I saw Cymbeline on Saturday matinee (I had purchased my ticket over a month ago). The orchestra was completely full as were the two center sections of the loge. The sides of the loge though were pretty much empty, so it didn't get a huge bump from the strike for that performance at least.
"Margo, everybody DOES indeed get paid to the best of my knowledge, everyone except the stagehands cause they are on strike. Actors, musicians, ushers, stage managers, etc all have to report to work and sign in, and they get their weekly paycheck as long as they have come to work at every performance." Thesbijean
Thesbijean you are mis-informed. The other unions affected by this strike DO NOT receive their weekly paychecks. The little bit of money they do receive(in the case of Equity the equivalent of unemployment) comes from their own defense funds or from the money Local ONE has set aside to assist others affected by the strike. Noone is receiving any money from the producers at this time.
Reprinted from the NY Times, November 12, 2007 The league said a strike would cost the city $17 million a day. But Jason Bram, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York who has studied tourism’s role in the city’s economy, sees little harm to the city. “Unless it goes on for a really long time, I can’t see it having any discernible impact on the overall economy,” Mr. Bram said.
Thanks for that rebuttal to Thesbijean, Unionmade. I hadn't even noticed that post.
Actors are eligible for strike pay -- from AEA NOT the producers -- which is the equivalent of the NY State Unemployment payment which is a maximum of $405/week. And actors over at ATC have said that under their contract, they don't actually start receiveing those payments until the 7th week of the strike -- I can't confirm that, but I've seen that stated by several different people in the past few days. This means the actors will have to either survive on their savings, or get other temporary jobs in the mean time.
And that's just the actors. I don't know what contingencies the musicians, wardrobe and hair people, ushers, etc.... are relying on in the mean time and whether their unions are also making strike pay available (eventually) or not.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Thanks to Unionmade and MargoChanning for setting the record straight. Actors are not getting their contract salaries during the strike. Approx. $450 per week, at best. I heard, from a very reliable source, that Les Miz and Curtains will not re-open if the strike goes longer than one week. The union has promised to absorb stagehands into other shows, if any of the shows they are in close; but the actors will lose their jobs and have to start auditioning again.
Again depending on how long the strike continues I can understand Les Miserables. But where did you get Curtains from? What/Who is this "reliable source"?
I'm not sure if I believe that Curtains will actually close, but that doesn't mean the producers won't post a closing notice for it and other shows within a few days. Closing shows and putting so many members of other unions permanently out of work will be a powerful weapon in this battle of wills.
The ongoing writer's strike also means that there will be less film and TV production to absorb striking stage hands.
"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie