STAGE

The play’s the same, but there’s a new title on the marquee at Hollywood’s Cast Theatre. In the middle of its engagement, Justin Tanner’s domestic satire called “Barbie and Ken at Home” has been retitled “Still Life With Vacuum Salesman.” Tanner and Cast artistic director Ted Schmitt were compelled to give the play a new name after receiving a written request from attorneys representing Mattel Inc. Schmitt said the letter was accompanied by a 20-page document detailing the company’s trademark rights over any derivation based on its Barbie and Ken dolls--including play titles. “This theater isn’t in a financial position to make a freedom-of-expression case out of this, so we agreed to retitle the play,” Schmitt said. Mattel attorneys were not available for comment, but a spokesman said the company’s concern was trademark violation, which was “not any kind of judgment on the play.”