We of the Dramatists Guild of America wholeheartedly support playwright David Adjmi who has been facing pressure to silence his play 3C. His work is a darkly comic parody of the sitcom Three's Company, intended to critique the show and the social mores underlying it. The copyright owners of that work have written a "cease and desist" letter, which would, in effect, require him to stick the play in a drawer forever. But works of parody are protected under the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law, because such works serve as valuable social criticism. Corporate interests may prefer not to have their properties targeted for mockery, but artists have the right to do so, regardless of the best bullying tactics that corporate profits can buy. And more than having the right to do so, artists have an obligation to critique the vestments of our culture. So we stand with Mr. Adjmi, and are in discussions with him to see what assistance he might require. We hope others will show their support for David as well. Because, by so doing, we demonstrate that culture is too important to be controlled solely by the corporations that claim to own it.
Stephen Schwartz, President
Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
