Carrie Fisher has battled booze, pills and Darth Vader.
And now, she’s at war with the producer of her hit Broadway show, “Wishful Drinking,” The Post has learned.
The feud, which could end up in court, is over control of the rights to Fisher’s autobiographical one-woman show, which recently ended a critically acclaimed run at Studio 54. Because it was a hit in New York, “Wishful Drinking” is in demand around the world, potentially bringing in a few million dollars.
Fisher, who wrote and performed the play, claims that because her producer, Jonathan Reinis, failed to fulfill certain contractual obligations during the New York run, “all the rights revert back to me.”
She also claims Reinis owes her more than $60,000 from the Studio 54 engagement.
“As you can imagine, Jonny seems to be a bit cranky, which I figure is why he still hasn’t paid me the remaining money he owes me,” she told The Post in an e-mail.
Ronald Feiner, a lawyer representing Reinis, denies the claim. “It is our belief that she owes us a substantial amount in lost profits from what could be a lucrative tour,” he says. “We have offers from Australia, Canada and theaters around the United States, but we are unable to close the deal because she will not perform the show.”
Feiner added that if Fisher tries to book “Wishful Drinking” without Reinis’ involvement, “we will do everything in our power to stop her, including legal action.”
The dispute turns on a technical question: Is Studio 54 a Broadway theater? Studio 54 is owned and operated by the Roundabout Theater Company, a nonprofit theater. Artists who perform at nonprofit theaters typically earn much less than artists in commercial Broadway houses.
And, in fact, sources said that Fisher made only $2,500 a week — a far cry from what many other stars have made on Broadway this season. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, for instance, each made more than $100,000 a week in “A Steady Rain.”
Fisher said Reinis agreed to move “Wishful Drinking” to a “first-class” Broadway house by Dec. 31, 2009 — a move that would have included a substantial salary increase.
“For whatever reason, [he] was unable to get it done,” she said. “I don’t know why, since I was told there was plenty of theater availability. So, his rights reverted back to me under our contract.”
Feiner, the producer’s lawyer, contended that Studio 54 is a “first-class” Broadway house because shows that perform there are eligible for Tony awards. He also said that Fisher agreed that the production at Studio 54 “would be deemed a first-class production.”
Fisher and Reinis had a rocky relationship throughout the run of “Wishful Drinking,” sources say. He refused to pay for a car and driver to take her home from the theater, a standard perk for Broadway stars. The Roundabout eventually paid for the car service, sources say.
“Trust me, there are a lot of things in the contract I wasn’t thrilled about,” Fisher wrote. “But I fulfilled my obligations, didn’t miss one show and made a lot of money for my producer — from which I’m assuming he ultimately plans on making a donation to the Roundabout Theater Company.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve had to force Jonny to fulfill his obligations under our deal. I hope he’ll comply in this circumstance soon. This whole thing doesn’t have to get ugly(er).”
Feiner said his client “should not be dismissed by Carrie Fisher in this way. He took her show from nothing — it had no sets, no video, it had nothing — and turned it into a hit.”
Asked if she would ever work with Reinis again, Fisher said: “Right now, I’d have to say no. But you never know in this business. If he wants to cast me in the title role for the nude musical ‘Apocalypse Now: On ICE,’ I’m in.”