A playwright who was accused of copyright infringement by lawyers
representing the TV show "Three's Company" over his parody of 1970s
sitcoms has won a victory in court.
Loretta A. Preska, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York, ruled Tuesday that David Adjmi, whose
play "3C" had a run at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre in 2012, is
protected under the doctrine of fair use.
"The play is a highly transformative parody of the television series
that, although it appropriates a substantial amount of 'Three's
Company,' is a drastic departure from the original that poses little
risk to the market for the original," the judge wrote, noting that
copyright law "is designed to foster creativity."
Adjmi had the backing of many theater community heavyweights, including
Jon Robin Baitz, Stephen Sondheim, Tony Kushner, John Guare and Terrence
McNally.
The play is about two girls — one a tomboy, the other a sexy ditz — and a
guy who spontaneously become roommates in a rundown Santa Monica
apartment after a wild party.
They clash with a dislikable landlord who makes offensive, homophobic
jokes. The playwright is exploring the idea of a culture avoiding
difficult issues and problems by retreating into sex and drugs.
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