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Critic / Play-doctor John Lahr sues Elaine Stritch June 30, 2009

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : entertainment law , add a comment
Elaine Stritch

Elaine Stritch

John Lahr

John Lahr

When Elaine Stritch opened her Tony award winning “Elaine Stritch At Liberty” in 2000, she did so with help from theatre critic and author John Lahr, best known for his essays, reviews and reportage at The New Yorker magazine.   Lahr received a “reconstructed by” credit in the Playbill for Stritch’s show when it opened on Broadway after an initial run at the Public Theater.

According to the complaint filed in the Manhattan Supreme Court, Lahr is entitled to a royalty from each production of the show, including special engagements, but Ms. Stritch has allegedly failed to make payments in accordance with their agreement.

John Lahr is the son of actor Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion in the 1938 MGM motion picture, The Wizard of Oz

(Hat tip to Susan Grace’s Gracenotes blog)

Congratulations, Tony Award nominees and winners! June 8, 2009

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : entertainment law, intellectual property , 1 comment so far

Congratulations to the Broadway League, The American Theatre Wing, and to all of our friends, clients and colleagues who were nominated and/or took home Tony Awards last night!

What a show. Host Neil Patrick Harris was terrific, and the musical numbers were just right.

Texas licensing bill for lighting designers defeated in state House June 3, 2009

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : entertainment law , add a comment

As predicted by commenters to my post last week, the Texas House of Reps has defeated  parts of a  a Senate bill that would have required that lighting designers be licensed.

Entertainment Law Update Podcast – Episode 2

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : Podcast Announcements , add a comment
Entertainment Law Update Podcast

Entertainment Law Update Podcast

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Episode 2 of the Entertainment Law Update Podcast, hosted by yours truly, along with Tamera Bennett is now online .

In this episode, Tamera and I round up the latest entertainment law news, including:

CLE Credit for attorneys who listen to the podcast is pending approval in California and Texas. Attorneys from other states should check the rules for out-of-state programs. We’ll add more States as demand arises.

Theatrical Lighting Designers may soon be required to be licensed in Texas May 27, 2009

Posted by Gordon Firemark in : Law , 3 comments

Update:  According to those in the know (and some of our comment authors), the licensure requirement is unlikely to survive the reconciliation process with the House bill.  Apparently, this licensing requirement was added by state Senators late in the process, and is not part of the original bill authored by Rep. Smith..

Stage Directions magazine reports that  The Texas Senate has passed legislation that will prohibit anyone from practicing lighting design except for registered architects, landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, and commercial electricians.  The Bill, H.B. 2649 stands to put all theatrical and entertainment lighting designers in a bind, unless an exception or exemption is added before the bill becomes law.

As passed by the state’s Senate, three different sections of the legislation prohibit “a person from performing or offering to perform lighting design service unless the person is licensed as an engineer; registered as an architect, landscape architect, or interior designer; or licensed  as an Electrician.

Texas-based theatrical  and entertainment lighting designers are advised to consult with their lawyers and unions  and  lobby hard  against this proposed law before it is voted on by the Texas House of Representatives, and ultimately signed into law.

ASK THE READERS:

What do you think?  Should lighting designers in theatre, film and other entertainment media be regulated and licensed by the states in which they work?

What about scenic, costume, sound and other designers?

What governmental interest is served by such regulation?