Music in Theatre - FAQ

 

The venue where the performance is taking place already has an APRA licence. Why do we need another licence?

The annual APRA licence that the venue may hold excludes dramatic context performances.

Can we change the lyrics or arrange the music?

Any change to the musical work requires the authority of the copyright owner who holds the exclusive right to adapt the work. If you adapt the words or arrange the musical work without permission you may infringe copyright and the copyright owner may take legal action against you.

Can we videotape the performance?

Generally. you need permission from all of the copyright owners of the music and lyrics before you can videotape your performance. The relevant copyright owners will be listed on the licence provided to you by APRA and we can help you get in contact with them if required.

Do I need any other licences?

If you are playing recorded music (eg CDs, tapes) as part of your performance, you will need to obtain two licences:

  1. an APRA licence for the musical compositions, and
  2. a licence from the owner of the copyright in the artists' performances contained in the sound recording.
This is because the Copyright Act creates separate copyright in the sound recordings on one hand and the underlying musical works contained on those sound recordings, on the other. That is, a song may be written by one person and performed by someone else. The rights are licensed separately because they belong to different people.

Copyright in the sound recordings is licensed by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) on behalf of record companies and recording artists. PPCA is completely independent of APRA. Further information about PPCA is available on 02 8569 1111 or via their website.
 
If you wish to make a recording for your performance, you will need to receive permission from the relevant copyright owner of the musical work(s) and of the sound recording (if you are using one) or the collecting society.
 

Education and print music

 
Copyright in a musical work includes the right to reproduce the work in a printed form. Accordingly, you will need to obtain the relevant copyright owner's authority before you can photocopy any copyright material. See also Schools and Universities.
 

Questions?

If you are uncertain as to which category your performance falls into, contact Sam Cooke in APRA Dramatic Context Licensing.

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