Hunter Foster Responds to Urinetown Mess!

[secondcity]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 7:33am

My take on the Urinetown mess by Hunter Foster


The experience of Urinetown will always be one of my fondest memories in the theatre. In five weeks of rehearsal, John Carrafa and John Rando created one of the most collaborative times in my life.
Now, disturbingly, the creators of Urinetown have decided to go after a little dinner theatre in Ohio and a theatre in Chicago and serve a legal notice to them for copying their work. Their argument is that the two Midwest production teams, blatantly tried to use their work and pawn it off as their own. The Urinetown production team insists that the show lends itself to be creative and that the Midwest teams could have come up with other ways to tell the story. I had the privilege to sit through the production in Ohio, and found it to be a cousin of the original production but not a copy.
The Urinetown experience on and off Broadway was just that, an experience. There was a certain tone that was set and then supported by the choreography, the lighting and the costume design. I know that the production team in Ohio was trying to bring the Urinetown experience to their audiences. In much the same way artistic directors who bring “A Chorus Line” or “West Side Story” to regional theatres want their audiences to share in that show’s original experience. Rando and Carrafa claim that these theatres only have the rights to the music and lyrics and not the concept of how the show was originally done. But I am sorry, there are parts of the original production of Urinetown that will always be a part of the show no matter who directs and choreographs them. A dinner theatre audience might start throwing their food at the stage if the bottle dance in “Fiddler” wasn’t done in the same spirit as the original or in “West Side Story” we didn’t see the Jets snapping their fingers during “Cool”, and who can imagine a production of “Grease” without some version of Pat Birch’s “hand jive”? And isn’t Urinetown a parody of musical theater itself? Didn’t Carrafa and Rando borrow from Robbins and Fosse anyway? If they are so concerned with not getting credit for their concepts, maybe they should have negotiated a disclaimer the way Michael Bennett and Gower Champion did on their shows.
I just think we are walking down a dangerous path here. The Carousel dinner theatre took a chance doing Urinetown at a theater where their typical audience thirsts for an annual production of “Hello Dolly”, and now John Carrafa and John Rando’s claim will only inhibit future productions of this wonderful show. Who would want the headache of the original team breathing down their necks, checking every bit of blocking to make sure that their precious staging isn’t being stolen? And what about the young kids, out of high school or college, who want to be apart of a show they worshipped growing up only to be told that they can’t make that cross in the number because the theatre might get sued.
I understand people want to protect their work. No one is questioning that, but the ones speaking up also need to look at themselves. Rando and Carrafa directed and choreographed a production of “Pajama Game” at the Encores series, and the number “Steam Heat” definitely gave a nod to Fosse. I’m not saying it was a copy, but there were Bowler Hats and they were Fosse elements present. Should Carrafa forfeit some of his earnings to the Fosse estate? Should Encores be sued? I think we would all agree that the original choreography to “Steam Heat” would be classified as part of the experience.

Hunter Foster

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:29am

You definitely have a point
Baayork Lee, who was an A Chorus Line original cast member, has directed and choreographed A Chorus Line before the current revival with basically the same production concepts as the original (costumes, lighting, scenery, choreography, etc.) to rave accolades and here’s Jen Cody, who was also an original cast member of her show, doing the same thing with Urinetown and suddenly it’s a sin?
I can certainly understand copyright issues are becoming more and more prevalent with the availability of bootlegs and whatnot, but I too agree that the creative team behind Urinetown making this such a huge issue is ridiculous. First of all, it’s like the pot calling the kettle black. The entire show is a pastiche which blatantly steals concepts and dance moves from other shows and these other productions are working with the mindset to honor what the show set out to initially do.
That is not to say that other productions shouldn’t be allowed to be creative in their own way towards the material, but having worked on the show and having seen several regional productions of the show, the material works best when it keeps the tone of what the original production was. And yes, if the creative were so concerned about their concepts being honored, then they should have negotiated that originally when they allowed the show to be produced regionally.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:36am

Yes, didn't his wife direct the production in question? No bias there.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:36am

Well I'm not saying that a lawsuit is in order, but there is a difference.

Seeing as how strict Bennett's estate is, I highly doubt that Baayork Lee has been going around re-creating the original choreography without the necessary legalities taken care of. I have no way of knowing, but I think it's safe to say that Bennett wanted Baayork to do the very thing that she is doing now. She was recreating his work before he even died. Clearly, there's a difference.

What seems to have happened in this case is that Cody took on the Baayork role without prior consent. And no, that's not okay.

I applaud Foster for stepping forward, but I remain suspect simply because Jen Cody is his wife. If it were someone else who passed this work off as their own, would he have even said anything on the matter?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:40am

I guess Hunter Foster wont' be doing a show with them anytime lately. But good for him.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:41am

I agree wholeheartedly with Hunter. Imagine iconic theatre images such as the Evita dress at the microphones, Dolly coming down a staircase in that red gown, "Rose's Turn" with the Marquee lights, heck even the floating tire in CATS. These things are essential elements of each show. should Hal Prince sue every company of EVITA that had Eva enter across a platform during the opening bars of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"?
Most published scripts of the R&H past are simply the Stage manager's script (with blocking noted), cleaned up for publication. The TOMMY script is incredibly laid out. Are they saying the theatres should just be provided with the text, score and parts? I think this is an insane issue that will only hurt this creative team. Rando's track record lately has been poor at best. He should be glad people want to EMULATE his only hit.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:41am

Uhhh... uexcept, when you do FIDDLER,you are SUPPOSED TO use the Jerome Robbins choreography, and you HAVE TO list him in your program as the original director and choreographer. You are provided with a book containing all the coreography! The program credits must read, "Jerome Robbins Chorography RECREATED by ____"

When Baayork Lee directs A CHORUS LINE, theprogram clearly startes she is REPRODUCING THE MICHALE BENNET STAGING.

IF Hunter Foster really wrote that statement, it's interesting that he didn't mention that HIS WIFE is the one who "directed" the Ohio production.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:45am

JB Singer, you are missing the point.

The script for all of the shows you mentioned contain stage directions. You don't have to use them, but the official DOLLY script does indeed say something to the effect of "Dolly emerges at the top of a grand staircase, and begins her descent slowly as she sings."

Recreating someone else's work and passing it off as your own has never been okay, and your examples do nothing to back up your thoughts on this one.

Cody was wrong, and to me, Hunter looks a little foolish.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:45am

This is a slippery slope...

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:50am

I totally agree with Hunter.


and ironically enough I used Pajama Game in my arguement in the other post...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:51am

So passing off someone's choreography as your own is okay, then?

[Jon]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:54am

The general rule is, if it's in the stage directions in the script, you can use it. Some musical scripts have detailed stage directions, and others have virtually no description of staging.

Rodgers & Hammerstein will provide groups doing OKLAHOMA with a video that teaches the Agnes DeMille choreography for the ballet. They would like you to use it, if you choose. They would like you to give credit to Agnes DeMille in your program.

I recently saw a production of OKLAHOMA that chose instead to use the Susan Stroman choreography fromt he revival. Luckily for them, the DVD with Hugh Jackman had just been released. They copied every step, every gesture, every vocal intonation, every line reading from that DVD. That is plagiarism.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 11:58am

Hunter doesn't get it. This isn't a question of whether it is okay to replicate something merely because it is in itself an homage to other stagings.

And I'm sure Jennifer Cody was hired specifically because they wanted a replication of the original Broadway staging. I don't blame her if thats what she was hired to do; the producers should have known better.

Frankly, I think this is an issue that needs to be addressed, particularly in an age where bootleg videos make it very easy for directors to copy original staging and choreography.

Credit needs to be given in such cases to the original creative team.

[leefowler]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:08pm

The problem with this thread is we don't know what these productions actually did!

If all they did was use elements of the original, then I agree with Hunter.

IF....They painstakingly copied every step of the original, with the "copier" receiving a credit for choreography, then that's something else again.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:15pm

I have seen video clips of the Chicago production. The choreography of "Run Freedom Run" and "Cop Song" was COPIED STEP FOR STEP from Broadway. I assume other numbers used copied moves as well. The "choreographer" received a Jeff Award (Chicago's lame version of a Tony), and is now being asked to give it up, pending legal action.

[Zikes]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:32pm

Hey! The Jeff's are not lame. Now the After Dark Awards..........

[onlylisab]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:36pm

Where did you find Hunter Foster's statement?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:45pm

Baayork Lee's situation is different. Michael Bennett specifically chose her to be one of the "approved" ACL directors, she was Dance Captain and Assistant to the Choreographers on the original production and he knew that she would keep his choreography in tact.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 01:45 PM

[Becky]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:45pm

Yes, didn't his wife direct the production in question? No bias there.

Bias or not, he still makes some valid points.
Updated On: 11/16/06 at 01:45 PM

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:47pm

Jon, according to a LOT of people I know (who were in it and saw it in Chicago), that was the only number that resembled the original staging otherwise. I've seen some pictures that suggest other things were similar but not identical.

Frankly, while I agree that people shouldn't watch a video and put something up to look just like an original production (tangent: is there REALLY a hinterlands market just CLAMORING for recreations of Urinetown?!?! REALLY?!?!?), it sounds more to me that Rando and Carrafa are wishing they had negotiated some continuing royalties in the rights of the show.

[Becky]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:48pm

Where did you find Hunter Foster's statement?

I saw it on ATC this morning before the thread disappeared.

[onlylisab]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:50pm

I'm sorry, what's ATC?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:51pm

All That Chat.

www.talkinbroadway.com

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:52pm

So it's very likely that Hunter didn't even write that. Yet secondcity is presenting it as such.

Have a valid source before you put someone else's name out here attached to a statement they very likely may not have made.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 01:52 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:54pm

More accurately, ATC is:

http://talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat