Open Forum

I have recently stared work on our final production, William Inge's Picnic. While preparing my season I read the original 1953 version that was published by Grove Press called William Inge Four Plays (Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, Bus Stop, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). 

I fell in love with the script. So I went to Dramatists to apply for the nonprofessional rights and ordered 15 scripts for myself, crew, and cast. While reading the script in the read-through for the first rehearsal, we all noticed that the original script is very different than the one Dramatists gives out. The scripts we received were updated in 1981, and 1983 (10 years after Inge had passed). 

This new version attempts to be more relevant to contemporary audiences (I am assuming) in that several period details and idioms have been changed or omitted. Also, entire scenes have been virtually re-written (and not for the better). 

My students are disappointed and want to produce the original script because they feel the poetry of the words, and the characters are more defined than the new script. 

So here are my concerns and questions, and I would love feedback. 

How can you "update" a pulitzer prize winning play without the playwright's permission after they are dead? Why add paint to the Mona Lisa? 

Dramatists has nothing on their website about this revised edition, so when you order the script you believe you are getting the original version. WHY??!?!?!

Has anyone produced Picnic and encountered the same struggle and what did you do?




-------------------------------------------
Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director

-------------------------------------------

There are often many versions of older plays out there. Some plays have "reading" versions that are not intended for performance. Inge is either represented by his estate or his publisher.
I say pay your royalties, then perform whichever version you want. From a strictly financial point of view, copyrighting a "new" version extends the amount of time until the play goes to public domain.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Fremont High School
Sunnyvale, CA
-------------------------------------------





Original Message:
Sent: 02-07-2014 12:15
From: Brian Gehrlein
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

I have recently stared work on our final production, William Inge's Picnic. While preparing my season I read the original 1953 version that was published by Grove Press called William Inge Four Plays (Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, Bus Stop, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). 

I fell in love with the script. So I went to Dramatists to apply for the nonprofessional rights and ordered 15 scripts for myself, crew, and cast. While reading the script in the read-through for the first rehearsal, we all noticed that the original script is very different than the one Dramatists gives out. The scripts we received were updated in 1981, and 1983 (10 years after Inge had passed). 

This new version attempts to be more relevant to contemporary audiences (I am assuming) in that several period details and idioms have been changed or omitted. Also, entire scenes have been virtually re-written (and not for the better). 

My students are disappointed and want to produce the original script because they feel the poetry of the words, and the characters are more defined than the new script. 

So here are my concerns and questions, and I would love feedback. 

How can you "update" a pulitzer prize winning play without the playwright's permission after they are dead? Why add paint to the Mona Lisa? 

Dramatists has nothing on their website about this revised edition, so when you order the script you believe you are getting the original version. WHY??!?!?!

Has anyone produced Picnic and encountered the same struggle and what did you do?




-------------------------------------------
Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director

-------------------------------------------

I can't disagree with Billy Houck more. When you contract to present a script you contract to present the script as written, the script the licensing company issues. To not honor the contract is unethical. Anytime I need to change anything in a script I email the company and request permission. I have yet to be told no. 


-------------------------------------------
John Perry
Drama/ Humanities Instructor

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-08-2014 11:08
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

There are often many versions of older plays out there. Some plays have "reading" versions that are not intended for performance. Inge is either represented by his estate or his publisher.
I say pay your royalties, then perform whichever version you want. From a strictly financial point of view, copyrighting a "new" version extends the amount of time until the play goes to public domain.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Fremont High School
Sunnyvale, CA
-------------------------------------------





Original Message:
Sent: 02-07-2014 12:15
From: Brian Gehrlein
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

I have recently stared work on our final production, William Inge's Picnic. While preparing my season I read the original 1953 version that was published by Grove Press called William Inge Four Plays (Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, Bus Stop, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). 

I fell in love with the script. So I went to Dramatists to apply for the nonprofessional rights and ordered 15 scripts for myself, crew, and cast. While reading the script in the read-through for the first rehearsal, we all noticed that the original script is very different than the one Dramatists gives out. The scripts we received were updated in 1981, and 1983 (10 years after Inge had passed). 

This new version attempts to be more relevant to contemporary audiences (I am assuming) in that several period details and idioms have been changed or omitted. Also, entire scenes have been virtually re-written (and not for the better). 

My students are disappointed and want to produce the original script because they feel the poetry of the words, and the characters are more defined than the new script. 

So here are my concerns and questions, and I would love feedback. 

How can you "update" a pulitzer prize winning play without the playwright's permission after they are dead? Why add paint to the Mona Lisa? 

Dramatists has nothing on their website about this revised edition, so when you order the script you believe you are getting the original version. WHY??!?!?!

Has anyone produced Picnic and encountered the same struggle and what did you do?




-------------------------------------------
Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director

-------------------------------------------

Paying royalties for William Inge's "Picnic" to the authorized publisher then presenting the author's original instead of a version that was updated after the author's death is about as "unethical" as driving over the posted speed limit.

But by all means, tell Dramatists you plan to use the original text.

If this forum is going to devolve into name-calling, I quit.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2014 17:51
From: John Perry
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good


I can't disagree with Billy Houck more. When you contract to present a script you contract to present the script as written, the script the licensing company issues. To not honor the contract is unethical. Anytime I need to change anything in a script I email the company and request permission. I have yet to be told no. 


-------------------------------------------
John Perry
Drama/ Humanities Instructor

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-08-2014 11:08
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

There are often many versions of older plays out there. Some plays have "reading" versions that are not intended for performance. Inge is either represented by his estate or his publisher.
I say pay your royalties, then perform whichever version you want. From a strictly financial point of view, copyrighting a "new" version extends the amount of time until the play goes to public domain.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Fremont High School
Sunnyvale, CA
-------------------------------------------





Original Message:
Sent: 02-07-2014 12:15
From: Brian Gehrlein
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

I have recently stared work on our final production, William Inge's Picnic. While preparing my season I read the original 1953 version that was published by Grove Press called William Inge Four Plays (Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, Bus Stop, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). 

I fell in love with the script. So I went to Dramatists to apply for the nonprofessional rights and ordered 15 scripts for myself, crew, and cast. While reading the script in the read-through for the first rehearsal, we all noticed that the original script is very different than the one Dramatists gives out. The scripts we received were updated in 1981, and 1983 (10 years after Inge had passed). 

This new version attempts to be more relevant to contemporary audiences (I am assuming) in that several period details and idioms have been changed or omitted. Also, entire scenes have been virtually re-written (and not for the better). 

My students are disappointed and want to produce the original script because they feel the poetry of the words, and the characters are more defined than the new script. 

So here are my concerns and questions, and I would love feedback. 

How can you "update" a pulitzer prize winning play without the playwright's permission after they are dead? Why add paint to the Mona Lisa? 

Dramatists has nothing on their website about this revised edition, so when you order the script you believe you are getting the original version. WHY??!?!?!

Has anyone produced Picnic and encountered the same struggle and what did you do?




-------------------------------------------
Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director

-------------------------------------------

With all due respect, I apologize if I offended anyone by saying that not adhering to the contract you signed as unethical. 

-------------------------------------------
John Perry
Drama/ Humanities Instructor
Atherton High School


-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2014 19:31
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

Paying royalties for William Inge's "Picnic" to the authorized publisher then presenting the author's original instead of a version that was updated after the author's death is about as "unethical" as driving over the posted speed limit.

But by all means, tell Dramatists you plan to use the original text.

If this forum is going to devolve into name-calling, I quit.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2014 17:51
From: John Perry
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good


I can't disagree with Billy Houck more. When you contract to present a script you contract to present the script as written, the script the licensing company issues. To not honor the contract is unethical. Anytime I need to change anything in a script I email the company and request permission. I have yet to be told no. 


-------------------------------------------
John Perry
Drama/ Humanities Instructor

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 02-08-2014 11:08
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

There are often many versions of older plays out there. Some plays have "reading" versions that are not intended for performance. Inge is either represented by his estate or his publisher.
I say pay your royalties, then perform whichever version you want. From a strictly financial point of view, copyrighting a "new" version extends the amount of time until the play goes to public domain.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Fremont High School
Sunnyvale, CA
-------------------------------------------





Original Message:
Sent: 02-07-2014 12:15
From: Brian Gehrlein
Subject: Updated Version of Picnic Not Good

I have recently stared work on our final production, William Inge's Picnic. While preparing my season I read the original 1953 version that was published by Grove Press called William Inge Four Plays (Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, Bus Stop, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs). 

I fell in love with the script. So I went to Dramatists to apply for the nonprofessional rights and ordered 15 scripts for myself, crew, and cast. While reading the script in the read-through for the first rehearsal, we all noticed that the original script is very different than the one Dramatists gives out. The scripts we received were updated in 1981, and 1983 (10 years after Inge had passed). 

This new version attempts to be more relevant to contemporary audiences (I am assuming) in that several period details and idioms have been changed or omitted. Also, entire scenes have been virtually re-written (and not for the better). 

My students are disappointed and want to produce the original script because they feel the poetry of the words, and the characters are more defined than the new script. 

So here are my concerns and questions, and I would love feedback. 

How can you "update" a pulitzer prize winning play without the playwright's permission after they are dead? Why add paint to the Mona Lisa? 

Dramatists has nothing on their website about this revised edition, so when you order the script you believe you are getting the original version. WHY??!?!?!

Has anyone produced Picnic and encountered the same struggle and what did you do?




-------------------------------------------
Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director

-------------------------------------------

The original poster says the play was revised in 1981 and 1983, some ten years after the author's death.  That may be a misinterpretation of the 1981 and 1983 dates at the top of the acting edition's copyright notice.

According the Dramatists' acting edition, the play was originally copyrighted in 1953 and 1955.  In those days, copyrights held effect for twenty-eight years, and could be renewed once, for a total of fifty-six years of copyright protection.  (This has since been overhauled and changed by Congress.)  Since 1953 and 1981are twenty-eight years apart, as are 1955 and 1983, and those copyrights were taken out by Inge's sister, Helene Connell, I assume that she inherited the rights to the plays when he died, and was simply renewing what was by then her copyright on them.

If you notice discrepancies between the reading text and the acting edition, I would guess that the reading text is the original 1953 form of the script, and that the acting edition refers to the 1955 copyright.  Presumably Inge himself revised the script a couple of years after its first performance.  Inge fought with the play's original director over rewrites that the director demanded ... maybe the play was first published as performed on Broadway, and Inge went back later and republished it "his" way.  That has certainly happened with other plays, perhaps most notably with Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

You may certainly ask Dramatists if you can get permission to perform the other version.  However, authors (and their designated heirs) do hold intellectual-property rights to their scripts as long as they remain in copyright, and the revisions to American copyright law would almost certainly mean that this play is still under copyright.  If the author or his/her designated heir(s) won't grant permission, and you license a production of the play, you are obligated to perform the text as provided by the licensing agent.

-------------------------------------------
Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville, FL