Friday, March 13, 2020
Actors’ Equity: “Uncharted Territory” For Union As Broadway Goes Dark
Deadline: Actors’ Equity, the union representing actors and stage managers, told members today that Broadway’s month-long shutdown is “uncharted territory,” and that discussions with employers about salary payments and employment contracts are ongoing.
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Though I was initially relieved to read that Broadway was shutting down because of current public health concerns, I became more and more worried when I started thinking about the financial ramifications this would have for employees and what it means for theater in the rest of the country as well. Though not everywhere has been hit as badly by the coronavirus as NYC, the same fear of public gatherings has led to many theaters canceling or postponing productions, which could quickly lead to disaster for smaller theater companies that are heavily dependent on revenue from production. We don't know how long this situation is going to last at this level. but I believe that a lot of regional theater will take a while to recover from these financial deficits. I am already worried for the future of theater in my town because my high school cancelled this year's musical (which was set to go up in a few weeks), the profits for which are responsible for funding the majority of the next year's production. Many high schools in my area are in similar situations. Broadway going dark is setting the precedent for most other theater groups to cancel their shows, which could and likely will have unforeseen consequences in areas that don't have as much public support for the arts.
This article, like so many others, does not provide a clear response to the losses brought about by the virus. This is totally understandable since nobody is sure how it will even develop or how dramatic the effect is going to be. Now that I'm home in Florida, the current climate feels as though a hurricane is about to come. Growing up, hurricane season was a concern every year, and everyone would frantically stock up on supplies and shutter their homes to protect them and their families from what may or may not come. Some people thought the storm would never hit us, and boast when it happened to veer off course to another region. Right now, it feels sort of like that waiting game. How much will we be impacted? How much money will we lose? Will we recover? None of these questions can be answered now, so it makes sense that AEA doesn't have clear solutions either.
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