A performance of “Breaking: The Musical,” a parody exploring the journey of the Australian breaker known as B-girl Raygun, whose unusual routines at the Paris Olympics this summer led to mockery and memes, was shut down after a cease-and-desist letter.
Steph Broadbridge, the show’s creator and star, said she was willing to make changes so the show could move forward, but not at the expense of art. She said the show in Sydney was designed to be intimate enough that she could receive feedback from friends and other comedians with the goal of having it fully ready by May.
“I was trying to get notes and bump up the jokes and make it funnier,” she said.
The breaker, Dr. Rachael Gunn, a professor with a Ph.D. in cultural studies from Macquarie University who has a background as a ballroom, jazz and tap dancer, became an unlikely Olympic celebrity after losing all three of her head-to-head battles with routines that featured her thrashing about on her side and hopping around like a kangaroo.
The one-hour show was supposed to feature a dozen actors and songs like “You May Be a B-Girl, But You’ll Always Be an A-Girl to Me,” “I’m Breaking Down” and “I Would Have Won but I Pulled a Muscle,” according to an Eventbrite listing.
Broadbridge, 42, said in a video posted to her Instagram account that Gunn’s lawyers had said that the musical could damage the dancer’s brand and that she was not allowed to perform any of Raygun’s signature moves.
Attempts to reach Gunn through her talent agency, Born Bred, were not successful. The agency told 7News, an Australian outlet, that Gunn’s management and legal team were committed to protecting her intellectual property.
“While we have immense respect for the credible work and effort that has gone into the development of the show, we must take necessary steps to safeguard Rachael’s creative rights and the integrity of her work,” the agency said.
The idea for “Breaking: The Musical,” Broadbridge said, was born from the international frenzy around Gunn’s performances in Paris.
“People from all ages, demographics, everywhere in the country knew and saw the dance,” Broadbridge said. “And that really fascinated me that there was like a cultural movement in Australia that was so global and I was desperate to talk about it.”
In the weeks after Gunn’s Olympic performances, she seemingly participated in the internet fodder, partnering on a contest for dancers who believed they could do better. But last month, Gunn said she had planned to retire from competing.
Broadbridge said she spent months crafting the musical, spending about 13,000 Australian dollars, or about $8,300. She had sold 50 tickets to friends and family and had set aside an additional 20 complimentary tickets for other comedians.
“People are very excited for me, which is nice, but it’s just, it’s all a little bit extreme,” said Broadbridge, who said she felt uncomfortable with the attention she had received since the show was canceled.
The comedian said she was willing to make changes, including adjusting the spelling of the main character’s name to “Raigun,” but not anything that alters the point of view. “My concern is that if I have to keep getting someone legal to go over anything creative, then how is that good for the arts,” she said.
Broadbridge said she was unsure when an actual run of the show would happen.
“I’d like for no more hate on either side, and I don’t mean from her, I mean at her,” Broadbridge said, adding that people are trying to be supportive because they are protective over the arts in Australia.
“I think that’s led to a fair bit of nastiness,” she said. “I don’t want that to happen anymore.”
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