PGC Contracts Handbook Cost: $15 + shipping + GST.

The Contracts Handbook is a practical guide to the negotiation of contracts between playwrights and theatres. In particular it focuses on theatres belonging to The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT). The handbook takes a broad look at contracting situations which may face the playwright. We explore how our contracts works, give some kind of insight into negotiating points and discuss the relationship between a playwright and a theatre company during the production of his or her work. All in all it is as comprehensive a document as we can create at this time. We hope that this handbook will be of help in the thorny process that leads to "Inking The Deal".

PGC's agreement with PACT is represented by a booklet of standard clauses which apply to all contracts and three separate contract forms, as well as a development acknowledgement form. The forms contain all clauses which require information specific to your production or areas of the contract open to negotiation. Copies of the standard clauses and the contract forms are part of the Contracts Handbook and are also available on their own.

Click on the links below for downloadable, PDF (Portable Document Format) versions of the forms and standard clauses. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the forms.

To order a copy of the Contracts Handbook, contact the PGC office.

The Contract Forms The Contract forms, with the Standard Clauses, cover the three basic types of play production. There is also a development acknowledgement as an example to be used when a theatre has given a limited amount of money/support to a piece, but has not commissioned or fully workshopped it. New this year is the "Workshop Agreement", to be used when a playwright is involved in a workshop with a theatre. The Contract forms below are in force until June 30, 2008. They are secure pdfs that allow entry into fields. These forms are to be used ONLY when the playwright is a member of Playwrights Guild of Canada and the contracting theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres. Other parties may use them as a guide, but must ensure that they remove any language that references the respective organisations, particularly the dispute procedure in the Standard Clauses, and the RRSP Clause. Playwrights are reminded that these are minimum term agreements, and nothing prevents an individual member from negotiating above these standards.

Stock productions

Premiere productions of non-commissioned plays

Premiere productions of commissioned plays

Development Acknowledgement

Workshop Agreement

Standard Clauses

These forms cover areas specific to individual productions or subject to negotiation. Some clauses will be relevant to one production and not to another. A clause which may be a simple formality in one case may be a source of great contention in another. On some issues, playwrights may prefer their own clause-wording to that in the Contract. Individual clauses may be deleted or a different wording substituted on the contract page, but changes can be made only with the mutual consent of the playwright and the producer. As with any legal document, both parties must initial any place where lines have been struck out or altered. Remember that changes to the contract must respect the minimum terms of the basic agreement.

In the case of larger alterations to the contract new clauses can be added. Usually a rider is added to the contract, on a separate page at the end of the form. It is recommended that playwrights examine the Contracts Handbook in detail, it has a wealth of information on how to negotiate and what the various clauses mean.

For further information, contact the PGC office: info@playwrightsguild.ca

Theatre for Young Audiences PGC/PACT contracts cover all theatre productions including theatre for young audiences. Theatre for young audience productions often tour and are presented for a fixed group fee as opposed to single ticket sales. Therefore certain clauses in our contract have been altered to allow for the special circumstances of TYA production. It is important that these TYA sub-clauses not be applied to other productions. For instance, the per-performance payment of a flat fee to the playwright should not be agreed to for a play produced at The Stratford Festival.

Non PACT Theatres and/or Non PGC Playwrights If the theatre is not a member of PACT, or if the playwright is not a member of PGC, DO NOT USE the PGC/PACT contracts. Below are recommended agreements for use with Non-Pact Professional Theatres, as well as a bare bones agreement for use with semi-professional companies. Please note that for professional theatres that are not PACT members, you should include the Non-PACT Standard Clauses with the contract. Modifiable Microsoft Word documents of these forms are available through the PGC office.

Non-PACT Agreement

Non-PACT Standard Clauses

Semi-Professional Agreement

In General While we may advise a course of action, you may discover your own situation requires some creative thinking and hard-nosed dickering well outside the parameters we've set out in the handbook. If you have a problem and need to talk to somebody don't hesitate to contact the office.