Strike!

Those behind stage suddenly find themselves in the spotlight...

IATSE and the League of American Theatres and producers are at in impasse over wage increases vs set hours and number of employees. There's a rift in Local 1 as well. This is a big deal. At the heart...how to keep the cost of theatre down, make it accessible to a larger audience, how to earn the bigger buck, while not short changing those doing the work...hours, money, safety, health...

I'm proud of the unions. I'm glad they are in place to protect those behind the scenes. But at the same time THOUSANDS of artists are struggling, earning well below the cost of living. A many, talented, legitimate and avant garde theatres cannot afford union wages.

So in a way, I'm glad the huge commercial ventures are dark at the moment. It opens our eyes to how vital theatre is to New York. How appreciated theatre is to all of us in general. And those dying to see a show are now forced to look for the jewels off and off off Broadway they may have never seen before.