The Guild is thrilled to announce our new Best Practices for Opera guide! This document is a years-long labor of love that marks a historic first step in providing opera creators with the knowledge they need to help them make informed decisions about their work. For dramatists looking to enter the world of opera, this guide will aid in evaluating opportunities, enhancing negotiations, and protecting their rights. For the opera industry as a whole, this guide will serve as a valuable resource for crafting a commission process where all authors are treated with respect, thereby fostering a more positive and productive working environment to create exceptional work. The guide will be unveiled today at the Dramatists Guild’s panel at OPERA America’s annual Opera Conference, which will take place at 2:45 PM in Memphis, TN. Following the panel, the guide will be available online for all Guild members to access. The guide was authored by DG Director of Business Affairs, Jessica Lit, and includes a forward by DG Executive Director, Ralph Sevush. Many thanks to the Dramatists Guild Opera Committee, the Composers Advisory Board, and to OPERA America for their help in making this possible. (fb)

The Dramatists Guild mourns the passing and celebrates the life of the legendary composer Charles Strouse, who passed this week at the age of 96. Mr. Strouse’s work spanned the development of the modern American musical for over half a century. A Guild member for 52 years, Mr. Strouse, often working with his frequent collaborator, Guild council member Lee Adams, composed the scores to such enduring Broadway shows as Bye, Bye Birdie, All American, Golden Boy, Annie and Applause (which featuring a book by council members Betty Comden and Adolph Green). In addition to his work for the theater, Strouse’s unique gift for melody found its way into film scores, operas, orchestral works and pop songs, working in a wide range of genres and media and various eras of musical taste. He and Adams even wrote the iconic TV theme song for All in the Family, called “Those were the Days.” A winner of Tonys, Grammys, Emmys, with many of his songs going to the top of the Billboard charts, Charles was named to the American Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Mr. Strouse was also a teacher and mentor to younger generations of composers, teaching at New York University and serving on the board of several musical organizations, helping to shape the future of American music. Amanda Green, president of the Dramatists Guild, said that “Charles Strouse was a genius composer and a lovely person. In addition to his prolific work and celebrated career, he also found ways to give back to his community. He founded the ASCAP Workshop where he mentored countless theater composers and lyricists. He will be deeply missed.” (fb)