Brooke, it's still quite rare. As you noted, it's much more likely that adaptations of fairy tales and other public domain properties (i.e. Little Women, Sleeping Beauty) will show up at multiple publishers: each of us will have our own version by a different author.
You will also find on occasion that certain plays may have different licensing agents in different countries. For example, my friend Peter Colley has Canadian productions licensed by the Playwrights Guild of Canada, whereas Samuel French (and, I think, Samuel French London) represents his work elsewhere. There are a number of properties that have different licensing agents in the UK than in the US.
I wasn't aware that major titles like Godspell had multiple licensing agents for one territory. Usually, publishers want exclusive licensing rights (and with the internet and globalization, worldwide licensing rights), but my guess is in the case of particular projects, the way they came together created a few funky exceptions.
Cheers,
Jon
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Jonathan Dorf
Playwright/ Co-founder of YouthPLAYS/ Co-chair of The Alliance Of Los Angeles Playwrights
Los Angeles CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 22:46
From: Brooke Pierce
Subject: Theatre Maximus
Very interesting! I knew there were multiple versions of fairy tales and the like licensed by different companies, but never would have guessed properties like Godspell and Grease had more than one licensing agent. Thanks for the info!
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Brooke Pierce
New York NY
Sympathy Jones, the New Secret Agent Musical (www.sympathyjones.com)
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 08:27
From: Alan Strait
Subject: Theatre Maximus
It doesn't happen often but it does happen.
Grease is licensed by both Samuel French and Theatrical rights for example.
Cinderella and Peter Pan are both being newly released by MTI but are still licensed for Samuel French and Rodgers and Hammerstein
I know with plays it is more common because not as many resources go into the publication as in a musical.
What I find happens more often than not is finding different versions of the same basic story, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Little Women, etc.
With all licensing both sides have to find the deal to be mutually beneficial, and sometimes that deal is struck with more than one company, but it does rely on the contracts signed.
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Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2014 22:48
From: Brooke Pierce
Subject: Theatre Maximus
Just curious, does anyone know if any other shows are licensed by more than one company? I had never heard of such a thing before.
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Brooke Pierce
New York NY
Sympathy Jones, the New Secret Agent Musical (www.sympathyjones.com)
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2014 12:36
From: Brian Benz
Subject: Theatre Maximus
Hi, Stephen
Both MTI and Theatre Maximus licence Godspell. Theatre Maximus is legitimate; it's just a smaller publisher than MTI. I've been in two productions licensed by Theatre Maximus, To compare them, check out: http://www.musicalschwartz.com/godspell-productions.htm. There are several other great resources available on the same page.
Have a great season!
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Brian Benz
Membership Manager
Educational Theatre Association
Covington KY
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2014 18:20
From: Stephen Thompson
Subject: Theatre Maximus
Does mti or theatre Maximus license Godspell?...something about theatre Maximus seems shady.
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Stephen Thompson
Paris AR
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