To get performance rights for a musical, you need to find the company that controls the performance rights for the exact title you want to produce, check that the rights are available for your location and dates, and submit a licensing application with details about your production.
Most musical licensing applications can now be completed online. You'll usually be asked for information such as your organisation, venue, performance dates, number of performances, audience capacity and ticket prices.
If the rights are available, the licensing company will review your application and provide an agreement, quote or licensing offer setting out the rights you're being granted, the royalties you'll pay and any production materials included or available.
The important distinction is:
Submitting a licensing application isn't the same as securing the performance rights.
Wait until your rights have been approved and you've completed the licensing company's requirements before publicly announcing the show, selling tickets or beginning a production on the assumption that the rights will be available.
Musical performance rights are permission from the rights holder to publicly perform a copyrighted musical.
Musicals contain copyrighted material including the script, music and lyrics. In the United States,copyright owners have the exclusive right to authorise public performances of dramatic and musical works, subject to particular statutory exceptions and limitations.
For schools, youth theatres and community theatres, these rights are generally obtained through the theatrical licensing company or publisher authorised to license that particular musical.
A musical theatre license normally applies to a specific production, rather than giving your organisation permanent permission to perform the show.
Your agreement may specify the exact title and version you're producing, your organisation and venue, approved performance dates, number of performances, territory and other conditions of the license.
So, if you license a musical for your school's 2027 production, that doesn't automatically give the school permission to produce it again in 2030. The new production would generally need to be licensed separately.
There are some providers now that providing licensing as a subscription model, giving you access to a whole a catalogue for one flat fee. These can be helpful for schools and studios, but you're unlikely to find any big well-known titles with these providers. This article doesn't explore this model as honestly we don't know that much about it.
Start with the exact musical you want to perform and identify the publisher or licensing company that controls its performance rights in your territory.
Different publishers control different musicals. There can also be multiple stage adaptations of the same underlying story, licensed by completely different companies.
This is particularly important with familiar stories such as Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland or The Wizard of Oz.
Finding a company that licenses a Peter Pan musical does not mean you've found the company that licenses the particular adaptation you want to perform.
Search using the exact title and writers where possible, and confirm the information on the publisher or licensing company's official website.
Independent theatre organisations can also help you identify publishers and rights holders. The American Association of Community Theatre, for example, maintains a Play Sources directory of publishers and licensing houses, ranging from the major theatrical licensors to independent publishers, including BeXD Licensing.
Once you've found the likely licensor, confirm that it represents the exact show and version you want to produce in your country or territory.
For most school, youth theatre and community theatre productions, there are a few basic steps between finding a musical and securing permission to perform it.
Make sure you know exactly what you're applying for.
The same musical may be available as a full-length edition, school edition, junior edition or one-act adaptation. There may also be completely different musicals based on the same underlying story.
Runtime, content, cast requirements, production materials and licensing arrangements can all differ between versions.
If you're still deciding, this is also a good time to request a perusal if the publisher offers one.
Identify the publisher or licensing company authorised to issue performance rights for the musical.
Also check that it represents the title in your territory. Rights can differ between countries, so a company that licenses a musical in the United States may not necessarily control the same rights in Australia or the United Kingdom.
A musical appearing in a licensing catalogue doesn't necessarily mean every organisation will automatically be approved to perform it on any date.
Availability can depend on the title, territory, production dates and other restrictions imposed by the rights holder.
If your school or theatre has fixed production dates, it's worth checking availability early.
You don't usually need every detail of the production figured out before applying.
You DO need enough information for the licensor to understand the rights you're requesting.
Typically, that means knowing your proposed venue, performance dates, number of performances, venue capacity and basic ticketing information.
Many musical licensing companies now accept applications online.
Complete the application as accurately as possible. If an important detail isn't confirmed yet, contact the licensing company and ask what they need rather than guessing.
The licensing company will review your application and determine whether the requested rights can be granted.
Approval times vary considerably between publishers, titles and productions.
At BeXD Licensing, we aim to review standard licensing applications within 48 hours, wherever possible.
If the application is approved, you'll generally receive a licensing agreement, quote or offer explaining the terms of the production.
Read it.
Don't just ask an AI to summarise it. Take 30 minutes, make a cup of tea and read through it. Trust us - it will potentially avoid a lot of confusion or upset later if you find out your license is more restrictive or has additional rules than you thought.
The agreement should tell you exactly what has been approved, including details such as your dates, venue and number of performances, as well as royalties, materials, billing requirements and other conditions.
It's much easier to clarify something at this point than discover during the production that your plans aren't covered by the agreement.
Depending on the licensing company, you may need to sign an agreement and pay materials fees, minimum royalty advances or other amounts before the production is secured.
If you're comparing shows and trying to work out what this might cost, our guide to How Much Does It Cost to License a School Musical? explains Production Pack fees, percentage royalties and minimum royalties in more detail.
Once the licensing requirements have been completed, you'll receive or gain access to the materials included with your production.
Depending on the musical and publisher, these might include scripts, scores, rehearsal tracks, performance tracks, orchestrations and other production resources.
Most musical licensing applications require basic information about your organisation, venue and proposed performances.
The exact application varies between publishers, but it's useful to have the following information ready:
| Information | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Identifies who will hold the license |
| Musical and version | Establishes exactly what you want to perform |
| Venue | Establishes where the production will be performed |
| Performance dates | Determines when the rights are required |
| Number of performances | Establishes the scope of the license and may affect royalties |
| Venue capacity | May be used when calculating minimum royalties or assessing the production |
| Ticket prices | May be required for percentage-based royalties |
| Production/contact details | Gives the licensor a responsible contact for the production |
You may be asked for additional information depending on the musical, publisher or type of production. Some will ask for details of your production team and previous productions you've produced.
You don't need to have cast the show, designed the set or know exactly how many tickets you'll sell before applying.
The licensor needs enough information to understand what you're asking permission to perform, where and when.
Yes. Many theatrical licensing companies allow schools, youth theatres, community theatres and other organisations to apply for musical performance rights online.
The process isn't identical everywhere.
Some companies provide online applications that are reviewed by a licensing representative. Some offer online quoting for certain productions. Smaller publishers may combine an online application with direct communication from their licensing team.
BeXD Licensing, for example, accepts online licensing applications for our available musicals. Applications are reviewed by our team, with a target turnaround of 48 hours for standard applications where possible.
For most organisations, though, whether the application form itself is online is only one part of choosing a licensing service.
The more useful questions are whether the company has the right show for your cast, what the license includes, what production materials are available, what it will cost and what support is available if you need it.
The best musical licensing platform for a small theatre depends first on which musical you want to produce. If you've already chosen a specific title, you'll generally need to license it through the company that controls the performance rights for that show in your territory.
If you're still choosing the musical, however, the publisher or licensing company can be part of the decision.
For a school, youth theatre, performing arts studio or smaller community theatre, it's worth comparing:
Large theatrical licensing companies offer extensive catalogues, including many well-known Broadway titles. Smaller and specialist publishers can offer different advantages, including shows developed specifically for particular types of performers and productions.
BeXD Licensing specialises in musicals for young performers and flexible ensemble casts. We currently license productions to schools, theatres and performing arts studios across the US and Australia.
Our catalogue is deliberately focused on this part of the market. Our shows are developed with young casts, and our Production Packs are based on the resources we've found useful producing the musicals ourselves, including scripts and scores, rehearsal and performance tracks, audition and casting resources, choreography and costume guides and other practical production materials.
The right licensing company therefore depends on what you need.
If you want the rights to a particular musical, start with whoever controls that title. If you're still choosing a show, compare the catalogue, casting, materials, costs and support as part of the decision.
Approval times vary between licensing companies, musicals and individual productions. There is no standard industry-wide turnaround time.
Straightforward applications may be processed relatively quickly, while other applications can take longer if rights need to be checked or additional information is required.
At BeXD Licensing, we aim to review standard licensing applications within 48 hours, wherever possible.
If you have a genuine deadline — for example, your school needs to confirm its season by a particular date — include that information when you apply or contact the licensing company.
Most importantly, allow time for licensing before publicly committing to the show.
Wait until your performance rights have been approved and you've completed the licensing company's requirements for securing the production before publicly announcing the musical. This is usually signing an agreement and paying a deposit.
Submitting an application is a request for performance rights. It doesn't mean those rights have been granted.
This matters because rights may not be available for your particular dates, location or production.
At BeXD Licensing, our current agreements require the applicable minimum royalties to be paid to secure the production dates and permit public announcement and promotion.
Other publishers may use different processes, so follow the requirements of your particular licensing agreement.
Yes. A musical appearing in a publisher's catalogue does not guarantee that the performance rights will be available for every organisation, date or territory.
Rights can sometimes be restricted, and availability can change.
If your application can't be approved, it's worth asking why. A restriction might relate to your dates or territory rather than the musical being completely unavailable.
Depending on the circumstances, changing the production dates or choosing another version or title may provide an alternative.
Once you've completed the licensing requirements, you'll generally receive or gain access to the production materials included with your license or materials package.
What you receive varies considerably between publishers and musicals.
Materials may include scripts, scores, rehearsal tracks, performance tracks, orchestrations or additional production resources.
At BeXD, our Production Packs can include scripts, scores, rehearsal and performance tracks, audition and casting resources, choreography and costume guides and other practical production materials.
You'll then rehearse and perform the musical according to the terms of the licensing agreement.
If your royalties are based on actual box office, there may also be a post-production reconciliation after the season when your final ticket sales are known.
Contact the licensing company before making a change that falls outside the production you've already licensed.
A theatrical license generally authorises a specific production under specific conditions. Moving venue, changing dates or adding performances may therefore require approval or an amendment to the agreement.
Production plans change all the time. A school calendar changes, a venue becomes unavailable, or strong ticket sales make an additional performance possible.
None of that is unusual.
What matters is contacting the licensing company before making a change that isn't covered by the existing agreement. In many cases, the solution may simply be an amendment or additional approval.
You generally shouldn't change copyrighted dialogue, lyrics, music or other protected material without permission from the rights holder.
Your licensing agreement should explain what changes are permitted and which require approval.
There can also be legitimate reasons a school or youth theatre needs an adjustment for a particular performer, audience, venue, educational requirement or accessibility need.
Ask the licensor.
At BeXD, casting decisions — including doubling — are generally left to the licensee, and we're happy for organisations to contact us about proposed adaptations rather than making changes without approval.
The answer will depend on the requested change and the rights involved, but asking first is always the better approach.
Generally, yes. A school production of a copyrighted musical performed publicly still requires the appropriate performance rights unless a specific legal exception applies.
Being a school or nonprofit organisation does not automatically mean a public theatrical production can be performed without permission.
In the United States, the Copyright Office confirms that copyright owners have the exclusive right to authorise public performances of dramatic and musical works, subject to statutory limitations and exceptions. U.S. Copyright Office – What is Copyright?
Copyright and performance-rights rules differ between countries and circumstances, so check with the relevant rights holder if you're uncertain about a particular production.
Generally, yes. Free admission does not automatically remove the need to obtain performance rights for a copyrighted musical.
Performance rights relate to permission to publicly perform the work, not simply whether the organisation makes money from ticket sales.
How royalties are calculated for a free performance depends on the title and licensing agreement. A minimum royalty or other licensing fee may still apply where there is no ticket revenue.
So if you're planning a free school, community or educational performance, tell the licensing company when you apply and ask how the production will be licensed.
💬 From Our Experience
One of the easiest ways to make musical licensing straightforward is simply to apply once you have the information the licensor actually needs.
You don't need to have cast the show.
You don't need to have designed the set.
And you don't need to know exactly how many tickets you're going to sell.
We regularly receive BeXD applications while directors are still planning their seasons. That's completely normal.
What we need is enough information to understand the rights you're asking for: which show you want to perform, where you're performing it, when you're performing it and how many performances you're planning.
If something isn't clear, ask.
A good licensing company should be able to tell you what information it needs and help you understand the terms before you commit to the production.
Find the rights holder for the exact musical and version you want to perform.
Check availability for your dates and territory before publicly committing to the show.
Apply with your venue, dates, number of performances and basic production information.
Submitting an application does NOT mean your performance rights are secured.
Most musical licensing applications can now be handled online, but catalogue fit, materials, costs and support matter too.
And if your production plans change, contact your licensor before assuming the original license covers them.
If you're still choosing your show, you can browse the BeXD Licensing catalogue and request a free perusal before committing.
Our musicals are developed for young performers and ensemble casts, with flexible casting and Production Packs built from our own experience producing the shows.
If you've already chosen your BeXD show and know your proposed venue and dates, you can apply for a license online and we'll take it from there.