MUSIC IN A DRAMATIC CONTEXT

By Alice Allen
APRA Theatrical Licensing Representative

There's been a healthy 47% increase in the number of Dramatic Context (DC) productions licensed by APRA so far in 2003/2004 compared to the same time in the last financial year. The increase is proof of a growing awareness in the Australasian theatre and dance community of music copyright and APRA's role.

We've also noticed an increased in the percentage of local and foreign DC productions being included in festival programmes nationally. The 2004 Sydney Festival featured the bold new work Tense Dave by Melbourne contemporary dance company Chunky Move, alongside the celebrated UK company George Piper Dances' Critic's Choice *****.

This year's Adelaide Fringe (the second largest Fringe festival in the world after Edinburgh) runs from 20 February until 14 March and looks to be bigger and better than ever before. Highlights in the theatre programme include Minutia, which mixes grunge-rock with playschool by retelling the myth of Meda and Jason with toys, and Midsummer Night's Dream Reloaded, an interactive meld of music, theatre and video.

To further educate the theatrical community of the need for music licensing, APRA has prepared a dynamic new Music In The Theatre brochure which will be available shortly. The brochure will be sent to existing clients, potential licensees, schools and universities throughout Australia and New Zealand. It will also be available on our website at www.apra.com.au (see Licences>Theatre). Let me know what you think - aallen@apra.com.au.