Chicago Judge Issues Gag Order on Theatre Bloggers

Chicago Judge Issues Gag Order on Theatre Bloggers

Numerous verbal fisticuffs have erupted recently in the theatrosphere. The discussion surrounding Don Hall’s review of Greyzelda Theatre’s production has been particularly volatile.

It is unclear how this gag order from a Cook County judge in Chicago will be enforceable on bloggers as far away as Australia but just its existence adds a chilling effect on future discourse in the theatrosphere.

Chicago bloggers directly under the jurisdiction of the court order include Devilvet, GreyZelda, Paul Rekk, Don Hall, Trailing Spouse Blues, Nick Keenan, and Jay Raskolnikov.

I’m not sure how this court order really effects me or other bloggers in the rest of the theatrosphere, but until the legal ramifications are fully explored, it is probably best all theatre bloggers cease posting or commenting directly on this subject.

Read the full article of this case “He said; She said: A Dialogue That Never Happened” and the recovered ghost comments in the Financial Times.

9 thoughts on “Chicago Judge Issues Gag Order on Theatre Bloggers

  1. I saw this earlier today and laughed.

    I think Paul Rekk sums it up best – “that it’s dangerous to have too negative of an opinion of GreyZelda and their work” although the only danger is a constant hectoring on the issue.

    The thing that I find most interesting is that I keep going back to the review that started all the cyber-yelling and, in my opinion (yeah – I know – that’s what really started it), it’s really not that negative. And, contrary to the threat of legal action, nothing in it can be “proven false” and thus is not legally defamatory or libelous language.

    Does this comment mean I’ll be held in contempt? I sure hope so…

  2. Mr. Rekk does not recognize the authority of the court, but will reluctantly agree to the terms of the order for the purpose of delivering his wife and children from the media circus that has descended upon Chicago in the wake of this most unfortunate affair.

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