In the second half of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, theatrical stakeholders controlling the movement of theatrical works between authors and audiences included transnational and local opportunistic publishers and mediating brokerage agencies. Managers also emerged that booked tours across the country in regional circuits, controlled physical property spaces, and represented attractions. These stakeholders possessed the resources, administrative structures, and networks of influence to transform the intangible right into the final material production on stage. It was an industry that prioritized the preservation of manuscripts in an unpublished form and the trading in performance rights attached to these scripts. The evolving legal framework complemented the industry structure, providing ample space for parties to negotiate the terms of production. In case-by-case negotiations, mediating stakeholders shaped the terms of engagement through ongoing negotiations rather than acts of overt belligerence.