A licence to thrill

Back when I was at school, the most exciting event of the year was undoubtedly the announcement of the school musical. The anticipation grew as we speculated over the auditions and crossed our fingers for a reputable role. Once casted, the madness would continue, staying up late into the night, reciting lines as we counted down the days until the big opening. As a 10-year-old, I jealously watched my sister perform in an unforgettably lively and surprisingly professional secondary school performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. In Bugsy Malone, I floated around in my shimmery dress, tap shoes and feather boa, staring in awe at the sultry sixth former singing ‘My name is Tallulah’. In Robin Hood, (yes, there really is a musical), I tugged at my bonnet and boisterously belted out ‘Sheriff Sheriff you're no good, no you ain't no Robin Hood’. The joys of school musicals have no bounds – at least for students. For teachers, on the other hand, staging a musical, while undoubtedly rewarding, can at times be a headache to organise – and that's before you've even begun to consider the issue of licensing.

Easy to navigate

The Musical Company is a prominent musical licensing provider in the UK, making it an expert on the process. ‘Licensing can seem daunting,’ Laura Burch, the head of amateur licensing and development tells me, ‘especially for teachers who haven't done it before.’ The Musical Company, which is the website of The Really Useful Group, aims to simplify the process, providing all the information you could ever need to know on their impressive and detailed website.

When conducting my research, it didn't take long to discover that two of the most popular shows in the UK are Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat – nothing has changed since my day – and School of Rock, an adaptation of the much-loved film starring Jack Black as a substitute music teacher at an elite private elementary school. Unsurprisingly, as both are Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, gaining the licence for both can be done via the company.

Burch explains how both are popular in schools since they cater to a variety of abilities. The Musical Company offers backing track packages for these productions, aimed at schools with a limited number of musicians. They also provide digital scripts and resources for their productions, meaning they can be printed in school without fretting over lost copies.

A wealth of information and resources

The fact that musical licensing companies are now based online is a blessing. As I perused The Musical Company's options for the Cats license, I was offered the chance to read the full synopsis, view the cast and their vocal requirements, discover the instrumentation list, explore the press reception of various performances of the musical, and even learn more about the production in a trivia section. I felt reassured and fully informed by the time I finally clicked, ‘License and other costs.’

Licensing comes in two parts: firstly, you buy the licence to perform the musical, and secondly, you obtain the music and material hire, such as additional information to guide the teachers producing the show. The price of the performing licence is based on expected ticket sales, while the material hire tends to be based on how long you will be using the material, and depends on the version you wish to use – for example, a backing track and a score for a live band will be priced differently. In some cases, the musical comes as a package, meaning that you can simply pay up front for the entire score and all of the promotional and supportive materials–in the case of The Musical Company, this costs roughly £400 plus VAT.

The Musical Company is one of four businesses which together comprise the international agency, Concord Theatricals. Tams Witmark is another company under Concord, which offers an equally simple process – on its website, you select one of a never-ending variety of shows and enter information, such as the capacity of your school theatre and the expected number of attendees. You will then promptly receive an email with a quote.

MTI Shows – run by Music Theatre International and particularly aimed at educational theatre – is another popular musical license company, so popular in fact, that its musicals reach an audience of six million people per year in Europe alone, not to mention 25 million in North America. It offers an informative, easy to navigate website, such as a straight-to-the-point description of what is to be included in the materials and license purchases.

Its licensing guidelines, clearly laid out on one page, explain in what context the specific license can be used – for example, whether it is suitable for either primary or secondary schools, and if it can only be performed by an amateur group. Other specifics are covered, such as the audience size that the licence permits – fortunately, MTI's Les Misírables School Edition allows up to 15,000 to watch the show, so there's probably room for those extended family members. The website also makes clear that any flyers produced must use the specific logo provided by MTI.

A particularly helpful feature on MTI's website is the ‘Cost Estimator’ in which you enter any necessary information, such as your anticipated ticket price and the number of performances, allowing it to immediately work out the approximate licensing cost of your chosen musical – a handy tool to avoid prices stacking up. Another useful tool to take advantage of is the ‘Marketplace’ feature, which suggests several websites that could provide schools with the likes of props, costumes and scenery.

Since all the licensing agencies provide a personalised quote, as well as a wealth of information on the process, the teacher is left with little to worry about. My journey through the world of musical licensing left me reassured, and thankful that we live in a digital age.

©Eliza Wilmot Photography 

The Musical Company provides readymade backing tracks

For more information on licensing and prices visit: mtishows.co.uk or concord.com/theatricals