Copyright and Permission

I started working on a PreK and Kindergarten spring production in February. I chose a classic Dr. Seuss book for the title, the dialogue, and the overall theme of the show. It took weeks to choose the songs that would be included in the performance to show off the singing, beat keeping, instrument playing and movement skills that they have attained over the last year. It was a task to choose age-appropriate and fun pieces that would not only hold the kids' interests for months, but that would also hold the parents' attention and come off as impressive come show time. I read the book over and over with the students speaking back antiphonally. Outgoing students were chosen to speak the text and one student was chosen to dress up in crazy clothes to be the "Zizzer-zazzer-zuzz" at the end of the show. It was going to be an awesome production, in part because of the fun and easy-to-learn sing-songy book text.

At the beginning of April, my administration asked me to double check with our media specialist about possible copyright infringement and whether or not the performance would fall under fair use. IT DID NOT. We did not have permission to perform the words that twenty-five 3-5 year-olds had already been assigned and were working on memorizing. The media specialist came back with research that pointed to multiple failed attempts by others to gain the rights and permissions for the performance of a Seuss work. As a type-c personality, I spontaneously combusted internally and simultaneously began calling and emailing anyone that I could find that might possibly be able to grant me permission to continue. I also started writing a back-up script that was, to put it nicely, an alternative.

Well, to make an already long story short. I called, I emailed, I called again, and so on...and finally we were granted the permission to perform our show and paint a book cover back-drop. I share this story as the opening to my new group for music teachers and for teachers who love music, because everyone thought it was a lost cause. Everyone except me. Although I may seem like a raging narcissist, in actuality even on a good day I am not a "horn tooter". I share this story to start the ball rolling on giving anyone who needs one a place to pat yourself on the back, and to inspire you never take "no" for an answer.