Copyright? Permission? Fair Use? ... --- ...

[mollyringle]

Anyone with knowledge in law, music, copyright, and/or intellectual rights out there? For I have a question.

I have a new idea for a novel turning about in my head. It would center around a theatre production of a musical, though would really be about the interactions between some of the participants. I was thinking of a play by Sondheim in particular. I wouldn't make fun of the play; I like it, and would represent it in a flattering light. There would be rampant use of character names and lines and lyrics. I'd mention Sondheim by name; there would be no question that he wrote it, not me. So, do I need permission to use it, or is it decidedly "fair use" to do something like this? If I do need permission, who do I ask? Would I have to pay for it?

If I have to pay, then really, I'm just going to scrap the whole idea.

Comments

Re: Hrmmm...

[sopdetly.livejournal.com]

One of my Novel Ideas requires me to create a TV show. So I thought of a neat TV show. Problem was, the TV show idea was *so* cool that I was loathe to waste it the other novel -- I want to expand it to its own novel. So, now I've got 2 novel ideas, and still need to think of a TV show for the first one. Woe.

Re: Hrmmm...

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Heh! That's the direction I saw myself going too, as I thought about it. I'd have to write a story within a story, and couldn't give very much effort and shape to the embedded story, or else I'd just want to write it instead. :)

Maybe you can actually sell your TV show idea to Fox for a couple hundred thousand... (well, we can dream.)

Re: Hrmmm...

[sopdetly.livejournal.com]

I'd *NEVER* sell a show idea to Fox, not these days. They kill off shows faster than...no one, really. LOL.

Plus, as I kept thinking about this "show" the more I drew in themes that can only be explored in a book. So. Shelved novel idea it has become ;)