Arts News
Former ABBA members and writer drop musical script dispute
By DPA
Mar 10, 2008, 18:38 GMT

Stockholm - Former ABBA members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus Monday said they have reached an agreement with writer Carl- Johan Seth over a protacted dispute about a script used in one of their musicals.

An appeal court hearing later this week was cancelled and the three issued a joint statement saying they were 'happy we have reached an agreement and can move on as friends.'

No details of the settlement were released, but it was welcomed by Seth's lawyer.

A year ago, Seth appealed a Stockholm district court ruling that said a script he penned was not used in a popular musical, Kristina from Duvemala, that premiered in 1995.

The musical was about Swedes who emigrated to the United States in the 1800s, and was based on a series of books by writer Vilhelm Moberg.

In his appeal, Seth maintained that he had the right to credits and future royalty payments.

With the agreement in place, the former ABBA duo may consider a launch on Broadway.

Seth was contracted in 1991 but Andersson and Ulvaeus said in early 1995 the script was not good enough and had to reworked, hiring director Lars Rudfolfsson and writer Jan Mark to do that.

The district court said Mark and Rudolfsson wrote the version used on stage.

Seth has received some 5 million kronor (700,000 dollars) from productions in Sweden. In 2005, Ulvaeus told a hearing that the payments to Seth were made to get peace and quiet around the musical.

After ABBA stopped recording and touring, Andersson and Ulvaeus continued to collaborate. They composed the popular musical Chess and have recently scored success with the musical Mamma Mia.