A sound engineer who penned a memoir detailing his experiences contributing to producing the Fleetwood Mac album "Rumors" has taken legal action against the producers of the Broadway play "Stereophonic."
The lawsuit claims the Broadway play unlawfully appropriated copyrighted content from the engineer's book, "Making Rumours," released in 2012.
Kenneth Caillat and his collaborator Steven Stiefel brought a lawsuit in the Southern District Court of New York where they claimed that playwright David Adjmi utilized copyrighted content from their book to develop the play.
The claim is made that certain scenes in the play significantly resemble passages found in the book, and it is argued that the decision to place the play in a recording studio, allowing the audience to experience a sound engineer's perspective, closely mirrors the book's narrative arc.
"Utilizing the set in the recording studio, Stereophonic then presents a nearly identical story arc as 'Making Rumours,' which Mr. Caillat described as 'Ken's Wild Ride,'" the lawsuit said.
"'Making Rumours' depicts Mr. Caillat's career and relationship with Fleetwood Mac during the making of the 'Rumors' album by introducing songs and key events in the order that Mr. Caillat experienced during the making of the album. Stereophonic uncannily duplicates this precise arc."
Caillat and Stiefel are seeking compensation for lost profits from the infringement, legal expenses, and possibly an order to stop the unauthorized use of their work.
Adjmi Broadway production is about the journey of a music group striving to produce a chart-topping album. Consisting of a drummer and two couples, one British and one American, the band faces several challenges.
"Making Rumours" prominently features the sound engineer Grover as a key figure in the unfolding drama.
Since its debut on Broadway in April 2024, reports suggest that the production has generated over $20 million in revenue.
Breaking records with 13 Tony nominations, "Stereophonic" made a splash at the awards ceremony.
The production secured five wins, notably Best Play, Best Direction of a Play, and Best Sound Design. Additionally, Will Brill's performance earned him the Best Featured Actor in a Play accolade. Not to be overlooked, the stunning scenic design of the play also received recognition.
