Theater News

STRIKE UPDATE: SETTLEMENT REACHED; PERFORMANCES RESUME







TheaterMania.com hits Times Square to talk to theatergoers about the strike.

The League of American Theatres and Producers and Local One of the I.A.T.S.E. are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached ending the Broadway strike, and that Broadway performances have resumed. No specific details of the settlement were announced.

In a statement, the League’s executive director Charlotte St. Martin said, “The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry. What is most important is that Broadway’s lights will once again shine brightly, with a diversity of productions that will delight all theatre-goers during this holiday time. We look forward to celebrating the season and welcoming our talented stagehands, and the theatergoing public, back to Broadway.”

Local One President James J. Claffey, Jr. said, “The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theatre-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world.”

The strike, which began on November 10, centered on a number of issues, most notably, the number of employees — including carpenters and electricians — that need to be hired during a show’s load-in process. Under existing rules, certain Union members must be paid for the entire load-in process, whether or not their work is required every day.

The strike caused the postponement of the opening of five Broadway shows: Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention, Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer, Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, Is He Dead?, and Disney’s The Little Mermaid, all of which have set new dates. In addition, the revival of Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming will now begin previews on Tuesday, December 4 and open on Sunday, December 16.

For more information on schedules, as well as how to obtain refunds or exchanges for canceled performances, visit www.ilovenytheatre.com or call 212-575-3824 or 866-654-6362.

REOPENING PRODUCTIONS


The following Broadway shows (and respective houses) were affected by the strike: A Bronx Tale (Walter Kerr Theatre); A Chorus Line (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre); August: Osage County (Imperial Theatre); Avenue Q (Golden Theatre); Chicago (Ambassador Theatre); Curtains (Al Hirschfeld Theatre); Cyrano de Bergerac (Richard Rodgers Theatre); Grease (Brooks Atkinson Theatre); Hairspray (Neil Simon Theatre); Is He Dead? (Lyceum Theatre); Jersey Boys (August Wilson Theatre); Legally Blonde (Palace Theatre); Les Miserables (Broadhurst Theatre); Mamma Mia! (Winter Garden); Rent (New Amsterdam Theatre); Rock ‘n’ Roll (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre); Monty Python’s Spamalot (Shubert Theatre); Spring Awakening (Eugene O’Neill Theatre); The Color Purple (Broadway Theatre); The Drowsy Chaperone (Marquis Theatre); The Farnsworth Invention (Music Box Theatre); The Lion King (Minskoff Theatre); The Little Mermaid (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre); The Phantom of the Opera (Majestic Theatre); The Seafarer (Booth Theatre); Wicked (Gershwin Theatre).

CONTINUING PRODUCTIONS


The following Broadway shows (and respective houses) remained open, not affected by the strike: Cymbeline (Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre); Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam Theatre); Pygmalion (American Airlines Theatre); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Circle in the Square); The Ritz (Studio 54); Xanadu (Helen Hayes Theatre); Young Frankenstein (Hilton Theatre); Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (St. James Theatre), which was initially affected by the strike but re-opened November 23.

In addition, all Off-Broadway shows are running, as well as Off-Off-Broadway, Radio City Music Hall, and all variety and concert venues.