[icewolf08]

There is a reason that people like Dramatists Play Services stopped printing groundplans in the back of their scripts. Technically, if you were to copy the original groundplan for a show it could be considered copyright infringement. As Footer said, if you are just using the idea, it is probably ok, but to sit with say a photograph or groundplan of a Broadway show and try to recreate the set could get you into trouble.

I am not sure there is as much to learn from copying a show as there is to coming up with your own design, except how to cut corners to fit in your budget. If you copy a show all you need to figure out is how to build it, whereas if you design it yourself you learn how to do research, come up with creative ideas, and create a design. That, I think, is a much more educational experience.

Oh, and by the way, why not stop by the new member board and tell us a little about yourself.