Equity might allow 6 show weekends.- Page 2

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 3:36pm

The Rockettes don't do every performance.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 3:38pm

Aside from the leads having to perform 6 shows in 3 days, I can't imagine the wear and tear on the bodies of the dancers with a schedule like that. I haven't done 6 shows in 3 days, but I've done 5 and I know even mentally I was feeling deja vu sometimes "did I already do that this performance?" I would regularly question if I was skipping around in the show because of mental exhaustion. I can't see how they could expect this without increasing the understudies / replacements and having a regular schedule for rotating performers.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 3:49pm

son of robbie, the Palm Springs Follies's choreography might surprise you. But I tried to acknowledge some of the reasons why it isn't perfectly analogous: it is an ensemble show (the principal singers may sing half-a-dozen solos plus numerous ensemble numbers, but they aren't playing Evita or Elphaba) and the cast gets a couple of months off every summer. (On the other hand, the PS Follies performers are senior citizens.)

But I thought the most important point was the two days off per week. (I worked in marketing and we would have loved to schedule an extra show or two each week during High Season, but the director-producer was adamant about the two days off.)

And like the contract speculated above, the performers didn't do six shows EVERY weekend, but a certain number of weekends per year.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 3:51pm

This is crazy. I feel sorry for the actors who would have to participate in this. Could you imagine having to sing some of today's scores 6 times in 3 days? Christ....

[bwaydreamer]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 3:58pm

I completely agree with you iluvtheatertrash. Can't you imagine singing Next to Normal, Aida, Jersey Boys, etc 6 times in three days!!?? Unreal.

Equity sucks as and never has a backbone big enough to stand up to idiot producers. Equity, do something for once in your existence. They are leaving it up to a vote to the members of equity but don't let it even come to a vote. Just ****ing so no flat out. Christ...

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 4:12pm

There is currently a very large gap in time between the Saturday 2pm and 8pm performances. Maybe they can juggle things around to do: Saturday 1pm, Saturday 5pm, and Saturday 9pm. Much better than a Friday matinee when most people are working. If their goal is to sell tickets, I don't think Friday afternoon is a good time slot.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 5:04pm

having worked in my share of non-equity theaters, I have performed 6 shows over the course of 3 days. It's exhausting and I just don't see it flying.

[temms]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 5:31pm

It's really a 7-show weekend; there's not much of a break between Thursday night and Friday afternoon, so you're basically going straight through with no break between Thursday at 7:30 and Sunday at 10:00. Normally you get the day on Friday and then plunge into your 5 shows.

Brutal. I already never want to do 8 shows a week again (been there, done that, life's too short) but this sounds even worse. I understand the urge from the producer's side, but damn. Talk about short-sighted. Kill your company for slightly better 8th-show gross. Tired bodies get injured much more easily.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 5:49pm

Maybe it would just mean more alternates in lead roles, or more shows set aside for understudies.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 6:28pm

Love the new schedule! They should just rope off Times Square and charge one general admission, like Disneyland! The Great White Theme Park!

[CONAries]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 6:46pm

In London, many West End shows add in a ninth show during holiday weeks, including Wicked, Jersey Boys and a few more of the big ones. Typically at the extra matinee the understudy for the central character goes on, but not always, obviously Londons normal schedule is different, but the last school holiday week gone, Wickeds schedule was Monday: 7:30, Tuesday: 7:30, Wednesday: 2:30, 7:30, Thursday: 2:30, 7:30, Friday: 7:30, Saturday: 2:30, 7:30 They have never had any problems, it works VERY well and of course brings in those important extra monies!

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 7:12pm

That schedule makes more sense, though. There aren't any stretches of 6 or 7 shows in a row.

[CONAries]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 7:14pm

Well, it does mean you get two one show day, then two two-show days, than another one day show before yet another 2 show day... it is better... but not much!

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 7:17pm

This is an insane idea, no matter if it's for a certain number of weekends a year. It sets a terrible precedent for future expansion of the rule, as well as it being a gross reflection of product-perceived views on theatrical performers. This totally disregards vocal health and physical stamina of performers, and the needs for them to properly keep their bodies in form to complete their contracted performances. If this goes into effect, these producers will not be presenting good performances. The last two shows of such a weekend will be, likely, consistently dribbled through.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 8:44pm

Maybe they can juggle things around to do: Saturday 1pm, Saturday 5pm, and Saturday 9pm.

You do realize these are people and not robots, right?

I can't believe how many are in favor of this. That this is good simply because it means one more show for you to see on the weekends is short-sighted and narrow-minded. It's not as easy as hiring an alternate for a lead- most of the leads would end up needing alternates, more swings would have to be hired to cover for overworked and increasingly injured ensemble members. More cast members means higher running costs, so shows will be more expensive to mount, they won't run as long, and ticket prices will be higher to make up for it.

If you feel so desperately that you need to see theatre every waking hour for 3 days, try something off-Broadway or off-off-Broadway with alternate hours. But don't support this, then come online and complain that Alice Ripley was out again, or that her voice sounded terrible when she was in, or someone was mean to you at the stagedoor after a Sunday evening show- or worse, didn't come out at all- because they were too burnt out after 6 shows to deal with it.

Updated On: 11/17/11 at 08:44 PM

[jetts7]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 8:48pm

If that happens, probably at least 2 times a week a few understudies would probably go on.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 8:52pm

I think it's a terrific idea, especially during the holidays. Everybody knows it's the time of year when there are almost no cold, flu or other respiratory viral infections going around. So, man up, performers. You want fame? Well, fame costs.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 9:00pm

Didn't The Grinch have a 12 show schedule? Admitfully the show's fairly short but still must have been gruelling.

In the West End a handful of show have Friday Matinees but this in place of Wednesday Matinees and they're at 5.30pm with the Evening shows at 8.30pm.

Do any Broadway shows do Sunday Evenings at all, I know Wicked in Australia when it opened had four shows at the weekend with performing not beginning until Wednesday afternoons.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 9:00pm

I think with a 6-show weekend, a producer would put on standbys, alternates, and understudies at least for one of the performances (pending the demand of the role). In this situation, the chorus would be the ones hurting the most.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 9:04pm

No, they LOVE it. Didn't Cassie teach you anything?

Updated On: 11/17/11 at 09:04 PM

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 9:06pm

TERRIBLE idea. Eight shows a week is brutal enough as it is.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 9:16pm

I'd like to see the call out list on these weekends. Will the producers hire extra swings and understudies for these weeks? Why doesn't equity ask for this provision for those 12 weeks? Seems reasonable since they are asking the normal cast to do so much extra work for what amounts to a 3 month stretch.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 11:14pm

Yeah it's just an overall bad idea. I wonder what this would mean for the other unions. I believe the orchestra at Mary Poppins (and any other show with 5-show weekends) already is paid overtime for their fifth weekend show. I'd imagine crew would be getting overtime too. That's a lot of people getting overtime pay.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 11:21pm

Stritch will be having NONE of this.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/17/11 at 11:27pm

I'm glad Sarah Brightman isn't alive to see this.