Spring Reawakening!Folks, now
this is what
I'm talking about. $50 tickets to see
Spring Awakening!
Earlier this evening, I received an e-mail from the 2007 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, which -- as you may know -- was one of the shows that was not open due to the
you-know-what on Broadway.
Anyway, to help spur business (officially, they're saying "Join us in celebrating..."),
Spring Awakening is offering specially-priced performances starting Sunday at just $50. All you have to do is simply use the fan code of SAF4FAN when purchasing the tickets, either by clicking
here or by calling 212.947.8844.
What's the catch?
The fine print merely states:
Offer valid for Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday performances thru December 9, 2007. Good for select orchestra and mezzanine seats. Other blackout dates may apply. Not valid on previously purchased tickets and may not be combined with any other offers. All sales final; no refunds or exchanges. Telephone/internet orders subject to standard Telecharge.com fees. Ticket limits may apply. Offer subject to availability and prior sale. Offer may be revoked at any time.
If you haven't already seen this groundbreaking and electrifying tuner, now's the time to see it. (You can read my very own ***1/2 SOB Review by clicking
here).
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Ever Had A Front Row Seat? (October 1, 2007)
Spring Awakening Calling (June 18, 2007)
TONYS: SPRING HAS SPRUNG WHILE COAST REALIZES UTOPIA (June 11, 2007)
C'est Sheik! (June 10, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
Backlash Awakening? (May 17, 2007)
Theatre For A New Age (April 8, 2007)
Spring Awakening (The SOB Review) (March 3, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Musicals Versus Plays: You Decide (January 5, 2007)
Spring Awakening Rouses Box Office; Cast To Appear At Big Apple Store (December 12, 2006)
Waking Up To Critical Acclaim (December 11, 2006)
Spring Awakening Blossoms On Broadway Tonight (December 10, 2006)
Curtains To Rise At Al Hirschfeld Theatre In March (November 3, 2006)
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
How Sheik: Spring Awakenings To Receive Broadway Transfer (July 20, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Musical, Special Offers, Spring Awakening, Tickets
Thank You...
Thank You...To AutoFly
and Decksound
and Ongo
and PropGal
and SpotOne
and RocketRon
and WorkerBee
and KathyLongIsland
and JerseyGuy
and BC
and what seemed like an endless parade of Anonymouses (is the plural Anonymi??) for using Steve On Broadway (SOB) as a people's forum on the strike.
You have my ongoing admiration and respect.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, next time I take in a Broadway show -- and yes, there will be a next time -- as a member of the audience, I'll be applauding for those of you we never see behind the curtain every bit as much as for the cast and production itself.
You've taught me a lot about an aspect of the theatre I had never really known too much about. I've certainly been wowed by your wizardry, but now I have a newfound appreciation of what it is you do to make live theatre so magical.
Thank you for that! And I invite you to keep coming back.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB)
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Stagehands, Thank You
What The League And Local One Are SayingNow that the new reality of a post-strike Broadway world is beginning to set in, I wanted to share for a moment what the two sides in the bitter stagehands strike were saying.
The League of American Theatres and Producers has posted the following statement:
November 28, 2007
THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN THEATRES AND PRODUCERS AND LOCAL ONE/I.A.T.S.E. STAGEHANDS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ENDING BROADWAY 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.
Performances will resume Thursday evening, November 29. All shows except The Homecoming will play their normal performance schedules. For more information, as well as refund/exchange information for canceled performances, visit our website www.ILoveNYTheater.com.
League 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 theatregoers 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 theatregoing public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world."
For its part Local One's official statement comes from Robert C. Score, the union's recording-correspondence secretary:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
President James J. Claffey, Jr., Business Manager Kevin McGarty, Business Manager Michael Wekselblatt, Attorney and Brother Steve Spivak, Attorney James Murphy and the Local One Negotiating Committee have successfully completed the contract negotiation with the League of American Theatres and Producers.
The strike is over. Do not, I repeat, do not report for picket duty.
The Executive Board of Local One has ordered the picket lines to cease. If you receive a call to report to work, please do so.
The Local One Negotiating Committee is firmly behind the ratification of the contract.
Thank you all, Brothers and Sisters, for all the support and understanding during this historic time.
As for who won and who lost,
The New York Times'
Campbell Robertson reports that while neither side
officially would discuss terms of the agreement:
[A]mong the changes The League was able to achieve, according to officials involved in the talks, was a daily minimum of 17 stagehands on the load-in, the lengthy and costly period when a production is loaded into a theater. In the recently expired contract, producers would set a number of stagehands needed for a load-in -- say, 35 -- and all of them would have to stay every day for the entirety of the load-in, an arrangement that producers said often left large groups of stagehands with nothing to do.
The League was also able to gain an extra hour on the continuity call, the hour before or after a performance when stagehands perform duties related to that performance. In the old contract, any work that took longer than one hour required a minimum four-hour work call. In the tentative deal, stagehands can be called for two hours before a performance or for an hour before and after, though they would earn double for the hour after the show.
In return,
according to Robertson, there are gains in pay for the union:
[U]nion members would get yearly raises well above the 3.5 percent that the league had been offering.
So there you have it, folks.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Settlement, Stagehands, Strike
All Of Great White Way Gleams TonightEvery show that had shuttered during the 19-day Broadway stagehands strike will reopen for business this evening.
Without missing a beat last evening, the 11-year old production of
Chicago announced that it is hoping to lure audiences back tonight with
discounted seats offered at just $26.50. If you ask me, all shows should be doing something along those lines and for longer periods of time. Producers need to really roll the red carpet out for the people paying the tickets.
Meanwhile, rescheduled opening nights are in the news:
The Farnsworth Invention will now open on December 3.
August: Osage County's limited, but already extended run opens on December 4.
The Seafarer will open on December 6.
Is He Dead?, which was originally scheduled to open this evening will now open December 9.
The Little Mermaid has now pushed its opening all the way into the New Year to January 10.
The net result is one crazy busy week for critics, especially considering that one of the eight shows that remained opened for business during the strike was
Cymbeline, which officially opens this Sunday, December 2 at Lincoln Center.
I'll be providing my reviews of
The Farnsworth Invention and
Cymbeline over the next week as well.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Chicago The Musical, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
STRIKE IS OVER!At long last, negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) have reached a settlement.
Hat tip to my pal Sarah over at
Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment for sharing a text message she received a half hour ago from a producer friend of hers that said, "THE STRIKE IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The news has been
confirmed by NY1 that states:
After 19 days of a walkout that cost the city and the Theater District tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue and earnings and forced dozens of shows to go dark, sources close to the negotiation say an agreement has been reached between the Broadway stagehands and the American League of Theatres and Producers.
There has been no official word yet from either the stagehands union or the League.
The agreement is a tentative agreement. Union members would have ten days to vote on the decision. However, workers will return to work right away under this tentative agreement.
According to the Associated Press:
The agreement ending the 19-day work stoppage was confirmed by Bruce Cohen, a spokesman for the union.
There are bound to be plenty of champagne corks popping among elated theatre fans.
But even if it's over, what will it take to lure you back to a Rialto theatre? I invite you to vote in my latest SOB Poll to tell me whether you won't hesitate going back or if you've sworn off the Great White Way or are somewhere in between.
Personally, I do have tickets that I purchased prior to the onslaught of the strike, but I can't help but harbor some contempt for those who allowed the situation to reach such an ugly point with no regard for the people who keep Broadway in business: the audience.
I'd love to know what you think.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
The End Is Nigh?According to NY1, the end of the 19-day Broadway stagehands strike may be announced yet this evening.
NY1 says:
A press conference will reportedly be held tonight at the Midtown law offices where the talks are taking place.
Also in the very hopeful camp is the Nederlander Organization's Herschel Waxman:
As optimistic as I was the other day, I’m equally as optimistic that we’ll have it done today. Now, I've been wrong, but I swear to you, I believe we will have a deal finished today....I told you, if it’s not done, you will see my name in the obituaries tomorrow. Look in the Times and everything else, and NY1 will report it first –- "Waxman died trying to get a deal done."
Even
Local One's favorite object of derision, Charlotte St. Martin of
The League of American Theatres and Producers offers this glimmer of hope:
We made a lot of progress yesterday, and we’re looking forward to getting a deal today....We're being as cautious as we can.
Finally,
Playbill's Andrew Gans is quoting NY1 on its report that:
In a sign that the stagehands strike may be at an end, NY1 reports that those picketing have been ordered to return their picket signs to the union office.
Could this really be the end of the strike? Stay tuned!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Extra Innings!
Extra Innings!Progress is reportedly being made in the talks to end the 19-day old Broadway stagehands strike. Negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) continue at the law offices of
Proskauer Rose, the firm representing The League.
Optimism is running high, even as Local One spokesperson Bruce Cohen can't seem to dispense with the baseball metaphors.
New York Post's Michael Riedel, Dan Kadison and Andy Geller
quote the union rep who says:
We're in extra innings. We don't have to turn the lights off.
Shows impacted by the strike are obviously not going on.The League issued a statement today:
As you know, the talks between the League and Local One resumed this morning and are ongoing. Due to the complexities of getting a show up and re-running, Wednesday evening’s performances for the affected shows have been canceled, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations. We will keep you updated.
According to Riedel and Co., the only issue that remains to be hammered out is the wage issue.
For its part, Local One has issued the following statement taking umbrage with
Michael Riedel's earlier column from today that they considered incendiary:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Please be advised that the article that appears in the New York Post today, Wednesday, November 28, under the byline of Mr. Michael Riedel is completely false, inaccurate, and incorrect. Please disregard the information contained in his column.
The Local One negotiating committee is meeting today at 10 AM as previously announced.
In Solidarity,
Robert C. Score
Recording-Corresponding Secretary
For those keeping "Score," it would be nice to know what exactly in that column set him off.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Bottom Of The Ninth?
Bottom Of The Ninth?
The Broadway stagehands strike continues into its 19th day as negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) begin again this morning after adjourning about 24 hours ago.
Only eight Broadway shows will be performing for certain this evening. They are are either performing in non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!Mary PoppinsPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinIf you're holding tickets to one of the following Broadway shows for Wednesday's matinee, each of them remain closed by the strike (click
here for ticket exchange policies):
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedWhile it remains doubtful that many if any of these shows could reopen in time for this evening's performance if a deal is struck, tonight's shows have yet to be officially cancelled.
The
good news is that The League and Local One have come to terms on the issue surrounding the much debated load-ins, but remain at odds over pay, as well as work calls and rules on rehearsals.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Seventh Game, Ninth InningUnless it's
Damn Yankees or
Take Me Out, baseball metaphors are rarely in vogue on Broadway. But that doesn't faze Bruce Cohen of
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.), who likens the current state of negotiations with
The League of American Theatres and Producers to:
...the ninth inning of the seventh game of the World Series
In other words, we should soon have an outcome to the 18-day old Broadway stagehands strike that continues to grip all but eight Rialto shows. Although
talks broke down...
again...earlier this morning, The League has issued the
following statement:
The League of American Theatres and Producers and Local One talked through the night and were unable to reach an agreement. Talks will resume tomorrow (Wednesday, November 28) at 10 a.m. Performances are canceled through Wednesday's matinees.
Does the fact that Wednesday evening's performances have not yet been cancelled signal the possibility that a settlement may be reached sometime tomorrow?
Meanwhile, Local One has issued its own statement:
Please be advised that negotiations with The League of American Theatres and Producers broke off early this morning, Tuesday November 27th at 7:30 a.m. We have made progress and believe that we are closer to making a deal. Talks will resume tomorrow morning, Wednesday November 28th at 10:00 a.m.
Please consult the Local One Hotline at 646-459-1916 or the Local One Web site for any additional updates.
The Local One Negotiating Committee remains committed to achieving a fair and equitable contract.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
That certainly has me hoping that we are indeed beyond the 7th inning stretch. Now if only the two sides play ball fair and square, maybe we'll see the lights of the Great White Way turned back on sooner than later.
In the meantime, since
this is the time of year when castmembers of Broadway shows typically make their appeal to audiences on behalf of
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, I hope you'll join with me in donating directly to the organization by clicking
here.
It's estimated that every week the strike goes on, BC/EFA loses approximately $350,000 in donations it would normally have received by direct appeals from the stage:
At an average loss of over $350,000 per week, BC/EFA will not be able to award the usual annual grants to six programs at The Actors' Fund - including The AIDS INITIATIVE; The Phyllis Newman WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE, The Al Hirschfeld FREE HEALTH CLINIC and more, which include the food pantries, meal delivery programs, housing initiative and health clinics of over 400 AIDS and family service providers across the country.
BC/EFA Executive Director Tom Viola joins those of us in the audience hoping that both sides resolve the strike soon.
Finally, ticketholders to
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! can rest easy that their show will go on. According to
Campbell Robertson of The New York Times:
Officials from the Jujamcyn theater chain, the owners of the St. James, appealed the decision and had initially sought to stay the injunction. But on Sunday, they told the producers of The Grinch that they would not seek a stay, and that the show could remain open for its entire scheduled run through the holidays.
To round out the baseball metaphors, score another one for the audience.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
No Deal Yet
The Broadway stagehands strike continues into its 18th day as negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) adjourned this morning at 7 a.m. after pulling another all-nighter with "
incremental progress" being made.
Talks have yet to be rescheduled.
The Associated Press quotes Local One spokesman Bruce Cohen as saying:
There is no deal...There are no talks scheduled.
Yet that same news story reports that Cohen says that there is "not a breakdown" in the bargaining.
Only eight Broadway shows will be performing this evening. They are are either performing in non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!Mary PoppinsPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinIf you're holding tickets to one of the following Broadway shows, each of them remain closed by the strike (click
here for ticket exchange policies):
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedThis is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Is Strike Drama Reaching Eleventh Hour?Forget about
Grease.
"
Hope"
appears to be the new word this evening as
The League of American Theatres and Producers are back at the negotiating table with
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) in an attempt to resolve the 17-day old Broadway stagehands strike.
After working 20 hours right through last night, only to break at 6:30 this morning, the two sides returned to the bargaining table this evening at The League's attorney's office --
Proskauer Rose -- at Broadway and 48th Street.
Stoking the optimism last evening was IATSE Local One Spokesman Bruce Cohen, who was widely quoted sounding upbeat and determined:
There's a lot of hard bargaining and good-faith negotiations going on, and we're hoping at some point before the day breaks tomorrow there will be a settlement....The teams are working very hard, but at this point there's still a good chunk of work to do. We'll stay here until there's a deal.
Will there be a breakthrough? I'm certainly hoping that last night's discussions greased the skids for a successful conclusion that's acclaimed by all. At this point, hope is all we have.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Radio City Christmas Spectacular (The SOB Review) - Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY***1/2 (out of ****)Practically daring the kid-at-heart in everyone not to come out,
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is one of those unabashedly cheery paeans to the true meaning of Christmas that stupefies with its exhilarating pace. And darned if it doesn't succeed.
Thanks to
Linda Haberman's whiz-bang wizardry -- she's responsible for conception, direction
and choreography --
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an eye-popping, breathtaking 90-minute variety show that simply refuses to slow down -- except perhaps for the glorious finale of the beloved and legendary "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" when the
Rockettes gradually topple like dominos.
It's been at least a dozen years since I last took in one of
Radio City Music Hall's most enduring spectacles, but with its diamond anniversary celebration coupled with the current Broadway stagehands strike, it was a no-brainer when opting to venture from the theatre district between 7th and 8th Avenues over to 6th Avenue to enjoy the festivities. And enjoy them I did like a gleeful little schoolboy regaining my lost innocence.
Replete with a magical Santa (lovingly portrayed by
Charles Edward Hall) in duplicate no less, the seemingly inexhaustable and ever-smiling Rockettes (in a half dozen numbers, including my favorite, "The Twelve Days of Christmas") and the trademark living nativity scene, the
Spectacular remains pretty much the way I remembered it. But sure enough, with one old-fashioned magical moment after another, it managed to make me feel like a kid again.
Visually enchanting, whether watching the aforementioned scenes or the stunning 3-D animation of Santa's sleigh flying around the landmarks of New York City, or even hitching a ride with the Rockettes on their double decker bus as they tour the Big Apple (thanks to an amazing LED video design), there's almost too much to look at on New York City's largest stage.
Unapologetically Christmas, the
Spectacular is all about spreading holiday cheer. And in these days where conflict is gripping the world and most of the Great White Way, it's great to know that a little peace on earth is less than a smile (and one long block) away.
Radio City Christmas Spectacular is performed several times each day through December 30.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Musical, Off-Broadway, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Radio City Music Hall, Rockettes, Special Theatrical Event, The SOB Review
All Night LongTalks between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) lasted through the night and recessed at 6:30 this morning. The bargaining will resume at 6:30 p.m. this evening,
according to Variety.
Mondays are typically quiet days on the Great White Way as most shows are usually dark. Today marks the 17th day of the Broadway stagehands strike.
Let's hope for a positive outcome when the two sides return to negotiate tonight.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, roadway, Stagehands, Strike
Talks Resume As Number Of Open Shows Drops Back To EightSorry folks for the interruption in my reports, but I'm back home again this evening after a whirlwind trip to Germany.
I was sincerely hoping my first post-trip post would be able to herald the return of Broadway, but I guess I'll just have to settle for
the welcome news that
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) have at least returned to the negotiating table.
The New York Times' Campbell Robertson and Steven Greenhouse provide
yet another excellent report on how the two sides are trying to court favorable public opinion.
So far, there's no word on how this latest round of talks is going, but I have to think that
anything would be preferable to
the result from the last round a week ago today. That's when The League abruptly left the table and promptly said that none of the struck shows would play during the entire week. It no longer seemed to matter to The League -- which has been telling the world that the economic impact of the strike was hitting $17 million per day, about $15 million more than the
estimates by the New York City Comptroller's Office -- how much this strike would cost them during one of the single most lucrative weeks of the year.
When
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! reopened Friday at Broadway's
St. James Theatre, the total number of Great White Way shows available to audiences during the typically busy Thanksgiving weekend increased to nine. But tonight, one of those shows --
Mauritius at the not-for-profit Manhattan Theatre Club's Biltmore Theatre -- shutters as originally scheduled, returning the total number of open shows back to eight.
The following shows remain open despite the strike because they are either performing in non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!Mary PoppinsPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinOf these, I have not had the opportunity to see
Grinch, but can recommend each of the other shows with varying degress of enthusiasm
except for The Ritz, which I thought was just plain awful (click
here for my SOB Review). You'll find each of my reviews in the right hand column of this site.
Barring a miracle this evening, the following Broadway shows remain closed by the strike (click
here for ticket exchange policies):
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedFinally, before closing out this message, I want to express my deepest appreciation for all the individuals who've commented and graciously provided updates while I've been incomunicado. Thanks so much for keeping Steve On Broadway current even when I was unable to do so myself.
Now that I'm back, I'll be once again providing regular updates, but please keep those comments coming!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Strike Day 14: One Big Happy ReturnToday, as the Broadway stagehands strike is now 14 days old --
The League of American Theatres and Producers is being struck by
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) -- one show is making a comeback today:
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is reopening at Broadway's
St. James Theatre.
It joins the following shows that remain open despite the strike because they are either in said non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!Mary PoppinsMauritiusPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinIf you're holding tickets through Sunday for any of the other Broadway shows listed below, (click
here for ticket exchange policies), your show will not be performing:
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedSpeaking of that very last one, I'm currently in Stuttgart, Germany to see the German language version of
Wicked: Die Hexen Von Oz. I only wish New York City audiences were still able to see the production that started it all.
Here's hoping that The League gets itself back to the bargaining table with Local One soon.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Happy Thanksgiving!Now that the most intriguing drama of the week appears to have played out in a court of law, there's finally something for Broadway-loving audiences to be thankful for.
With that, I'm now abroad for the next few days (I'm currently in Amsterdam en route to Stuttgart, Germany), and I expect my reporting to be very spotty at best.
So allow me to take a moment and say thank you for visiting Steve On Broadway (SOB) over the past year. With your continual feedback, comments, interest and friendship, you've made me very grateful.
Ironically, it was also a year ago today that I first posted a story that spurred an inquiry from one of my dear readers. Now, a year later and several Broadway shows later, Esther at
Gratuitous Violins has become a treasured friend and indeed a beloved sister. If you haven't yet visited her site that's full of interesting and thoughtful insights -- not only about theatre, but film, television and literature, as well as the occasional random musing for good measure -- please take a look. I think you'll enjoy what you see. Esther, here's wishing you a truly wonderful holiday and thank you for the gift of friendship!
Thank you once again for visiting Steve On Broadway.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Gratitude, Gratuitous Violins, Special Messages
Grinch Goes On SaleWant to see
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! this holiday season?
Now that the show is reopening again Friday morning "in compliance with a New York State court order," the production is offering two-for-one tickets when you use code GRGEN07. Just click
here and note that some restrictions apply.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Musical, Special Offers, Tickets
Which Shows May Close?Should the ongoing stagehands strike go on indefinitely, look for several Broadway shows to shutter permanently. One such show that may be forced to close sooner than planned is the pretty good production of
Cyrano de Bergerac.
Earlier today, I talked with a high-placed source with the show who relayed frustration with the ongoing situation and said that if the impasse between
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) and
The League of American Theatres and Producers is not resolved "soon," the show will indeed shutter.
I can only hope that prediction will not come to fruition, but with each day passing without any word of further negotiations, I can't help but wonder how many other productions are in the same boat.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Judge: The Show Must Go On!Finally,
some news for audiences to cheer in the nearly two week old Broadway stagehands strike.
Bravo to State Court Justice Helen Freedman for proving that someone in New York still has some common sense and infinite wisdom by allowing
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! to reopen at Broadway's
St. James Theatre. Barring any last minute injunction, the show will reopen Friday morning. For me, it was quite a welcome sight to see all the television camera crews hovering around that theatre -- even their typically jaded selves seemed genuinely excited.
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) continues to strike against
The League of American Theatres and Producers.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Who's Suing WhoWhile we await a verdict from New York State Supreme Court Judge Helen E. Freedman on whether Whoville and
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! will be able to reopen at Broadway's
St. James Theatre, the Nederlander Organization has filed suit against
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) saying that they are unfairly striking against its theatres as part of the action against
The League of American Theatres and Producers.
Even though Nederlander had originally stated that it would lockout its stagehands in solidarity with the rest of The League, it now maintains it never did and thus the action by Local One is an unlawful secondary boycott. For more, go to the
Playbill.com story.
I profess to being a bit confused here. Didn't Nederlander's public pronouncements that they would lockout the union provide the stagehands with the necessary green light to strike? Can someone please explain that one to me?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Hoping For Miracle On 44th StreetLast evening at 7 p.m., something truly heartwarming happened on 44th Street.
What appeared to be around a hundred theatre devotees gathered outside Broadway's
St. James Theatre to witness a profile in courage and strength as the cast of
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! gathered to serenade the assembled crowd with tunes that Jujamcyn won't allow them to sing on stage, due to their lockout. I was there cheering them on, and for the first time in the last couple weeks, I felt thankful for being a live theatre fan.
Later this morning, New York State Supreme Court Judge Helen E. Freedman will hear further arguments from the show's producers, who contend that since they are operating under their own negotiated contract with
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) and since the stagehands have already laid down their picket signs outside the St. James, they should be able to trump Jujamcyn's decision to lockout the union
and the audience in lockstep with
The League of American Theatres and Producers.
I'm hoping for Judge Freedman to take a page out of "
Miracle On 34th Street" and not only deftly display a hearty dose of thoughtful jurisprudence, but also some much needed holiday cheer just in time for Thanksgiving.
On this twelfth day of the stagehands strike, the following eight Broadway shows continue to perform during the strike because they are either in said non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineMary PoppinsMauritiusPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinIf you're holding tickets through Sunday for any of the other Broadway shows listed below, (click
here for ticket exchange policies), your show will not be performing:
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole ChristmasGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedAs previously noted in this space, New York City is going all out to increase business in the Theatre District by offering
15% off a dine-in lunch or dinner at wide array of the Theatre District's dining establishments via their
Dining in the District campaign. The offer lasts all week long, with the exception of Thanksgiving Day.
And speaking of Thanksgiving, please please remember that
this is the time of year when castmembers of Broadway shows typically make their appeal to audiences on behalf of
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. To donate directly to the organization, click
here.
Happy Thanksgiving.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Back To The Table?Earlier today while watching NY1, I saw reports implying that by
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) was making overtures to
The League of American Theatres and Producers to return to the negotiations table in an attempt to end the ongoing Broadway stagehands strike.
Broadway World suggests that could happen as early as Sunday:
Latest reports say The League of American Theatres and Producers and the stagehands' union Local One may reconvene Sunday, November 25 to reopen negotiations in hopes of resolving the labor dispute that has closed much of Broadway for 11 days.
There is no confirmation from either side whether a meeting has been scheduled or not.
The League and Local One met at the negotiating table for many hours this past weekend on November 17 and 18, but to no avail. The League left the table without accepting Local One's latest offer. Thus, 27 Broadway theatres will remain dark through November 25.
League, think of your audience for a change and get back to the table.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Little Mermaid Opening DelayedAccording to Playbill, Disney's
The Little Mermaid now becomes the fourth Broadway show to indefinitely postpone its scheduled opening night because of the stagehands strike. The other three shows to postpone are
Tracy Letts'
August: Osage County,
Aaron Sorkin's
The Farnsworth Invention and
Conor McPherson's
The Seafarer.
Originally scheduled for December 6, Disney is postponing since the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is one of the Rialto theatres currently being struck by
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) in its nearly two week old action against
The League of American Theatres and Producers.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
It'll Be August Through March
It'll Be August Through MarchAlthough
Tracy Letts' August: Osage County is missing its Broadway opening night, originally scheduled for this evening, the production is helping negate
rumors about its future by announcing that it will extend its limited engagement by three weeks.
August: Osage County is currently closed due to the strike by
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) against
The League of American Theatres and Producers.
The good news is that this incredible Steppenwolf production will now run through March 9,
according to Playbill.
Steppenwolf's Executive Director David Hawkinson is quoted saying:
We sympathize with our talented New York company and the many theatre fans affected by this unfortunate labor dispute....We hope this extension will allow August to realize its full potential in New York and afford Broadway theatregoers the opportunity to experience this extraordinary production.
Once the ongoing stagehands strike reaches a settlement, do yourself a favor and get tickets to see this unforgettable production.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
Broadway Strike: Day ElevenToday, the Broadway stagehands strike moves into its 11th day after 25 hours of weekend negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) failed to even produce a contingency plan for getting the Great White Way all lit up in time for Thanksgiving week, traditionally the second busiest of the entire year.
Instead of continuing at the table, The League abruptly left and quickly cancelled each of the shows already impacted by the strike through this Sunday.
Tonight was the night that
Tracy Letts'
August: Osage County -- hands-down
the best play I've seen in the last five years -- was due to open on Broadway. But since it is drydocked at the struck Imperial Theatre, it instead becomes the third show to indefinitely postpone its opening. Sadder still, it's a transfer from Chicago's not-for-profit
Steppenwolf; ironically, of the eight Broadway shows left open for the flock of tourists headed to the Big Apple, exactly half are able to continue precisely because they're playing in houses run by
New York not-for-profit theatre companies.
The following eight Broadway shows continue to perform during the strike because they are either in said non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineMary PoppinsMauritiusPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinIf you're holding tickets through Sunday for any of the other Broadway shows listed below, (click
here for ticket exchange policies), your show will not be performing:
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole ChristmasGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedNew York City is going all out not to let the businesses in the Theatre District implode from lack of traffic. One of the best bets for the week (with the exception of Thanksgiving Day itself) is an offer in which
you can receive 15% off a dine-in lunch or dinner at wide array of the Theatre District's dining establishments via their
Dining in the District campaign.
Also, since this is the week of Thanksgiving, please do what you can to remember those with AIDS or HIV-related illnesses. Since you'll be saving money on both your meals and the no-shows, please remember that
this is the time of year when castmembers of Broadway shows typically make their appeal to audiences on behalf of
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. To donate directly to the organization, click
here.
Also, please don't forget that there are just three more days to enter the SOB Contest for a free DVD copy of "
ShowBusiness: The Road To Broadway." Click
here for more details on how to enter.
Finally, keep your comments coming. Over the next few days, I'll be online a bit more sporadically than usual, but I hope to bring you the latest updates.
I appreciate your readership. Despite the ongoing situation on Broadway, you have given me so much to be thankful for. Here's wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Stagehands, Strike
The Happy Elf (The SOB Review) - The Coterie Theatre, Kansas City, MO
** (out of ****)If the kids in New York City can't experience
The Grinch, there's always Kansas City, home to the world premiere of
The Happy Elf.
Or maybe not. At least not in its current form.
What started as a snappy little ditty about an overly enthusiatic sprite back in 2003 -- a tune
Harry Connick, Jr. wrote for his "
Harry For The Holidays" CD -- evolved two years later into a
45-minute animated television special.
Fast forward another couple years, and
The Happy Elf has now morphed into an hour-long family-oriented holiday stage show done to a jazz beat.
The Happy Elf serves up a pleasant enough diversion with two scoops of holiday cheer, but it seriously lacks any real enchantment or cohesive strength of an enduring classic that can appeal to all ages.
For my money, the best shows aimed at children offer plenty of magic along with enough winks and nods to keep adults content. And while Andrew Fishman's book certainly tries to straddle that magical middle ground, it tends to do so on the cheap in the spellbinding department. All the adults get are lame jokes about Ben Affleck's recent track record in film or references to North Star Bucks Coffee and Gnomeland Security. It's too little and not nearly often enough.
Certainly it must come as a bit of a surprise that Santa's happiest elf Eubie (an earnest K.C. Comeaux) could possibly be demoted twice. Is there no justice at the North Pole??
After overzealously polishing the little faces off the newly produced dolls and annoying practically everyone including Santa himself, Eubie is reassigned to wade through the jolly man's stack of who's been naughty and nice. After discovering no nice persons inhabit the entire town of Bluesville, he takes it upon himself to venture there courtesy of his magic hat in hopes of converting the naughty.
Once there, he sees the miserable existence of its townspeople. With amazingly little effort, Eubie manages to gain the trust of Molly, a precocious wise-cracking little girl (Daria LeGrand, an incredibly talented 12 year old , is by far the best part about the production). While he's just on the verge of winning Molly over to the nice side, Eubie's whisked back to the North Pole and summarily demoted yet again.
This time he's grounded when he's required to turn over his magic hat and clean up Santa's workshop. Thanks to his friendship with fellow elves Gilda (Jessalyn Kincaid) and Ham (Michael Dragen), Eubie accomplishes the job -- running counter to Santa's orders -- and is summarily rewarded as St. Nick's personal helper on Christmas night flight. (What ever happened to consequences for bad behavior, anyway?!)
Despite the promise in the book, it never feels fully realized. It's not for lack of trying on director Jeff Church's part.
Fortunately, Connick's jazzy song stylings add an appropriate mix of holiday bounce and blues to the proceedings -- each tune is delivered with conviction by the hardworking, if at times overlabored, cast. Yet, it should also be noted that the underlying music tends to sound more like
Vince Guaraldi's familiar score to "
A Charlie Brown Christmas" than anything fresh or new.
The true test is whether the little kids enjoyed what they saw. Surprisingly, at my performance, while most of these Kansas City kids paid polite if unresponsive attention, more than a handful became, well, more than a handful ready to bail before the hour was even up.
If only there had been a just a little more magic, there could have been an audience full of happy elves.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Harry Connick Jr., Kansas City, Musical, The Happy Elf, The SOB Review
Sanna's Clause Is Coming To Court?In something eerily reminiscent of "
Miracle On 34th Street," it appears that a court play may be likely for
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! according to a late breaking report.
Throughout today,
I've been providing updates on the little Broadway show that looked like it was about to stage a comeback.
A week ago Saturday, this show became the first casualty in the stagehands strike.
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) has been striking against
The League of American Theatres and Producers over the past nine days.
Because the producers of
The Grinch have their own contract with IATSE, they argued -- successfully -- that the union should lay down its picket signs and allow the production to move forward. But there was one gigantic hitch. The League nixed that with Jujamcyn, owner of the
St. James Theatre, saying that regardless of the production's contract, it would stand in solidarity with the rest of The League by essentially locking out its stagehands, and by extension, its audiences.
Grinch producer
James Sanna apparently is not willing to take Jujamcyn's decision lying down. He's ready to fight this battle in court.
According to WABC-TV Eyewitness News:
"This is unbelievable that this show is not going to happen because of this larger dispute," Sanna said. "We really need to take action tomorrow, so what we are going to do is go to court and try to get our show open."
So there you have it folks, a tale of a production -- ironically about greed and stealing Christmas away from the children -- fighting to perform just in time for the throngs who have already purchased their tickets for the show.
I can't help but cheer Mr. Sanna on.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Refunds, Stagehands, Strike
Could The Grinch Reopen?
Thanks to its high frequency of scheduled performances that hit as early as 11 a.m., the very first casualty of the Broadway stagehands strike was
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the
St. James Theatre when the labor action began a week ago Saturday. It certainly made for a lot of headlines as disappointed children were showcased in an endless parade of news stories.
But
according to Playbill.com, the production might possibly be able to reopen as early as tomorrow because the production had negotiated its own contract with
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.). Since only the theatre is technically covered by
The League of American Theatres and Producers contract, there's new hope that a meeting currently underway might enable the show to go on, even as all other shows that have been closed by the strike will remain so through this Sunday under a
League edict (click
here for the complete list of shows as well as
ticket refund procedures).
Playbill notes:
While the League's contract with the stagehands expired in July, Grinch began negotiating its own contract with the stagehands in the spring, came to an agreement August 30, and executed it a few weeks later, Grinch general manager David Waggett recently told Playbill.com. Therefore, he says, "Our point of view is that our contract is, in fact, still in effect," but the stagehands still decided to include the show in its strike.
New York Post's Michael Riedel has suggested that if
The Grinch doesn't reopen soon, it could shutter permanently:
Already the producers of The Grinch are screaming. They lost $500,000 over the weekend. And since they're checking out of the St. James in January anyway, there's no point in reopening if the strike lasts past Thanksgiving.
Will a miracle happen? Given that I have tickets to see this very production at 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning, you can bet I'll keep you posted on any late breaking developments here.
UPDATE 12:30 p.m. EST: Hat Tip to The Gothamist for reporting that:
[A] producer of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! announced that show would go on starting tomorrow thanks to a “special arrangement” with Local One.
As of this moment, there is no official announcement on The Grinch Web site, which still carries an apology for being closed.UPDATE 12:39 p.m. EST: Campbell Robertson is reporting in The New York Times
that:
The union has ordered that the picket line come down for Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! which is playing at the St. James Theater, said James Sanna, one of the show’s producers.
Grinch, which runs on an unusual 12-performances-a-week schedule, had negotiated a special arrangement with Local 1 last year, said Mr. Sanna, who argued that arrangement put it outside the current negotiations. Mr. Sanna, who is not a member of the league, said he expected the show to be up and running for the Tuesday evening performance.
Certainly, The League will not dare play the role of the Grinch on this one, will they?
UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: Apparently the answer to that last question is "Yes, they will." According to Newsday's Robert Kahn:
But a spokeswoman for the League of American Theaters and Producers, which represents Broadway theater owners, said the show would remain closed.
"The Grinch is not playing and is not opening during the strike," said the spokeswoman, who requested anonymity.
Looks like The League is giving us nothing but a "bah humbug." UPDATE 2:26 p.m.: All but confirming that The Grinch will not
reopen is The New York Times' Campbell Robertson and Anahad O'Connor in a story that just posted:
[T]he Jujamcyn theater chain, which owns the St. James, said that its theaters would remain dark until a settlement was reached with the stagehands.
Thanks Jujamcyn. When this strike is over, audience members will be wise to remember who was naughty and who was nice.This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Refunds, Stagehands, Strike, Ticketmaster
Strike Statements From Both Sides - You DecideLate last night,
I posted the following statement from Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of
The League of American Theatres and Producers issued shortly after it walked away from
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) at the bargaining table in the ongoing Broadway stagehands strike:
We are profoundly disappointed to have to tell you that talks broke off with Local One, IATSE tonight, and that no further negotiations are scheduled.
We presented a comprehensive proposal that responded to the union’s concerns about loss of jobs and earnings and attempted to address our need for some flexibilities in running our business. The union rejected our effort to compromise and continues to require us to hire more people than we need.
Out of respect for our public and our loyal theatergoers, many of whom are traveling from around the world, we regret that we must cancel performances through Sunday November 25.
-- Charlotte St. MartinExecutive DirectorThe League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.
In the interest of presenting both sides, I just found the following
statement from IATSE spokesperson Bruce Cohen that Playbill said was released at 11 p.m. last evening (the statement is not on Local One's Web site):
Talks between Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the League of American Theatres and Producers broke off late this [evening]. Just before the talks broke off, the producers informed Local One that what Local One had offered was simply not enough. The producers then walked out. Local One will have no further comment.
As I have since stated, The League's walking away from the bargaining table and promptly announcing that all Broadway shows currently closed would remain so through the entire Thanksgiving holiday weekend is tantamount to behaving like ill-behaved children taking all their marbles away.
This really is a sorry moment in Broadway history. I'd be embarrassed for The League and everyone they purport to represent if I weren't so angry with them.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Refunds, Stagehands, Strike, Ticketmaster
Get Your Refunds!Last evening -- despite approximately 25 hours of weekend negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) -- The League walked away from the bargaining table and promptly announced like ill-behaved children taking all their marbles away that all Broadway show currently closed because of the strike will remain shut down through November 25, the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
With the stagehands strike now in its 10th day, if you're holding tickets for the following shows through Sunday, (click
here for ticket exchange policies), your show will not be performing:
A Bronx TaleA Chorus LineAugust: Osage CountyAvenue QChicagoCurtainsCyrano de BergeracDr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole ChristmasGreaseHairsprayIs He Dead?Jersey BoysLegally BlondeLes MisérablesMamma Mia!Monty Python's SpamalotRentRock 'N' RollSpring AwakeningThe Color PurpleThe Drowsy ChaperoneThe Farnsworth InventionThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidThe Phantom Of The OperaThe SeafarerWickedThe following eight Broadway shows continue to perform during the strike because they are either in non-profit houses or are covered by other contracts:
CymbelineMary PoppinsMauritiusPygmalionThe RitzThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeXanaduYoung FrankensteinDon't forget that throughout this week (with the exception of Thanksgiving Day itself),
you can take advantage of 15% off a wide array of the Theatre District's dining establishments through their strike-related promotion
Dining in the District campaign.
And since you'll be saving money on both your meals and the no-shows, please remember that
this is the time of year when castmembers of Broadway shows typically make their appeal to audiences on behalf of
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. To donate directly to the organization, click
here.
Finally, on a personal note, I had tickets this week for three of the struck shows, including
August: Osage County,
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas and
Is He Dead? But I will now be taking in
Cymbeline and Off-Broadway's
The Glorious Ones instead (making life easier, both shows are performing at
Lincoln Center).
Happily, I already had purchased tickets to see the still performing
Radio City Christmas Spectacular for this coming Wednesday. After my profound disappointment with the outcome of yesterday's lack of resolution, this will serve as a much needed salve in giving me at least a little holiday cheer.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Refunds, Stagehands, Strike, Ticketmaster
Plenty Of Nothing!I'm about ready to give up on bringing my hard-earned dollars to Broadway.
Twelve hours after negotiations between
The League of American Theatres and Producers and
Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) began again this morning -- and 13 additional hours after yesterday's long marathon session -- all we in the audience are getting is bupkus.
According to Linda Winer at
Newsday:
Talks broke down between the stagehands and the producers Sunday night, leaving 27 Broadway shows dark at the start of the Thanksgiving week.
According to a representative for Local One, the League of American Theatres and Producers informed the union around 9:30 p.m. that its offers "were not enough. The producers left the building."
Additionally,
The League has just issued the following statement:
We are profoundly disappointed to have to tell you that talks broke off with Local One, IATSE tonight, and that no further negotiations are scheduled.
We presented a comprehensive proposal that responded to the union’s concerns about loss of jobs and earnings and attempted to address our need for some flexibilities in running our business. The union rejected our effort to compromise and continues to require us to hire more people than we need.
Out of respect for our public and our loyal theatergoers, many of whom are traveling from around the world, we regret that we must cancel performances through Sunday November 25.
-- Charlotte St. Martin
Executive Director
The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc.
For all those folks that were holding out hope like me that the two sides would negotiate in good faith, I'm sorry to tell you that they don't appear capable of doing that, and it appears that The League must be called to reckon for walking away from the table when so many theatre fans were counting on them.
They've essentially proffered a big "F" you, not only to the stagehands, but especially to the audience. They are increasingly proving that they don't deserve our loyal patronage.
We are the people who pay for tickets long in advance. We are the people who take a chance on a show before it's even opened simply because we love the theatre. We are the people who have
chosen to spend our dollars on the
entertainment offered by the Great White Way rather than on all the myriad options available to us.
Since you The League can so easily decide to suspend negotiations, here's something you should know. We the audience can easily move our discretionary dollars elsewhere.
And guess what?! We will!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Lockout, Refunds, Stagehands, Strike, Ticketmaster
The Lion King (The SOB Revisit) - Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
***1/2 (out of ****)A not so funny thing happened on the way to Broadway’s 10th anniversary gala celebration for Disney's
The Lion King. It didn’t happen due to the stagehands strike.
In fact, over the past week,
the only places in the United States to catch the anniversary engagement and spirit of this long running hit have been in
Honolulu and
Minneapolis.
Since Hawaii is just a little too far out of reach for me, I took in the touring production playing Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre -- the very same venue that hosted the world premiere for
The Lion King’s 1997 Broadway tryout. With the Minnesota tour stop timed to dovetail with the 10th anniversary hubbub on the Great White Way, Twin Cities audiences are the first to experience
The Lion King tour for the third time.
Since its Broadway opening on November 13, 1997, it’s estimated that some 45 million people around the globe have experienced the magic of
The Lion King. Overall, the show has grossed over $3 billion worldwide -- certainly more than any film can boast.
On the Great White Way, it has been among the top five selling shows during each of the past ten years, first at the
New Amsterdam Theatre and now since June of last year at the
Minskoff. In addition to selling out Broadway and the two North American touring productions,
The Lion King is currently wowing audiences in
London’s West End, Hamburg (where the German language version is called
Der König der Löwen), Paris (which opened just last month as
Le Roi Lion),
Tokyo and even
Johannesburg, South Africa where it received an enthusiastic homecoming celebration of sorts when it opened there this past June.
So, ten years after debuting on Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre stage, how does
The Lion King hold up? Extremely well.
To say the stars aligned for Disney on this magical spectacle would be a gross understatement when you behold each of the gorgeous design elements --
Richard Hudson’s glorious sets,
Julie Taymor’s breathtakingly inspired animal costumes that are topped to perfection with masks she designed with
Michael Curry,
Donald Holder’s lighting and
Steve Canyon Kennedy’s sound for the road (
Tony Meola holds the honors for the Broadway stage). It remains an incredibly jawdropping harmonic convergence of the first order. In fact, the initial soaring ten minutes continue to be some of the most spellbinding live theatre moments for the sights and senses I've ever experienced.
Then when you layer on
Garth Fagan’s mesmerizing myriad choreographic stylings that are as individual as each audience member, along with Taymor’s truly inventive and downright courageous choices as director, you wind up with one exhilarating production.
The fact that the touring production holds up nearly as wonderfully and solidly as the Broadway original is a testament to Taymor and company’s genius and vision. They have constructed live theatre for the ages and all ages.
However, and this may sound like I’m quibbling, but had I never previously seen
The Lion King -- and I have seen it twice on Broadway -- I may not have paid as much attention to some of the weaker spots in
Roger Allers and
Irene Mecchi’s book, most notably in the first act, which doesn’t grab and enthrall quite the way it did when I first saw the show.
Perhaps it may have more to do with the young actor portraying Young Simba during my performance. He didn’t seem to be quite as in sync as he could have been. In fact, it wasn’t until
Andre Jackson appeared as the older Simba that the story of the formerly lost lion cub turned king really took off. While a veteran of
The Lion King, Jackson just recently assumed the mantle of the role and offers a commanding presence.
In this touring production, there were many other stellar performances, including those by Timothy Carter as a deliciously evil Scar (with his menacing snears, this Shakespearean actor, could very well be a natural someday as Dr. Frank ‘n’ Furter), Phindile Mkhize as an appropriately rambunctious Rafiki (haling from South Africa herself, Mkhize captivates throughout, including when speaking a native dialect), Erica Ash as a radiant Nala and the hilarious
Mark Cameron Pow as Zazu, who with skillful comic timing manages to get some of the best lines, including a local joke about the curtains coming from
Target.
What amazed me most about seeing the touring company of
The Lion King was how true the staging was to the Broadway original. It would take a heart of stone not to be moved by the sheer artistry of this production, and while the strike continues on the Great White Way, this could easily stand in for anyone determined someway, somehow to see the 1998 Tony-winning Best Musical.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Anniversary, Broadway, Film, Julie Taymor, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Musical, The Lion King, The SOB Revisit, Touring Production
