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Both the League of American Theater Producers and Owners and Local One, the stagehands union have put their final offers for a contract agreement on the table. Distance between the two offers could mean that almost all Broadway shows will go dark in the near future. According to The New York Times there are no more negotiating sessions scheduled, so a lockout by the producers and owners looks likely. If that happens, only four shows will continue to stage performances: “Mary Poppins,” “Pygmalion,” “Mauritius” and “The Ritz."
At issue are work rules that dictate how many stagehands are needed for a show's production and for how long. The producers would like some flexibility during their shows' expensive load-in periods. A show's load-in period is when equipment and sets are being loaded into a theater. Producers must determine how many stagehands they'll need and all of those employees are paid for the entire period, regardless of whether they're working or needed.
Local One says that it is unwilling to make costly concessions without some additional benefits. If the lockout goes through, and it could start immediately, it will be the second stoppage of Broadway shows in the last five years. The most recent one lasted four days in 2003.
(NYC - Theater District: St. James Theater, by wallyg at flickr)
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At this rate, I fully expect Broadway as we now know it to die in the near future, only to be replaced entirely by Chase branches and luxury condo buildings made by fancy star-chitects.
At this rate, I fully expect Broadway as we now know it to die in the near future, only to be replaced entirely by Chase branches and luxury condo buildings made by fancy star-chitects.
Minor semi-correction: "Young Frankenstein" at the Hilton Theatre enters previews tomorrow, October 11, and will not be affected by any labor action.
Another show not affected: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN!
Oh no! You mean that Grease, Legally Blonde, The Little Mermaid and Xanadu might not be showing? What will my relatives from Iowa do?
"At this rate, I fully expect Broadway as we now know it to die in the near future, only to be replaced entirely by Chase branches and luxury condo buildings made by fancy star-chitects."
One thing you might ask yourselves is whether or not Broadway is an anachronism. Andrew Lloyd Webber ain't making anything and, well, it's not like Broadway is needed as an anchor for midtown anymore with property prices they way they are.
Broadway will stay, though it might go through some very lean years. That is, until producers make some new, awesome shows. Like "the producers" for example.
This is what they get for staging "Crappy Movies Brand Expansion: The Musical" along with "Cheesy Pop Songs: The Musical" and "Another Bad Disney Film: The Musical" which have turned things into bland garbage designed to bring in Midwesterners who have heard of either the movie or the pop band the musical is based on. Most of he shows on Broadway could be easily adapted to the "On Ice" format and be playing hockey rinks throughout the country for even more brand expansion.
Broadway will go on and no doubt will eventually give us "Full House: The Musical" starring the Olsen Twins, someone from American Idol and Tony Danza.
#7: Amusingly enough, Tony Danza starred in The Producers shortly before it closed.
I don't think Broadway is going anywhere; there's too much money to be made. If anything you'll see many more movie adaptations and other cash cow type productions.
I'm so awesome because I think things that entertain you are lame.
Broadway has gone the way of the Hersheys and Hard Rock stores in Times Square. Can those "producers" please show us something relevant about the theatre in 2007? They all have their heads up their proverbial bank accounts. What a bunch of dummies. Oh h'yeah! - get a movie star to appear in person. Now there's an inspired idea! Most of them can't act. There is no lack of interesting theatre artists in NYC. (at least for the time being, if they can pay their rent). The producers are a bunch of idiots and deserve to loose the venues. We all have to adjust to the punishing crap that has come down since NYC is ruled by real estate interests. (Free market, my ass.)
OK.
That's my rant about "Broadway" for now...
The producers want to be union busters. And make payments on their 3rd and 4th beach houses. It's not as if when they get their concessions they will lower prices. They will still overcharge the public and keep the profits - not pay their workers more. Don't buy it. They are anti-union and anti-working folks!
Mr. von Meistersinger: That is the most hilarious-- and most apt-- assessment of current Broadway theatre I've ever heard. Bravo!
Oh, and by the way, as someone who used to work in the industry, those load-in labor minimums are a load of BS. By Local 1 standards, it should take ten guys to stand around and watch while two guys bring in a piano. It's like a bad "how many...to screw in a lightbulb?" joke. Greedy producers aren't the only B'way ticket prices have skyrocketed...