When the calendar turns over to a new year, there will be a new group of productions available to theatre groups via public domain.

Mickey Mouse’s “Steamboat Willie” leads the list of the most well known piece, but theatre buffs will certainly recognize some of the upcoming offerings.

While the productions themselves will enter public domain and not be protected by U.S. copyright laws; there is no guarantee that the music accompanying those productions will also be freely available.

When a production enters the public domain; it not only means that the companies will no longer be required to pay royalties, but that the companies can make all the changes they wish to the production – new adaptations, re-writes, etc.

Mickey Mouse as “Steamboat Willie” enters public domain; BUT, only the 1928 version of the famous spokesmouse!


Nearly as famous as “Steamboat Willie” is “Peter Pan” who first made a theatrical appearance in 1928 in the play “Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up”. 

However, the play is under copyright laws in perpetuity in the UK where the copyright was passed down to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

Only the 1924 play is open for public domain; the 1954 musical is stull under copyright.


The 1924 Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill production “Die Dreigroschenoper” (The Threepenny Opera) enters public domain but it gets confusing because the original German production will be available but many of the translations are still under copyright.  Unlike many operas performed by many opera companies who perform their works in its original language, the original German production is seldom performed in the Untied States.

While the songs have also entered the public domain, copyrighted translations again come into play.


“Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)” and “I Wanna Be Love by You” will enter the public domain.  If some enthusiastic musical creator wants to build a production around those tunes will be free to do so.


In 2016 Nathan Lane and John Slattery starred in the 1928 play “The Front Page” – a play about a Chicago newspaper crime reporter.  Beginning January 1, the original comedic play will enter public domain but its numerous adaptations are still under copyright.  As long as any new creation contains only the dialogue from the original play, all is good.


A number of lesser known plays will be entering public domain come January 1 including:
“Machinal”
“Journey’s End”
“Holiday”
“Wings Over Europe”