Librettos in your program

[PennybankBill]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 7:34pm

I believe it has been done at opera houses where your program not only comes with cast and crew listings, but also the entirety of the opera's libretto. I was just wondering if anyone else would think it a good idea to do the same for Broadway Musicals and plays?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:09pm

You pay separately for the libretti. You do so because the performance is usually in a non-English language.

You're also talking about libretti that, in the main, were written over a century ago.

[PennybankBill]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:10pm

Thanks for the correction. I still think it'd be a great souvenir.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:12pm

It might, but companies who publish these things, like Applause or TCR, might not like it too much.

[PennybankBill]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:22pm

It's just that those shows that don't get published, it would be a good souvenir for them.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:32pm

There's no way for them to make money by offering the libretto for free in the playbill so they won't do it.

And anyway there aren't a lot of librettos that you can't trade for on-line. Most of them are out there if you want them.

[PennybankBill]

Posted: 7/27/11 at 8:44pm

In the words of Ed Mcmahon, "You are correct, Sir!"

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 7:51am

As someone who writes for the theater on occasion, I say "No!" It's especially tough with comedy.

I wrote the libretto for an oratorio that was done in Los Angeles and since they liked the script, they printed it in the program (with my permission). Instead of the audience bonding and reacting as one, we ended up with 1500 people reading at different speeds and laughing at punchlines before they were sung.

(I should add that people who kept their programs closed and just listened carefully liked the piece just as much, if not better.)

Never again.
Updated On: 7/28/11 at 07:51 AM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 9:46am

While visiting Australia many years ago (1987 to be precise) the script to the play I saw at the Melbourne Theatre Company was published in the program which, as programs are in Oz, only available to buy. Then it was about A$8.50.

So there is a precedent for it, just not for free.

A new play that I saw at the Shaw Festival maybe in 2005 or so was also available for purchase separately from the program the day after the premiere. It was like the print was set and all that needed to happen was the press of a button after the author said "Done".

Now if I could only remember the names of these plays....

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/28/11 at 1:38pm

I want folks watching the performance, not reading during it.