Directors' copyright

Mark Shenton on The Stage Newsblog reflects on a New York Times article about the possibility of directors claiming copyright stagings of plays. In America, apparently, some directors are starting to resent seeing their productions ripped off by others.

But there are two sides to every story, and as the directorÂ’s art is interpretative rather than a primary creative one, playwrights are anxious not to have a director assert too much control over their contribution: as playwright John Weidman, president of the Dramatists Guild of America, commented, '“if a directors'’ copyright is ever established, it will drastically limit a playwright'’s ability to control the work which he creates.'”