Recently, a high school in The Bronx decided to put on a production of the musical, Chicago. When the folks who control the rights to that show heard about it, the school received a cease-'n'-desist letter and a brief controversy erupted. This article in The New York Times summarizes the problem the outcome and the new controversy about the resolution. Some of the other press coverage played this story like the evil lords of Broadway were trying to stifle the enthusiasm and spirit of some fresh-faced high school kids but it seems to me that the school was wholly in the wrong on this one. The Times article is a little more realistic but it still raises some questions…like why a person who's teaching drama didn't know that if you want to stage a copyrighted show, you have to obtain the permission of the copyright holders.