Children's Frozen Tribute show cancelled due to licensing snafu

[DizneyRox]

Taken from this website: h++p://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/frozen-disney-heywood-show-cancelled-10896700

Freezing - An Icy Adventure was due to be performed at the Heywood Civic Centre on Wednesday before directors were forced to pull the plug

A children's show has had to be cancelled after Disney complained about it using its music.

Freezing – An Icy Adventure was due to take to the stage of the Heywood Civic Centre on Wednesday as a special half term treat for youngsters.

The adaptation of the hit film Frozen, which was also scheduled for venues in Coventry and Lincolnshire, was set to feature an array of songs from the popular movie including Let It Go, Love Is An Open Door, and Do You Want To Build A Snowman as well as dancing, games and “frosty fun”.

But directors had to pull the plug on the performance after Disney’s legal bosses got in touch to say they didn’t have permission to use the songs.

Carl Tebbutt, who was publicising the show, told the M.E.N that the group had thought they were covered by PRS (Performing Rights Society)for Music, which “promotes and protects” the value of copyright.

It licenses organisations to play and perform copyright music on behalf of members and those of overseas societies and distributes royalties.

He said that according to Disney none of its songs are covered by PRS and lawyers have refused to give them a temporary licence to use them.

Carl said it’s regrettable they’ve had to cancel.

He said: “Ticket sales were going really well across each of the venues and around 1,000 children are going to be left disappointed.

“It’s all one big misunderstanding.

“We thought that we were covered for use of the songs by the usual PRS payment but after being approached by the Disney legal representatives this appears to be not the case.

“Rather than risk legal action we regrettably have had to cancel the shows.”

Heywood Civic Centre tweeted the cancellation asking people who had bought tickets to get in touch with the box office as soon as possible.

It said: “CANCELLED DUE TO LEGAL COMPLICATIONS

“If you have tickets please contact box office immediately 0300 303 8633.”

What a mess to have to wrangle through so kid's can do what they do best! Be kids!

[dnickels]

There are a number of companies locally here in the Orlando area that people can hire for birthday parties and so on to have the 'Snow Sisters' or other characters that are wink-wink-nod-nod copies of Disney characters. I'm amazed that Disney doesn't shut down these ones operating in their own backyard.

[deedee73]

Such a shame that the people that are truly hurt in all this mess are the children.