This may answer some of the questions asked below:
The theaters are caught in the middle of a dispute between the Lee estate and Dramatic Publishing Company, founded in 1885, which sells theaters the rights to put on the play.
The estate’s lawyers sent several letters to Dramatic over the last few weeks protesting its granting of rights to a number of theaters. The letters invoked a 1969 contract between Lee and Dramatic that blocks “Mockingbird” productions within 25 miles of cities that had a population of 150,000 or more in 1960 (the last census year before the agreement was signed) while a “first-class dramatic play” based on the novel is playing in New York or on tour.
The estate is also objecting to some productions featuring performers who are members of Actors’ Equity, the professional actors union, saying that Dramatic may license only amateur productions.
