Illegal Theatre in the DFW area

[mothmanismyboyfriend]

Posted: 2/5/21 at 4:12pm

Hey everyone, this is my first time posting here, and I am coming to you after a long search. At first I thought this theatre company was not real but now I have reason to believe they are real and are doing illegal productions. It all started when my friend who shall remain nameless said they were doing a production of Cabaret (1998 Version) of course I wanted to go support a friend and theatre in these trying times so I looked on concords website to see the show dates, and the show was not there. I emailed concord to see if it was a mistake but no one got back to me. My friend then said the production was cancelled due to Covid (why would you have picked Cabaret during a pandemic alludes me still however I can't judge) I started trying to find anything about this company and only found old deactivated twitters. I really hate to put a company on blast but I think it's very wrong that people are possibly getting away without giving playwrights and composers a paycheck. My other bits of evidence were my friend said they were doing Anne Frank in the summer (Again odd choice, especially for a summer show) I looked on dramatists, who has both popular versions of the script and again the name of theatre company did not come up. I also emailed and messaged dramatist who have gotten back to me and I believe they are working on it. Again I really hate to do this but I cannot let justice not be served. Especially because I believe this theatre charges tuition for its students. So they probably have money to spend they are just being cruel. Stories deserve to be told, that's a fact, but with theatre you have to do the proper steps to tell the stories and pay the people. Now I had a hard time finding anything on this theatre but if you happen to be in the DFW area and see the name "Backyard Players" on a poster, do not support it. Again I have some doubts that this theatre even exists but if it does it is definitely staying hidden because of this activity. If anyone else knows where I can report them so they at least learn a lesson on paying people their dues that would be great. Anyway I hate to be a narc but playwrights barely get enough credit as it is and I would hate to them cheated like this thank you. 

Updated On: 2/5/21 at 04:12 PM

[Huss417]

Posted: 2/5/21 at 5:12pm

How would a "hidden" theatre be able to make any money? How would anyone be able to attend a "hidden" theatre? 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/5/21 at 6:41pm

1. Paragraphs and spacing are a real thing, so use them in the future.

2. Sweetheart, it's clear that your friend is a liar. No theater, ever, puts on major shows yet somehow is underground and hidden in a basement somewhere. That is not how businesses and making money work. Get better friends is my advice to you. 

Updated On: 2/5/21 at 06:41 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/5/21 at 8:26pm

Since the 2 productions you mention didn't actually come to fruition...there isn't much for you TO do. A production not scheduled until summer, very well may not have paid rights and royalties yet. Technically, you aren't allowed to announce, audition or rehearse until they have been paid, but its not something that I've ever seen them go after.

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/6/21 at 9:24am

I’ve seen it happen; a company I was attached to once announced their season before everything was paid, someone ratted to MTI and Tams Witmark, and they had to cancel the whole season and do a mix of original programming and public domain/lesser company stuff instead. It was no good.