[NEohioPAL]Details of Musicians strike in NYC this past weekend and one persons opinion.
RRICHMOOREJR at aol.com
RRICHMOOREJR at aol.com
Mon Mar 10 08:54:12 PST 2003
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CRITICAL MASS
In Praise of Going Dark
by Linda Winer
=20
=C2=A9 2003, Newsday, Inc.
Many people are disappointed, some are even furious, about this=20
weekend's strike against 18 Broadway musicals. But I am really=20
proud. Naturally, anyone with feelings is concerned about the=20
risk=20
for shows and artists, and sorry for theatergoers whose plans=20
were=20
ruined by Friday's abrupt shuttering of all musicals but one,=20
"Cabaret", which operates on a different contract. Yes, the cost=
=20
of=20
tickets is being refunded. But it's impossible to put a price on=
=20
the=20
emotional investment, not to mention the related expenses,=20
squandered on experiences denied.
Where others see yet-another New York catastrophe, however, I se=
e=20
a=20
great big heart for every dark light on Broadway today. Actors=20
Equity, the actors' union, and Local 1 of the International=20
Alliance=20
of Theatrical Stage Employees, the stagehands union, did exactly=
=20
what they should have done when Local 802, the pit musicians,=20
struck=20
and producers decided to replace them with computer-generated,=20
so-called virtual orchestras. The actors and stagehands joined=20
with=20
the musicians to say "enough", to draw a line in the cheesing-up=
,=20
dumbing-down of commercial theater sensibilities before people=20
forget entirely why anyone ever loved Broadway in the first=20
place.=20
The
musical, lauded as one of the few great American art forms and a=
=20
nearly $4.5-billion industry for New York, is also one of the=20
major=20
collaborative preoccupations -- a combination of story, music,=20
dance=20
and spectacle that barely exists until human beings join togethe=
r=20
to=20
make it live. How right it feels for performers and stagehands
to refuse to let the League of American Theatres and Producers=20
degrade -- more accurately, continue to degrade -- the deeply=20
pleasurable profundity of live sound. On the surface, the issue=20
is=20
employment. But, really, the subject is quality. The union=20
insists=20
on maintaining a minimum number of players per musical house --=20
admittedly,
a demand that led in the past to examples of featherbedding. =20
These=20
days, however, the minimums range from three to 26 musicians, a=20
number that, since the "special situations provisions" in the=20
1993=20
contract, is adjustable on a show-by-show basis. The League=20
began=20
contract negotiations by demanding the abolition of all minimums=
,=20
which top executives of The League are describing as "archaic",=20
"arcane", even "un-American". By Friday, the number had offered=20
up=20
to a maximum of 14. The message was delivered with indignation.=20
How=20
dare musicians tell producers and the creative team how big an=20
orchestra they should use?
If more producers had earned our trust in recent years, I could=20
go=20
along with the logic of the League on this one. Unfortunately,=20
though tickets keep getting more expensive, the orchestras get=20
skimpier -- and I can't believe that's the choice of the=20
"creative=20
team". Amplification, much of it tinny, has replaced the thrill=
=20
of=20
natural sound and, despite resistance from the maligned=20
musicians'=20
union, there already are synthesizers in many pits to amplify=20
minimums that producers already think are too big.
We are being weaned off the sound in preparation for high-tech=20
karaoke. Orchestras are less and less visible, often buried in=20
stagecraft and, I'm told, sometimes even stuck on another floor=20
of=20
the theater building altogether. This season's program=20
for the League's annual "Kids' Night on Broadway" included a=20
playful=20
diagram about "How Broadway Puts on a Show". Everyone from=20
director=20
to theater owner to box-office staff and public relations people=
=20
was=20
included -- everyone, significantly, except the musicians. This=
=20
is=20
hardly the first time that musicians were threatened with=20
machines=20
around contract time. As old-time producers are replaced by a ne=
w
generation of bottom-line entertainment corporations, however, w=
e=20
are in danger of losing the very handmade quality that made=20
Broadway=20
an international destination. New producers may find the=20
requirements of such quality "archaic", but that push-cart =20
mentality informed a creative community. And it's heart is=20
walking=20
the Broadway streets today.
=20
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
CRITICAL=20=
MASS<BR>
In Praise=
of Going Dark<BR>
by Linda=20=
Winer<BR>
&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; =
<BR>
=C2=A9 20=
03, Newsday, Inc.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Many peop=
le are disappointed, some are even furious, about this <BR>
weekend's=
strike against 18 Broadway musicals. But I am really <BR>
proud.&nb=
sp; Naturally, anyone with feelings is concerned about the risk <BR>
for shows=
and artists, and sorry for theatergoers whose plans were <BR>
ruined by=
Friday's abrupt shuttering of all musicals but one, <BR>
"Cabaret"=
, which operates on a different contract. Yes, the cost of <BR>
tickets i=
s being refunded. But it's impossible to put a price on the <BR>
emotional=
investment, not to mention the related expenses, <BR>
squandere=
d on experiences denied.<BR>
<BR>
Where oth=
ers see yet-another New York catastrophe, however, I see a <BR>
great big=
heart for every dark light on Broadway today. Actors <BR>
Equity, t=
he actors' union, and Local 1 of the International Alliance <BR>
of Theatr=
ical Stage Employees, the stagehands union, did exactly <BR>
what they=
should have done when Local 802, the pit musicians, struck <BR>
and produ=
cers decided to replace them with computer-generated, <BR>
so-called=
virtual orchestras. The actors and stagehands joined with <BR>
the music=
ians to say "enough", to draw a line in the cheesing-up, <BR>
dumbing-d=
own of commercial theater sensibilities before people <BR>
forget en=
tirely why anyone ever loved Broadway in the first place. <BR>
The<BR>
musical,=20=
lauded as one of the few great American art forms and a <BR>
nearly $4=
.5-billion industry for New York, is also one of the major <BR>
collabora=
tive preoccupations -- a combination of story, music, dance <BR>
and spect=
acle that barely exists until human beings join together to <BR>
make it l=
ive. How right it feels for performers and stagehands<BR>
to refuse=
to let the League of American Theatres and Producers <BR>
degrade -=
- more accurately, continue to degrade -- the deeply <BR>
pleasurab=
le profundity of live sound. On the surface, the issue is <BR>
employmen=
t. But, really, the subject is quality. The union insists <BR>
on mainta=
ining a minimum number of players per musical house -- <BR>
admittedl=
y,<BR>
a demand=20=
that led in the past to examples of featherbedding. These <BR>
days, how=
ever, the minimums range from three to 26 musicians, a <BR>
number th=
at, since the "special situations provisions" in the 1993 <BR>
contract,=
is adjustable on a show-by-show basis. The League began <BR>
contract=20=
negotiations by demanding the abolition of all minimums, <BR>
which top=
executives of The League are describing as "archaic", <BR>
"arcane",=
even "un-American". By Friday, the number had offered up <BR>
to a maxi=
mum of 14. The message was delivered with indignation. How <BR>
dare musi=
cians tell producers and the creative team how big an <BR>
orchestra=
they should use?<BR>
<BR>
If more p=
roducers had earned our trust in recent years, I could go <BR>
along wit=
h the logic of the League on this one. Unfortunately, <BR>
though ti=
ckets keep getting more expensive, the orchestras get <BR>
skimpier=20=
-- and I can't believe that's the choice of the "creative <BR>
team".&nb=
sp; Amplification, much of it tinny, has replaced the thrill of <BR>
natural s=
ound and, despite resistance from the maligned musicians' <BR>
union, th=
ere already are synthesizers in many pits to amplify <BR>
minimums=20=
that producers already think are too big.<BR>
<BR>
We are be=
ing weaned off the sound in preparation for high-tech <BR>
karaoke.=20=
Orchestras are less and less visible, often buried in <BR>
stagecraf=
t and, I'm told, sometimes even stuck on another floor of <BR>
the theat=
er building altogether. This season's program <BR>
for the L=
eague's annual "Kids' Night on Broadway" included a playful <BR>
diagram a=
bout "How Broadway Puts on a Show". Everyone from director <BR>
to theate=
r owner to box-office staff and public relations people was <BR>
included=20=
-- everyone, significantly, except the musicians. This is <BR>
hardly th=
e first time that musicians were threatened with machines <BR>
around co=
ntract time. As old-time producers are replaced by a new<BR>
generatio=
n of bottom-line entertainment corporations, however, we <BR>
are in da=
nger of losing the very handmade quality that made Broadway <BR>
an intern=
ational destination. New producers may find the <BR>
requireme=
nts of such quality "archaic", but that push-cart <BR>
mentality=
informed a creative community. And it's heart is walking <BR>
the Broad=
way streets today.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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From: RRICHMOOREJR at aol.com
Full-name: RRICHMOOREJR
Message-ID: <bf.2f39be08.2b9d61f1 at aol.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 22:35:13 EST
Subject: strike
To: richmoorejr at netscape.net
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CRITICAL MASS
In Praise of Going Dark
by Linda Winer
=20
=C2=A9 2003, Newsday, Inc.
Many people are disappointed, some are even furious, about this=20
weekend's strike against 18 Broadway musicals. But I am really=20
proud. Naturally, anyone with feelings is concerned about the=20
risk=20
for shows and artists, and sorry for theatergoers whose plans=20
were=20
ruined by Friday's abrupt shuttering of all musicals but one,=20
"Cabaret", which operates on a different contract. Yes, the cost=
=20
of=20
tickets is being refunded. But it's impossible to put a price on=
=20
the=20
emotional investment, not to mention the related expenses,=20
squandered on experiences denied.
Where others see yet-another New York catastrophe, however, I se=
e=20
a=20
great big heart for every dark light on Broadway today. Actors=20
Equity, the actors' union, and Local 1 of the International=20
Alliance=20
of Theatrical Stage Employees, the stagehands union, did exactly=
=20
what they should have done when Local 802, the pit musicians,=20
struck=20
and producers decided to replace them with computer-generated,=20
so-called virtual orchestras. The actors and stagehands joined=20
with=20
the musicians to say "enough", to draw a line in the cheesing-up=
,=20
dumbing-down of commercial theater sensibilities before people=20
forget entirely why anyone ever loved Broadway in the first=20
place.=20
The
musical, lauded as one of the few great American art forms and a=
=20
nearly $4.5-billion industry for New York, is also one of the=20
major=20
collaborative preoccupations -- a combination of story, music,=20
dance=20
and spectacle that barely exists until human beings join togethe=
r=20
to=20
make it live. How right it feels for performers and stagehands
to refuse to let the League of American Theatres and Producers=20
degrade -- more accurately, continue to degrade -- the deeply=20
pleasurable profundity of live sound. On the surface, the issue=20
is=20
employment. But, really, the subject is quality. The union=20
insists=20
on maintaining a minimum number of players per musical house --=20
admittedly,
a demand that led in the past to examples of featherbedding. =20
These=20
days, however, the minimums range from three to 26 musicians, a=20
number that, since the "special situations provisions" in the=20
1993=20
contract, is adjustable on a show-by-show basis. The League=20
began=20
contract negotiations by demanding the abolition of all minimums=
,=20
which top executives of The League are describing as "archaic",=20
"arcane", even "un-American". By Friday, the number had offered=20
up=20
to a maximum of 14. The message was delivered with indignation.=20
How=20
dare musicians tell producers and the creative team how big an=20
orchestra they should use?
If more producers had earned our trust in recent years, I could=20
go=20
along with the logic of the League on this one. Unfortunately,=20
though tickets keep getting more expensive, the orchestras get=20
skimpier -- and I can't believe that's the choice of the=20
"creative=20
team". Amplification, much of it tinny, has replaced the thrill=
=20
of=20
natural sound and, despite resistance from the maligned=20
musicians'=20
union, there already are synthesizers in many pits to amplify=20
minimums that producers already think are too big.
We are being weaned off the sound in preparation for high-tech=20
karaoke. Orchestras are less and less visible, often buried in=20
stagecraft and, I'm told, sometimes even stuck on another floor=20
of=20
the theater building altogether. This season's program=20
for the League's annual "Kids' Night on Broadway" included a=20
playful=20
diagram about "How Broadway Puts on a Show". Everyone from=20
director=20
to theater owner to box-office staff and public relations people=
=20
was=20
included -- everyone, significantly, except the musicians. This=
=20
is=20
hardly the first time that musicians were threatened with=20
machines=20
around contract time. As old-time producers are replaced by a ne=
w
generation of bottom-line entertainment corporations, however, w=
e=20
are in danger of losing the very handmade quality that made=20
Broadway=20
an international destination. New producers may find the=20
requirements of such quality "archaic", but that push-cart =20
mentality informed a creative community. And it's heart is=20
walking=20
the Broadway streets today.
=20
--part2_21.2caeeb14.2b9d61f1_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
CRITICAL=20=
MASS<BR>
In Praise=
of Going Dark<BR>
by Linda=20=
Winer<BR>
&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; =
<BR>
=C2=A9 20=
03, Newsday, Inc.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Many peop=
le are disappointed, some are even furious, about this <BR>
weekend's=
strike against 18 Broadway musicals. But I am really <BR>
proud.&nb=
sp; Naturally, anyone with feelings is concerned about the risk <BR>
for shows=
and artists, and sorry for theatergoers whose plans were <BR>
ruined by=
Friday's abrupt shuttering of all musicals but one, <BR>
"Cabaret"=
, which operates on a different contract. Yes, the cost of <BR>
tickets i=
s being refunded. But it's impossible to put a price on the <BR>
emotional=
investment, not to mention the related expenses, <BR>
squandere=
d on experiences denied.<BR>
<BR>
Where oth=
ers see yet-another New York catastrophe, however, I see a <BR>
great big=
heart for every dark light on Broadway today. Actors <BR>
Equity, t=
he actors' union, and Local 1 of the International Alliance <BR>
of Theatr=
ical Stage Employees, the stagehands union, did exactly <BR>
what they=
should have done when Local 802, the pit musicians, struck <BR>
and produ=
cers decided to replace them with computer-generated, <BR>
so-called=
virtual orchestras. The actors and stagehands joined with <BR>
the music=
ians to say "enough", to draw a line in the cheesing-up, <BR>
dumbing-d=
own of commercial theater sensibilities before people <BR>
forget en=
tirely why anyone ever loved Broadway in the first place. <BR>
The<BR>
musical,=20=
lauded as one of the few great American art forms and a <BR>
nearly $4=
.5-billion industry for New York, is also one of the major <BR>
collabora=
tive preoccupations -- a combination of story, music, dance <BR>
and spect=
acle that barely exists until human beings join together to <BR>
make it l=
ive. How right it feels for performers and stagehands<BR>
to refuse=
to let the League of American Theatres and Producers <BR>
degrade -=
- more accurately, continue to degrade -- the deeply <BR>
pleasurab=
le profundity of live sound. On the surface, the issue is <BR>
employmen=
t. But, really, the subject is quality. The union insists <BR>
on mainta=
ining a minimum number of players per musical house -- <BR>
admittedl=
y,<BR>
a demand=20=
that led in the past to examples of featherbedding. These <BR>
days, how=
ever, the minimums range from three to 26 musicians, a <BR>
number th=
at, since the "special situations provisions" in the 1993 <BR>
contract,=
is adjustable on a show-by-show basis. The League began <BR>
contract=20=
negotiations by demanding the abolition of all minimums, <BR>
which top=
executives of The League are describing as "archaic", <BR>
"arcane",=
even "un-American". By Friday, the number had offered up <BR>
to a maxi=
mum of 14. The message was delivered with indignation. How <BR>
dare musi=
cians tell producers and the creative team how big an <BR>
orchestra=
they should use?<BR>
<BR>
If more p=
roducers had earned our trust in recent years, I could go <BR>
along wit=
h the logic of the League on this one. Unfortunately, <BR>
though ti=
ckets keep getting more expensive, the orchestras get <BR>
skimpier=20=
-- and I can't believe that's the choice of the "creative <BR>
team".&nb=
sp; Amplification, much of it tinny, has replaced the thrill of <BR>
natural s=
ound and, despite resistance from the maligned musicians' <BR>
union, th=
ere already are synthesizers in many pits to amplify <BR>
minimums=20=
that producers already think are too big.<BR>
<BR>
We are be=
ing weaned off the sound in preparation for high-tech <BR>
karaoke.=20=
Orchestras are less and less visible, often buried in <BR>
stagecraf=
t and, I'm told, sometimes even stuck on another floor of <BR>
the theat=
er building altogether. This season's program <BR>
for the L=
eague's annual "Kids' Night on Broadway" included a playful <BR>
diagram a=
bout "How Broadway Puts on a Show". Everyone from director <BR>
to theate=
r owner to box-office staff and public relations people was <BR>
included=20=
-- everyone, significantly, except the musicians. This is <BR>
hardly th=
e first time that musicians were threatened with machines <BR>
around co=
ntract time. As old-time producers are replaced by a new<BR>
generatio=
n of bottom-line entertainment corporations, however, we <BR>
are in da=
nger of losing the very handmade quality that made Broadway <BR>
an intern=
ational destination. New producers may find the <BR>
requireme=
nts of such quality "archaic", but that push-cart <BR>
mentality=
informed a creative community. And it's heart is walking <BR>
the Broad=
way streets today.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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--part1_21.2caeeb14.2b9df5b9_boundary--
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