The copyright owner for the set design for Hello, Dolly!, the Broadway musical, has filed a lawsuit against a New Orleans company for alleged copyright infringement.
Rosaria Sinisi filed suit against Broadway Bound Costumes Inc. on Oct. 18 in federal court in New Orleans.
Sinisi inherited the copyrights held by the late Oliver Smith for set designs for various productions of Broadway musicals, including My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly!, Camelot, Brigadoon, West Side Story, On the Town and Sound of Music.
According to the lawsuit, the defendant allegedly acquired an original Hello, Dolly! physical set from the original producers of the last revival production some time before 2003. Although the estate of Oliver Smith had licensed the design to the revival producers, the license did not allow the set to be sold or used in another public performance.
Defendant Broadway Bound Costumes is accused of renting its Hello, Dolly! physical set to other production companies throughout the U.S. in violation of the Lanham Act and the Copyright Act.
The defendant is also accused of contributory copyright infringement.
The plaintiff is asking the bourt to issue an injunction prohibiting further infringement and for an award of damages, costs and attorney's fees.
Sinisi is represented by R. Vaughn Cimini and Jennifer Stierman Edwards of Cimini & Associates in Metairie. A jury trial is requested.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle is assigned to the case.
Case No. 2:11-cv-02625