Circuit Judge John Fleming cited the number of times the squabble between the two bloggers has been amplified in comments sections throughout the blogosphere.

“There is a very real and imminent threat to the theatre bloggers’ . . . right to a practice theatre,” the judge said.

The gag order prohibits all bloggers from commenting on the case or from discussing aspects of the case with the news media.

Through bloggers involved directly in the case, Financial Times has received a short string of blogger comment apparently in violation of this gag order.

The original post and comments at the GreyZelda site has since been removed. What follows are the recovered comments from the ghost post “A Brief Public Statement.”

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silent nic@knight has left a new comment on the post:

RZ,

Leaving what you say here as insinuation, or as part of some gossip mill, is at the core of much of what we are attempting to explore in this how/when/why talk and its impact on peer-to-peer relationships.

Your suggestion is that one blogger could sue another blogger for “defamatory/libel” in this conversation. No doubt. Our litigious culture allows easy access to cheap stunts like that. But how chicken shit would that be for a theatre artist? And of course such a frivolous legal action opens itself up for the obvious countersuit by another lawyer or legal firm.

I see nothing libelous or defamatory, legally or ethically, in any of this talk. If you do, please spit it out.

Or do you now need to run your public comment by your lawyer first?

–nick

Don Hall has left a new comment on the post:

Just let it go. Jebus.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

Don -

That’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. Let it go.

Nick - I’m just thinking outloud, at the moment. But this is something that hasn’t been discussed in the recent conversations, but you can definitely read more about it on the Australia 2006 end:

http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com/2006/12/on-being-nice.html

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

Don -

That’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. Let it go.

Nick - I’m just thinking outloud, at the moment and I’m thinking as a member of a nonprofit organization, not as a blogger right now. I wanted to post my current mode of thinking so that future statements or veiled mentions in Don’s blog stop as this really has gone on far enough. (Talking about us on opening night? Why? And the way it’s phrased makes it appear that Patrick said it publicly in front of paying audience members, but I truly don’t think that’s what Don meant to write.)

I’ve asked nicely. He can either continue to write about me, my actors, theatre company, etc or he can “let it go”. There’s only so many private emails and comments I can continue to write.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

And there’s nothing “artistic” about this. This is pure business.

RZ

Nick Keenan has left a new comment on the post:

Other Nick here.

The minute Chicago storefront theater becomes litigious is the minute I pack my bags, give up, and move to Asheville to dance around a theatrical campfire with Scott Walters. Because then it’s all lost.

I’m only writing this because you calmed me down over the TIC Calendar issue… and you know what? You were right to calm me down. Yesterday I sat down with Mark at TIC and had a great conversation that cleared the air and offered some possibilities for cooperation. Good things will come out of that argument.

I think you and Don should get a beer. With a mutual friend. You’re both on the same side, and you speak a different language. What is said over blogs isn’t going to fix what has become an emotional issue, because emotion and irony don’t translate over the interwebs.

Grains of salt. Take them. Don’t engage if it damages you and your work.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

I’m glad to hear that you sat down with Mark, Nick K. He’s very nice and reasonable, in my opinion.

I’ve written a few sentences more, but just deleted them because they’re not going to forward the discussion.

For the record, there’s no action being taken at the moment.

I don’t want to get together and “talk” about anything over a drink because Don thinks he’s right and that’s not going to change. He’s repeated several times that we’re not “friends”. I just would like to not feel like I’m having to check Don’s blog everyday because I think he’s going to say something about me, reference things we talked about in private emails, or fear that he’s speaking poorly (and laughing)about me and my theatre company to other mutual theatre friends and acquaintances simply for doing as he did, which was stating my opinion. The only difference was … I didn’t agree with him.

I’m sure there are other bloggers, past Don Hall collaborators and theatre people who feel the same way.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

I’m glad to hear that you sat down with Mark, Nick K. He’s very nice and reasonable, in my opinion.

I’ve written a few sentences more, but just deleted them because they’re not going to forward the discussion.

For the record, there’s no action being taken at the moment.

RZ

Paul Rekk has left a new comment on the post:

I agree with Nick (2) to a point.

“I think you and Don should get a beer. With a mutual friend. You’re both on the same side, and you speak a different language.”

We don’t all have to be friends. Personally, I wish there were a few more public open wounds between artists. At least then I could be sure people were owning up to their opinions.

Christ, have we gotten to the point where the reason we recreate conflict on stage is because we can no longer deal with it in real life?

RZ, this isn’t artistic. You’re right. But this isn’t business, either. There’s no way a lawsuit would have a positive effect on GreyZelda’s checking account or that Don’s review is cutting noticeably into your gains. This is personal, pure and simple. I don’t give a shit how (or even if) you two want to work this out. But don’t hide behind your company with this, because suddenly it becomes a ‘theatre’ thing, and the rest of us get dragged in unwillingly.

Tony Adams has left a new comment on the post:

Really?

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

Helen T - I don’t know who you are and can’t respond to an email (see side bar), so you’re not getting on here, but you sure do like lurking lately, don’t you? Introduce yourself and claim your true identity and we’ll see if we can have a conversation. You seem to know me, though, so, seriously … come on down, you’re the next contestant …

If I get a “Go fuck yourself” statement (you all can guess who wrote it and it wasn’t HelenT), I’m not going to publish it. See sidebar.

And, if I receive threats about an action that hasn’t been taken yet, I’m not going to publish it.

Seriously, people. Don’t get yourself too worked up about this because I’m not meaning to get you worked up. I’m presenting another side to the coin that’s a very real side of the coin when it comes to internet and permanent content. If you don’t think that this is a possible situation that could occur because you decided to be an asshole on the internet, than I don’t know what to tell you.

But, don’t pick up your flags just yet. Nick’s right, I’m on the same side as everyone else, but, just a reminder … I’m my own person, not you, so I’m (and others) aren’t going to react to things exactly like you.

You all have dayjobs right? What would happen if you started writing about your company publicly on the internet? Or writing about a competing company in a negative manner?

RZ

Nick Keenan has left a new comment on the post:

You’re right, Paul. We don’t have to be friends. Absolutely right.

But I think we might need to collaborate better. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say. It’s quite a useful skill to be able to collaborate with an otherwise mortal enemy.

Paul Rekk has left a new comment on the post:

And what if, while talking about my day job, I insinuated the possibility of me suing a competitive company? How do you think they would respond?

This isn’t a what if game or a life lesson, Rebecca, and don’t try to pass it off as one. We’re all intelligent adults and already far too aware of the litiginous nature of today’s society. You’re not teaching us anything. This was a scare tactic and you’ve placed it on your blog and it’s suddenly very real.

And not just for Don — I critiqued The Skriker not so positively as well when it came up on Tony’s blog. You didn’t mind at the time, but how do I know that you won’t change your mind about that and see my opinions as potential libel, too? Hell, this comment certainly isn’t helping my case any.

The only side of the coin you’re presenting that others may not have been aware of is that it’s dangerous to have too negative of an opinion of GreyZelda and their work. If that’s what you’re going for, you’ve succeeded.

Unfortunately, from my stance, the easiest way to avoid that danger is to avoid GreyZelda. And that’s not a threat, a lesson, or a scare tactic. That’s simply me covering my strongly opinioned ass.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

Don’s moved beyond the critique and that’s what I’m talking about. Paul, you didn’t mention actors by name, you didn’t “pay for the right to write” even though you were comp’d in the first place and you didn’t write anything that wasn’t conscientious.

People can have all the negative opinions they want but if they just keep going and going and going about it and continue making harassing comments publicly and privately, it turns into something else.

RZ

Adam has left a new comment on the post:

Hey RZ,

If this comment never makes it to the blog, I hope you’ll at least read it and take what you want from it.

I’m an outsider. I surf these blogs once in a while but I generally keep my head down. I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool Hall-head or anything like that, and quite honestly I’ve never seen a production at GreyZelda or at WNEP. I saw Clay Continent because my buddy was the AD, and I gave it a six out of ten. That’s who I am.

I think that you should drop this on your end and let Don Hall do what he likes. Stop reading his blog, stop seeing his shows, take his link off your page. Don’t keep up this line, though, because right now, you’re making your company look petty and reactionary, and if anybody ever accuses Don Hall of being petty and reactionary, everybody else will be just SHOCKED, won’t they? Don can’t hurt his rep by being a dick. You, however, can tarnish your company’s rep by chasing the carrot.

GreyZelda Land has left a new comment on the post:

You make excellent points, Adam. Thank you. The blog will be, at least, moved to another location very shortly, if not removed. Any further action, if there is any, will be made privately.

RZ