Theater News

Equity/League Talks Break Down But Broadway Theaters Will Remain Lit, At Least for the Time Being

Negotiations between Actors’ Equity Association and the League of American Theatres and Producers broke down late last night.

According to a statement issued by AEA, “Contract talks between Actors Equity and Broadway producers broke down on Sunday June 27 at 10:45pm when negotiators for the producers walked out on the current contract negotiations. The contract was due to expire at midnight. Actors’ Equity is instructing its members to report to work at their
theaters until the Council convenes this week to determine a course of action. Actors’ Equity will keep Broadway and the road lit!” A statement from the League characterized the situation somewhat differently: “Actors’ Equity broke off negotiations Sunday night prior to the contract deadline. Our understanding is that Actors’ Equity has indicated actors will be at work Monday, and our expectation is that contract talks will resume as well.”

Yesterday afternoon, both sides had issued a joint statement that “the parties have made progress and remain committed to reaching a mutually agreeable contract.” Reportedly, there are two major issues in the negotiations: (1) the proliferation of non-Equity touring productions and (2) health care benefits for AEA members.

Reached by telephone this morning, Equity spokesperson Maria Somma said, “One of the key proposals that we have put on the table since April 1 is preservation of work language. We’ve asked the producers that when they license their product to other producers, those producers will use area standards. ‘Area standards’ essentially means the salaries and work rules that we would negotiate as part of the Production Contract. The League has refused to discuss this, and that’s an important element of our overall proposal.” TheaterMania was not immediately able to get a comment from the League on the breakdown in negotiations. According to an Associated Press report, League spokesman Bob Chlopak said that talks had ended because progress had slowed to a near-halt but added, “There won’t be a strike.”

If Equity does strike, the vast majority of Broadway shows would cease performances until Equity and League come to terms. The only exceptions would be the Roundabout’s After the Fall and Assassins, Lincoln Center Theater’s The Frogs, and Manhattan Theatre Club’s Sight Unseen. The actors in these shows work under special LORT contracts for limited-run productions by not-for-profit companies rather than under the Production Contract that usually applies to Broadway shows.

All of the shows that normally play on Monday nights — Aida, Avenue Q, The Boy From Oz, Chicago, Rent, and The Phantom of the Opera — will play this evening as scheduled.