FWRV Teams with Stellar Network and NYU Stern

February 23, 2006

BY:

Matthew C. Lefferts, Jonathan A. Lonner, Daniel M. Wasser

3-part lecture series about theater production

Members of FWRV, together with Stellar Network and NYU Stern Media and Entertainment Association will present a 3 part lecture series entitled, “From Underlying Rights to Opening Nights: Legal and Business Aspects of Theatrical Production.” Presentations were made by firm partners Jonathan Lonner, Dan Wasser and Matthew Lefferts, with some guest appearances by other members of the firm. The series, intended for non-lawyers as well as practicing attorneys, was a comprehensive overview of what’s required, from legal and business perspectives, to produce a play on Broadway or off-Broadway. Discussion topics included the basic legal and business framework of producing for the stage, including a review of underlying rights agreements, production contracts with authors, royalty pool arrangements, co-production and front money deals and financing documents, developmental theater arrangements, and the adaptation of works from film to stage and back again.