereinafter I.A.T.S.E.]. See H. BURRIS-MEYER & E. COLE, SCENERY FOR THE
THEATRE 29 (rev. ed. 1971) [hereinafter BURRIS-MEYER & COLE, SCENERY FOR THE
THEATRE]; see also R. COHEN, THEATRE 431 (1981) [hereinafter COHEN, THEATRE].
4. The League of Resident Theatres (LORT) is an unincorporated association of
non-profit resident theatre companies. LORT operates as an independent entity in the
theatre communities across the United States. LORT categorizes theatres according to
size and predicted box office gross. There are currently six categories of classifications:
A, B+, B, Cl, C2 and D. See United Scenic Artists and League of Resident Theatres
Agreement, 1987-92, at art. III [hereinafter USA-LORT Agreement] (available at Syra-
cuse University College of Law, H. Douglas Barclay Law Library).
1089](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/syrlr40&div=44&collection=journals&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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