Deadline: A skirmish over above-the-title billing in a new Broadway show’s Playbill erupted into all-out war this weekend, as the non-profit theater that developed one of the most acclaimed musicals of recent seasons filed two lawsuits against the commercial producer who has brought the show, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 to, aptly, the Imperial Theatre.
1 comment:
I'm not going to say I called it from last week but I called it. Not really though, anyone would expect Ars Nova to take legal action after the way they were treated, disrespected, and ignored under legal contract by a production they helped birth.
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 was an instant sensation when performed by the organization. It had been their largest project and the producer, Howard Kagan, wished to bring it to the big stage. However, after their huge success on Broadway, the producers completely left out Ars Nova and even threatened to throw them out of the gala if they attempted to show up. In addition, it seems like the producers know they're at fault and are playing a silent waiting game. Although the two parties state there are negotiations going on to attempt to resolve this issue, Kagan is apparently ignoring any attempts to contact him and is remaining very quiet on the issue.
Personally, I don't understand the logic behind the producer's decision to ignore Ars Nova like that because it's not a good business model and it significantly lowers their reputation, value, and popularity. I hope this issue is resolved soon and Ars Nova receives the credit they deserve.
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