Legal Question in Entertainment Law in West Virginia
Copyright laws and Parodies
If a college student puts on a production of a musical using self-written parodies of popular, copy-righted songs, can that student be sued even if there is no money made from this production?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Copyright laws and Parodies
the question of whether you're making money isn't really an important factor.
The answer to your question is YES, you can be sued. You might win the case on the basis of a Fair Use/Parody defense, but doing so could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
Of course, the bad-press a rights holder would get from suing a student under such circumstances is significant, so it's a real judgment call.
Much depends on the specific facts, so you should consult an experienced entertainment lawyer prior to performing your show.
check out theatrelawyer.com for some relevant resources
Re: Copyright laws and Parodies
If no one is going to make any money, then you shouldn't have any problems.
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