COPYRIGHT ON STAGE: PROTECTING THE DIRECTIONS BEHIND THE PERFORMANCE

Authors

• Eliana Sakin

Document Type

Comment

Abstract

In this comment, the author argues that theatrical stage directions should be recognized as copyrightable material under the U.S. Copyright Act, primarily by categorizing them as "choreographic works". Sakin highlights that while the 1976 Copyright Act explicitly protects choreography and pantomimes, stage directions—which serve as the "blueprints" for a production's blocking, technical cues, and artistic mood—currently exist in a legal gray area. Through an analysis of historical context and industry disputes, such as the Urinetown and The Most Happy Fella settlements, the author illustrates a growing industry recognition of a director’s staging as a protectable, original contribution, despite the lack of binding judicial precedent. Ultimately, Sakin contends that formalizing these protections would align the law with the public perception of creative movement as artistic expression and safeguard the creative labor of directors in an increasingly digital performance landscape.

First Page

179

Last Page

212

Recommended Citation

Eliana Sakin, COPYRIGHT ON STAGE: PROTECTING THE DIRECTIONS BEHIND THE PERFORMANCE, 19 J. Bus. Entrepreneurship & L. 179 (2026)
Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/jbel/vol19/iss1/6