| Musicals have been the backbone of community | | | | performance rights for the composition to other |
| entertainment for generations. Ever since music | | | | students of the institution. Another potential issue |
| was first added to theatre followed by song, | | | | is that because the composers are themselves |
| audiences have clamored for more. Musicals fueled | | | | still students, availability of quality productions is |
| the golden age of Hollywood and despite the | | | | low. Quality scripts can be produced by students, |
| development of film, television, and the Internet, | | | | but it would be unusual for students to give for |
| musicals have remained the most celebrated form | | | | free musical scripts that could be sold to |
| of classic entertainment. The number of musicals | | | | established professionals. |
| running on Broadway and in movie theaters had | | | | An alternate source of musical scripts for less |
| waned for a number of years, but after several | | | | than professional prices is the Internet. The |
| huge box office successes in recent years | | | | Internet is both infamous and generous as a |
| including Chicago and High School Musical, musicals | | | | source for information and free stuff. The search |
| are back on the rise. | | | | begins with a search engine which will give the |
| Aspiring actors are now seeking experience in | | | | user a number of relevant websites containing |
| musical theatre with renewed vigor. However, it is | | | | musical scripts or information on how to acquire |
| one thing to attend a class, and another to give | | | | royalty free productions. The dangers with |
| an actual performance. Like every other form of | | | | searching for musical scripts include using a script |
| popular entertainment, licenses for shows are not | | | | from a website that did not have the legal right |
| cheap and usually too much for a small troupe to | | | | to make the production available. It is best to only |
| afford. The troupe is left with few options other | | | | deal with websites that can verify the licenses |
| than writing their own material which requires a | | | | and intellectual rights involved in using one of their |
| set of skills artists early in their musical theatre | | | | free musical scripts. |
| careers might not possess. Fortunately, there are | | | | Acquiring scripts for a small troupe that cannot |
| sources of free musical scripts available. | | | | afford the licenses of established productions is |
| If an acting troupe does not include a member | | | | difficult. Colleges and art schools could be sources |
| with a sense for composition, then that troupe | | | | for interesting musicals as could the Internet and |
| must look for someone who does. Colleges and | | | | a website dealing in royalty free scripts. If the |
| professional art schools are a great source for | | | | troupe or the one person chosen to lead the |
| composers interested in seeing their play come to | | | | search is diligent and careful, a gem of a script |
| life before they try to sell the composition. | | | | can be found that will both challenge the actors |
| Unfortunately, some colleges and schools lay claim | | | | and give them the opportunity to experience |
| to the creations of their students when it comes | | | | putting together a full musical production. |
| to class assignments and will only allow | | | | |