Apply for Rights
Click on the application links below to apply for both stage and streaming rights.
Apply for rights to produce a full-length play, one-act, musical or a complete published collection of one-act plays by one author. (U.S. and Canada only.)
Professional Rights ApplicationApply to inquire into the availability of professional performance rights.
DO NOT use our applications for performance fee quotes. Standard nonprofessional royalty fees can be found on the play's description page.
Royalty fees for musicals are set on a case-by-case basis. If you are uncertain whether your theatre is professional or nonprofessional, see the FAQs page for more information on this topic.
Theatres with 250 or more seats will be charged higher fees than those shown on the plays' pages. Fees will be based on seating capacity, ticket price, and other factors.
If your application is immediately approved, you will receive a license within 24 hours by email. If your application requires review, you will receive a response by email within approximately one to two weeks.
Special clearance must be obtained for all productions in New York City and the greater Los Angeles area. This clearance can take additional time to secure, and approval in these areas is by no means guaranteed.
DPS advises you to not hold auditions, begin rehearsals or make any major production plans before you obtain written permission to proceed.
For individuals and student organizations, full payment of license fees and materials is due two weeks from the date the license is issued.
For all other applicants, full payment of license fees and materials is due two weeks prior to your first scheduled performance.
If you have received a license, you may submit payment online using a credit card via our License Fees page. You may also send payment by check, money order, or cashier's check. We accept payment in U.S. funds only. Please do not send cash.
Production materials such as musical scores, sound design CDs or images DVDs, will be shipped to you eight weeks in advance of your opening date, provided DPS is in receipt of payment for these materials, including any applicable shipping and handling.
All DPS plays are protected under International, Federal and Common Law Copyright. Any unauthorized performance or use of these plays may constitute an infringement of the copyright and a violation of the law, with potentially serious legal consequences for the infringer.
No play may be produced unless written application is made to and written authorization received from Dramatists Play Service, Inc. All performance rights are granted by written contract only. There is no such thing as "verbal approval."