We were talking about this article yesterday and someone asked, "Why didn't the music director or stage manager ask him if he had the right to make those types of changes?" I told them either or both of them likely asked, "Do we have permission to do this?" and he probably responded, "Yes," and that would have been the end of the discussion. I don't believe it's part of our job as SMs to follow-up to those responses when it comes to rights, royalties, or permissions - i.e. switching around songs, adding or subtracting who sings what, etc. Though some obvious, massive errors in judgement should be approached ("No, you can't play the entirety of 'Under The Sea' as background because we don't have permission") by an SM, if not the MD or Sound Designer.
When I went on the TUTS website it said their Artistic Director Bruce Lumpkin was hired July 2012. It seems like this type of error in judgement is something one can assume he's done at other places and thought nothing of it - a huge problem, in my book. But then to walk up to the author opening night and say his way was better...I had choice words.