Urinetown Authors Speak Up!

[teddyp2]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 12:34pm

Clearly based on this, we see what side the writers are on with this controversy. I guess when Carrafa and Rando said that this was not about the money, it really was...OUCH!

http://www.dramatistsguild.com/about_statements_urinetown.aspx

[secondcity]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 12:45pm

Thanks for posting this. This is exactly what they attempted to do to Gary Griffin many years ago. I'm glad that the guild published this.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 1:27pm

You mean when Gary Griffin watched the Lincoln Center Library video of the Most Happy Fella video a dozen times, then "directed" a production in Chicago usina all the staging from that revival?

That's why they now have the "Gary Griffin Rule" saying you can't watch a tape more than once.

[secondcity]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 1:38pm

It's pretty clar what this is about and someone on another thread said that the writers were not a part of the Chicago production.

I guess this statement from the authors make me believe they were very much involved in the chicago production!!

[teddyp2]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 2:26pm

I guess regardless of what you feel about these lawsuits. The fact that the copyright office have denied stage direction as copyrightable, must be a crushing blow to SSDC. A union that has for years told its members that thier work is protected under copyright law.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 3:09pm

I don't get it.

[secondcity]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 4:23pm

The ruling from the copyright office, is that stage direction is not copyrightable by law and it looks like the chicago team worked hard to get the government in on the matter for the writers. I guess the creative team from Broadway won't be working with Kotis and Hollmann in the near future.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 5:02pm

Who had ever said, stage direction would be copyrightable?? I never had heard it would be.

[secondcity]

Posted: 12/2/07 at 6:24pm

The stage directors union (SSDC) has stated falsely, that members artistic property, i.e. stage direction is protected by law. It is now clearly not and has never been.