Charlottetown –
The US-based producers of a musical about Anne of Green Gables have filed a lawsuit in New York, claiming their show does not infringe on Prince Edward Island’s most famous export.
A lawsuit filed last week in the Southern District of New York by the show’s producers argues that LM Montgomery’s novels are no longer subject to copyright and are as much in the public domain as Shakespeare’s plays.
The licensing agency for Anne of Green Gables, which is jointly owned by the state and LM Montgomery’s heirs, has filed a request to claim ownership of the trademark and to rename “Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical,” according to the producer. sent them a letter. .
The complaint alleges that Anne of Green Gables is in the public domain because it was published in 1908 and was required to enter the public domain in 1983 according to U.S. copyright law. .
Anne of Green Gables licensing agency is making a bold attempt to extend and monetize “expired copyright”.
Licensing officials did not immediately return requests for comment.
The producers are seeking a declaratory determination that their musicals “do not infringe trademarks or other intellectual property rights.”
This report by the Canadian Press was first published on February 27, 2023.
