While I could be wrong, frankly I'd be very surprised if they had permission from the underlying rights holders to create the adaptation. While very occasionally someone will allow a one-off performance, typically publishers and estates are typically very tight when it comes to adaptation rights of well-known titles; they want you to license their sanctioned adaptation, because they make money on it. In this case, the Nigel Williams version is that adaptation. And from personal experience, I don't see these particular rights holders as being inclined to be flexible.
I think this is an important caution for all when it comes to adaptation: unless it's in the public domain (and this needs careful checking, because the laws have changed over the years), you can't simply adapt that favorite novel, no matter how good your intentions.
If I had to guess, I'd say what happened here is that they did the adaptation without considering the rights situation, and then nobody at the competition level thought to check on the underlying rights (they simply saw it was an "original" script), which admittedly is a little more esoteric than just checking to see if you have a license from a play publisher.
I hope I'm wrong and they got permission, but if you do go that route, it's up to you to do due diligence and check.
Cheers,
Jonathan
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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: 04-16-2015 09:39
From: Bruce Taws
Subject: Lord of the Flies Adaptation
A local high school wrote their own one-act adaptation and took it to state competition with straight superiors. You might want to contact them and see if they would let you use their adaptation. It was called "The Beehive". Don't want to use their names if they don't want to give permission, but I can put you in contact with them, if you like. It was very good and captured the spirit of the original story.
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Bruce Taws
Panama City FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-15-2015 10:53
From: Jonathan Dorf
Subject: Lord of the Flies Adaptation
Hi Kimberly,
I actually directed the North American premiere of the Nigel Williams adaptation back in the 90s. I'd looked into doing my own adaptation, but after a lot of going back and forth with the folks who controlled the rights (and it was tricky to find out just who had stage rights), it turned out that the Nigel Williams version was being developed and was premiering at the RSC, I believe. So...I had to wait a bit and then got permission to stage it at The Haverford School, where I was then working.
I have mixed feelings about the adaptation, and I would have loved to have written my own. But my sense is that the estate is only going to ever allow the one, and it will be all male.
Best,
Jonathan
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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: 04-14-2015 22:03
From: Kimberly Taylor
Subject: Lord of the Flies Adaptation
Hi,
I'm wondering if there is another another adaptation of Lord of the Flies around besides the Nigel Williams one? Has anyone done an all female version of that or another adaptation of it? Thanks.
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Kimberly Taylor
Oakland CA
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