Copyright Question

<p>Some people I know are doing "Wicked The Musical" and they are getting people to play in the orchestra. And they are advertising, but I am 99.9% sure they do not have the rights, as this is a group of stuck-up teenagers. So is this illegal, and if so, who do I report them too, so that they can be shut down or whatever.</p>

<p>It is absolutely illegal - the question becomes WHO to report it to - normally it would be whoever holds the rights (MTI, Tams-Witmark, etc), BUT I don't believe the rights have even been obtained by any of the companies yet. The licensers have contracts with various people who check papers and online - if shows are advertised and the license hasn't been obtained, they have been known to go in and shut down shows, or fine the groups heavily.</p>

<p>I checked and the rights are not out yet, and won't be for awhile.</p>

<p>You can contact Stephen Schwartz at <a href="mailto:schwartz@stephenschwartz.com">schwartz@stephenschwartz.com</a> or Michael Cole who is Stephen's assistant at <a href="mailto:michaelcole@stephenschwartz.com">michaelcole@stephenschwartz.com</a>. You're right that the show rights have not yet been acquired, although they'll probably go to MTI.</p>