Equity & SAG-AFTRA Tell Members to Boycott Tyler Perry's MADEA ON THE RUN

On Monday MSG Entertainment announced that Tyler Perry's play MADEA ON THE RUN, starring Tyler Perry, will bring seven performances to New York's Beacon Theatre starting on September 3, 2015 with various dates and times through September 6, 2015. The four day run marks Tyler Perry's first performance at The Beacon Theatre in 10 years.

According to Deadline, Perry may find it difficult to find actors for the production due to SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity's recent warning to their members that if they join the cast, they will face disciplinary action.

Equity, which has jurisdiction over stage actors, has placed MADEA ON THE RUN on its "Do Not Work" list because the show's producers have not signed its contract. While SAG-AFTRA doesn't represent stage actors, it too is giving notice to its members not to work on the show because of Rule 9, a reciprocal agreement with Equity which forbids union members from working on productions that appear on Equity's "Do Not Work" list.

According to SAG-AFTRA, failing to obey its Rule 9 order shall be deemed "conduct unbecoming a member" if a member accepts employment with an employer in Equity's jurisdiction if the employer "has refused to bargain in good faith" for an Equity contract.

Producers of the show have not responded to Deadline's request for comment on the matter.

In the stage play MADEA ON THE RUN, Mabel Simmons, notoriously known as Madea, is in trouble with the local authorities and is on the run from the law. Madea, the old brash matriarch, takes refuge with her long-time friend, Bam, who is recovering from hip surgery. While Bam is grateful for Madea's help in nursing her back to health, Madea is only using this helpful friend act as a way to hide out from the police."Madea on the Run" features brand new music written by Tyler Perry.

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