FELA! faces another law suit.
FELA! faces another law suit.
TheatreFan4
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/09
#1FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 8:21pm
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Fela_Kuti_Book_Author_Sues_Broadway_Production_20101108
Charles Moore, author of a book about Fela Kuti, has sued the producers of the Broadway musical Fela!. As presented to federal court in Manhattan today, Novemmber 8, Moore claims that producers of the show 'stole his work', and wants performances of the show to stop. Moore, who reportedly declined an offer of $4,000 in 2007 from the show's producers, is seeking at least $5 million.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#2FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 8:35pm
Well, if he wrote a biography they will be telling the same story. But if HE found out the info...so could the writers of the show.
OY.
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winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#2FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 8:42pmWell, if the author was offered money a couple of years ago, then I don't think he is in any position to complain now. If anything the producers acknowledged that he was right and offered to give him financial compensation for it. If they wanted to do that then that is fine, but it doesn't seem that the author would get much sympathy from the court if he declined that offer and is now asking for mer at a later date.
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winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#2FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 8:42pmSorry, double post.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
Updated On: 11/8/10 at 08:42 PM
Barney Stinson
Leading Actor Joined: 5/1/09
#4FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 11:37pm
"Well, if the author was offered money a couple of years ago, then I don't think he is in any position to complain now. If anything the producers acknowledged that he was right and offered to give him financial compensation for it. If they wanted to do that then that is fine, but it doesn't seem that the author would get much sympathy from the court if he declined that offer and is now asking for mer at a later date."
Your argument doesn't really make sense. If he declined an offer to use his story or work or whatever, that means he did not give them permission. If they went ahead and used his work anyway, he'd have quite a case.
You couldn't offer someone a pittance to use their written songs, have your offer rejected, then say they have no right to complain later when you went ahead and used their songs anyway.
That said, if he just wrote a biography, he's going to have a tough time getting any damages. You can't really have the rights to historical events. And I doubt he wrote any of the music or lyrics.
#5FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 11:42pmIt seems an odd time to be complaining. Hasn't this been running and in the "public" eye for a year or so now? If he's a Fela biographer, he would certainly have known about the show before?
#6FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/8/10 at 11:45pmAlso, considering the show is closing in just under two months anyway, it seems odd to complain now. Assuming the court case actually takes a few weeks for the lawyers/creators to gather necessary materials and make decisions, the show could be closed before this is resolved anyway. I guess it is playing in London now, though.
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#7FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/9/10 at 12:56am
Barney,
What I ment was that I feel that his argument wouldn't hold much water. It would be one thing for him to say that he maid the complaint and the producers never listened and as a result went ahead and sued them. I feel that it is another one altogether to have the producers offer him money, have the author reject it originally and then come back with a lawsuit. But, as it has been said here it does seem like odd timing since the show is closing in under two months and the show has been open and in the public eye for awhile now.
This reminds me of the several times someone has tried to sue J.K. Rowling for not giving them credit for things that she used from their books, after Harry Potter has been in the public eye for a long time.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#8FELA! faces another law suit.
Posted: 11/9/10 at 1:40amHe couldn't have written any of the lyrics as the music is all the music OF Fela Kuti -- the man himself. (I'm fairly certain that there was no NEW music written.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
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