PERFORMANCE RIGHTS FOR AUDITION SCENES AND MONOLOGUES

Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition material should be selected from the following:
• Public domain material (non-copyrighted material)
• Material written for or by the candidate
• Material for which permission of the rights holder can be secured
Written proof of permission from the rights holder must be presented at each level of Irene Ryan Auditions for any material that has not previously been designated as available (see rights holders' information below). Once you receive written permission, you must provide A COPY at each round of festival auditions (keep the original secured in your possession at festival, as this is a legal document entitling you to perform the piece. Any royalty fee(s) for material performed in the auditions is the sole responsibility of the nominee. Be advised that if a royalty fee is required, it must be paid prior to receiving written permission to perform the material. Please plan accordingly.

Performers should seriously consider that when internal cuts and the realignment of text are made to scenes or monologues, there is the risk of significantly altering the interpretation of the dramatic idea of the play
and the author's intent. Most authors would not support such an action, even for an audition.  Both coaches and students are reminded that they assume the liability should any rights holder choose to formally complain about the way the material is used. 

Remember that many plays that may be in the public domain in their original language ARE NOT in the public domain when translated into English.  If you wish to perform a translation of a play not originally written in English, make certain that the rights are available for that translation and, if necessary, obtain written permission and pay whatever royalty is required.

To find the publisher of a particular play, go to the following website: www.findaplay.com

Once you ascertain who the publisher is, then go to the section for that publisher (below) and follow the instructions specific to that company.
If the play you have selected is handled by an agency not listed below, you MUST contact that agent to secure written permission to perform your selection.

SMITH AND KRAUS
http://www.smithkraus.com
Most Smith and Kraus collections and monologue books include a blanket permission statement for audition use. These collections provide a loophole if you're desperate to perform a piece listed on Sam French's "red light” list of plays. Remember, however, the particular piece you're interested in performing MUST be found in one of these collections that include blanket permission.  You must provide evidence of this at the check-in for each round at festival, so please BRING THE BOOK with you.

BROADWAY PLAY PUBLISHING, INC.
http://www.broadwayplaypubl.com/
ALL plays for which Broadway Play Publishing, Inc. represents the stage rights (unless designated "restricted" in the catalogue description) may be used in the Irene Ryan Auditions with NO ROYALTY or WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED , provided the excerpt taken from the play is performed in its entirety (no internal cutting).
http://www.samuelfrench.com

SAMUEL FRENCH
DO NOT SEND Samuel French, Inc. an application for the REGIONAL festival level. You may perform selections from any “green light” title at the regional level without written permission or paying a royalty fee.
If the piece you're interested in is by one of these playwrights or on the “red light” list (see below), consider it unavailable for use in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition; unless a specific title from one of these playwrights appears on the “green light” list (click this link).  All titles on the “green light” list are available for use.
If the Samuel French piece you're interested in using is not by one of the playwrights listed below and does not appear on the “red light” list and does not appear on the “green light” list - you must e-mail IreneRyanAuditions@samuelfrench.com for approval.  Be sure to include your name, the name of the piece you're requesting, and your school affiliation.
A royalty payment is required only if you advance to the NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FINALS in Washington D.C.

The following are authors that appear on our “red light” list (click this link), plays by these authors are generally not available for Irene Ryan acting auditions.  Please note, however, that some of these playwrights have plays published by other publishing houses, which would make them available to you for the Ryan auditions.

DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC.
http://www.dramatists.com/
DO NOT SEND Dramatists an application for the REGIONAL festival level. You may perform selections from any Dramatist play, EXCEPT the works of EDWARD ALBEE & SAMUEL BECKETT, at the regional level without written permission or paying a royalty fee. However, if you progress to the NATIONAL finals at the Kennedy Center, you MUST apply for and receive written permission from Dramatists to perform the piece(s).  FYI: this must be a quick turnaround, so don't delay if advanced to national finals!

DRAMATIC PUBLISHING
www.dramaticpublishing.com
APPROVED material for use in Ryan Scholarship Auditions: OPEN IN NEW WEB PAGE or as a PDF FILE
Any of their properties not appearing on this list are to be considered red-light.
There is no charge for use in Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions.

ICM
http://www.icmtalent.com/noflash.html
Permission will be granted with no royalty fee for all of the playwrights represented by ICM who are not handled by any of the major houses (Samuel French, Dramatists Play Service, etc.).  To use a piece from an unpublished work (but it appears in a collection for example), a letter requesting permission, and a subsequent response by ICM, is required.  No royalty will be necessary, but permission is required.
40 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
(212) 556-5600

PLAYWRIGHTS GUILD OF CANADA
All properties are available with no royalty charges, and no written permission is required.
PGC
54 Wolseley St. 2nd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada, M5T 1A5
(416) 703.0201
(416) 703.0059 (fax)
orders@playwrightsguild.ca

TAMS-WITMARK
http://www.tams-witmark.com
DO NOT CALL TAMS-WITMARK! If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school (check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification). If not, you may not perform the piece.
Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.
560 Lexington Ave.
New York, NY  10022
(212) 688-5656 - fax

MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI)
http://www.mtishows.com
If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school. Check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification.

ROGERS & HAMMERSTEIN MUSIC LIBRARY
http://www.rnh.com/theatricals/index.php
The creation and use of an excerpt or any other adaptation of a copyrighted work without the express authorization of the authors or their agents is a violation of copyright law. When available, R & H is happy to license excerpts, scene cuttings or individual songs for participation in theatre auditions and festivals.  You must advise R&H of the nature of the specific excerpt or cutting, along with the dates, place and number of performances to be presented in the initial audition and, if approved, R&H will issue the appropriate Special License. They ask that you keep them informed of subsequent auditions should you move on to the next level, and they will amend the license accordingly. They cannot, under any condition, grant permission to omit the score from one of our musicals for presentation as a straight play.
If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school. Check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification.  Otherwise, you must obtain written permission from:
R&H THEATRICALS
229 West 28th St. 11th floor
New York, NY 10001
(800) 400-8160
(212) 268-1245 - fax
theatre@rnh.com

PLAYSCRIPTS, INC.
Currently, royalties are waived for the performance of *excerpts lasting less than 10 minutes* at adjudicated school theatrical festivals or auditions, unless otherwise noted. These particular performances, and only these, are automatically authorized by the playwright when you purchase books from Playscripts.  (Note: Any other cuttings must receive prior approval from Playscripts.) For more information, visit: http://www.playscripts.com/rights

JUDY BOALS, INC.
All properties are available with no royalty charge , and no written permission is required.
judybbf@earthlink.net
208 West 30th Street Rm 401
New York, NY 10001

(212) 868-1068 (212) 868-1052