Bertelsmann's Concord Consolidates Play Licensing as Regional Theatre Shrinks

A recent essay on Substack, grounded in data analysis, explores the concentration of theatrical licensing within Bertelsmann, the German media giant that merged with Concord on September 1. Concord had previously acquired Samuel French in December 2018 and Broadway Licensing in May 2025; Broadway Licensing had itself purchased Dramatists Play Service in March 2021 and Stage Rights in April 2022. Following these acquisitions, the largest licensing house's share of second-and-later productions increased from 20% under Samuel French to 24% with Concord and soared to 49% after the Broadway Licensing acquisition. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index for market concentration rose from 900 to 2,500, surpassing the 1,800 mark indicating high concentration. Additionally, contemporary productions outside midtown decreased from 1,800 to 1,300 per season, marking a 27% decline, while the number of listed playwrights fell from 962 to 736. Among the tax filings of 90 theaters reviewed, 63 reported expenditures exceeding their earnings by 2023. Concord's repertoire includes notable works like Death of a Salesman, Clue, and The Laramie Project, with 66% of plays reaching Broadway compared to just 14% of those limited to regional performances. The author, a novice playwright, advocates for collective bargaining and a five-year reversion right.