BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
#1BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 10:21am
“Shields got 2794 votes, vs. 1940 votes for stage manager Erin Maureen Koster and 834 for Chicago-based actress Wydetta Carter, according to a tally shared with Broadway Journal.
Shields hasn’t served in Equity’s governance, unlike Koster and Carter, who continue to have top positions in its volunteer leadership. The 58-year-old actress, famous since she was a child, faces a steep learning curve as she begins her four-year term immediately.”
http://broadwayjournal.com/brooke-shields-elected-actors-equity-president/
Kind of surprised Shields was able to come out on top here, especially with her lack of experience in Equity leadership. Personally, I was rooting for Koster.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#2BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 10:45am
I'm less surprised. The tide has been turning in many union leaderships toward what some would consider a popularity contest, and the good news is that, so far, the results have been surprisingly fruitful. I hope she takes it as seriously as Fran Drescher seems to have in the same position at SAG-AFTRA.
One of her campaign promises was lobbying for more government funding for the arts. If she doesn't back down from that, and specifically makes a more serious push for the STAGE Act, then all will not be lost.
Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky
ErmengardeStopSniveling
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
#3BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 10:48am
She may find that it's a draining and not-fun job with few rewards. But, perhaps she'll surprise us.
#4BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 8:01pm
Good Brooke! I would have voted for as she's the best of the bunch!
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
#5BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 8:47pm
Robbie2 said: "Good Brooke! I would have voted for as she's the best of the bunch!"
Best... in what way, exactly? She was running against more established theater professionals who have been in Equity governance positions for years. She will have to learn a lot about how organized labor operates, very quickly.
Also, worth pointing out that the vote turnout for this election was abysmal. It looks like less than 10% of eligible voting members voted.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Updated On: 5/24/24 at 08:47 PM
ErmengardeStopSniveling
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
#6BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 10:37pm
Kad said: "It looks like less than 10% of eligible voting members voted."
Woof.
I hope she'll be great, and I'm sure her intentions are well-meaning, but...I don't know.
It is easy to say "I want more government funding for the arts" and "I want to protect workers" when you don't know the inner-workings of everything. She hasn't served on AEA committees. She has only ever worked as a star (arguably "stunt") performer. She probably hasn't been to an open call in a few decades, if ever, and she's performed in just one stage production in the past 12 years (a one-week run of Love Letters at Irish Rep).
On top of it, Equity's Executive Director has only been in his role since 2022, and he had never worked in the arts prior to this.
She could end up being the face of some changes within Equity, even if a lot of them were in the works prior to her election, with the announced initiatives to explore a new name and to find more workers to bring under the Equity umbrella.
PurpleMonkey
Swing Joined: 5/27/16
#7BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 10:39pm
Robbie2 said: "Good Brooke! I would have voted for as she's the best of the bunch!"
How? Better than say, Erin Koster, who has been working her way through Equity leadership for years, pushing many of the actual progressive changes that have been seen (including the increases in the OB and regional contracts)? She is also a HUGE advocate for working parents, an area that easily gets overlooked and ignored in the industry.
Brooke is better for one thing - name recognition. But name recognition only goes so far, which isn't far at all if you don't even realize that you should probably acknowledge a whole section of your union membership in any communication (she keeps only referring to actors, and does not mention stage managers). And that's not even touching the fact that according to reports she has not even attended an Equity meeting, and now she's going to lead the whole union.
I'm not an actor, so this wasn't my election, but I'm upset FOR them.
#8BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/24/24 at 11:52pm
Shields is already receiving some flack from the stage management community after she described Actors Equity as an “acting community”
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Tom5
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/11
#9BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/25/24 at 12:44pm
Fran Drescher has smarts and cojones! That's what you need to run a Union. Brooke Shields...not optimistic but good luck to her.
JSquared2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
#10BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/25/24 at 1:20pm
Call_me_jorge said: "Shields is already receiving some flack from the stage management community after she described Actors Equity as an “acting community”"
Then maybe some of them should have voted?
#11BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT
Posted: 5/25/24 at 10:10pm
JSquared2 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Shields is already receiving some flack from the stage management community after she described Actors Equity as an “acting community”"
Then maybe some of them should have voted?"
For what it's worth, a friend of mine who's a member of Equity tried to get a ballot multiple times (both by emailing and calling) and never received one. I wouldn't be surprised if this happened to others as well.
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