It's vaguely embarrassing to admit that there was a general buzz of excitement at SFist HQ when SFist Jon found out that counterPULSE Theater was staging a live-action version of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer musical episode, "Once More With Feeling." Set for performances this weekend and next, tickets sold out pretty much immediately and geeks of all stripes (musical theater geeks, comic book geeks, Star Trek geeks, Joss Whedon geeks, and your everyday run of the mill geeks) began lovingly sheathing their precious original tickets in durable plastic covers to preserve forever.

Well, where geeks go, lawyers are soon to follow -- last week, counterPULSE got an angry letter from Fox TV's attorneys, demanding that they cancel all the shows or face a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit. Feeling as if they had no choice, counterPULSE has now cancelled all the Buffy shows (which they are now referring to as "the Halloween shows," or the "Uffy" shows). Fox is taking the position that it alone, and not some namby-pamby San Francisco theater group, has the right to profit from Buffy-related activities.

counterPULSE has one last stake left in its back pocket, though -- Joss Whedon himself has apparently said that he has no objection to the staging of the show, and counterPULSE has sent this along to Fox for consideration. Given the number of other people whose rights would need to be cleared by tomorrow, though, we're not optimistic that this Buffy's going to actually be able to save the universe, this time. (On the bright side, collectors, you won't actually have to remove the ticket from the protective plastic sleeve you placed it in, and it won't be ripped at the door!)

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