From The 1709 Blog:
The makers of a ‘Grease’ spoof have gone to the courts in the US seeking confirmation that their show is covered by the doctrine of “fair use” in retaliation to a ‘cease and desist’ letter from the publishers of the original musical. Grease, made world famous by the 1978 romantic comedy movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is based on the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Theatre publisher Samuel French, now owned by Concord, represents the rights in the original musical. According to Sketchworks which created the spoof ‘Vape: The Musical’ the new production “uses millennial slang, popular culture, a modern lens, and exaggeration to comment upon the plot, structure, issues and themes of ‘Grease’ and to criticise its misogynistic and sexist elements”. But Sketchworks say their argument that the play was a parody of Grease failed with Concord’s lawyers and indeed the theatre that was due to host the spoof was put off by the cease and desist letter. Sketchworks now wants “a declaratory judgment of fair use so that it may perform and otherwise exploit ‘Vape’ without further delay”
Link to the rest at The 1709 Blog
I hated “Grease” when my high school put it on. Have consistently loathed it through the rest of my life. It’s a play about conformity and giving in to peer pressure. It teaches children terrible lessons. For those reasons, I hope Vape wins.
Also, parody. Come on. Good luck with that lawsuit, greasers.
Meryl Yourish, I for one never considered Grease to be a model for behavior. When I thought about it, I considered the play — or movie, whichever you prefer — to be a light-hearted romp about greasers in high school that parodied the times. In effect, Grease parodied itself. I think Jim Jacobs, the author, was looking back on his own teenage years with both fondness and disdain.
“What happens after graduation? Maybe we’ll never see each other again.”
“No, that’ll never happen.”
I still chuckle at this exchange.
So does Romeo and Juliet: If your family dislikes your first love, kill yourself.
Hell, the Bible teaches terrible lessons.
All that said, I wish the Vapers success. I think they are going about it the wrong way, but maybe their lawyer knows something I don’t. Possible. He has more incentive to study the matter than I.
YMMV.
“uses millennial slang, popular culture, a modern lens, and exaggeration to comment upon the plot, structure, issues and themes of ‘Grease’ and to criticise its misogynistic and sexist elements”
Yeah. Great blurb. Makes me want to see Vape: The SJW Musical.