BIPOC movement..Backstage IATSE local 1? Musicians 802? Stage managers? etc- Page 2

[Sampatches]

Posted: 8/13/20 at 1:36pm

They don’t have their numbers listed but my guess would be at least 2500-3000 members, as it encompasses lights, sound, video, scenery rigging and special effects.

I’m basing this higher number off of my own union, 764 having 1400 members and just being one department.

It’s not a good ratio.

Each theatre is going to have at least a house props, electrics and carpenter that is a full time staff member and works on every show. So that right there is around 123 positions out of the 41 Broadway theatres. And then depending on the size and needs of the show more will be hired on production contract.

 

I know farther out in the Bronx at venues like Lehman College there is a majority BIPOC house crew

Updated On: 8/13/20 at 01:36 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/13/20 at 2:09pm

Yes. If we branch out into places like Lehman or the Apollo, we get a different narrative.

But if we are talking about SPECIFICALLY Broadway houses, yes, there are a few women and not many BIPOC persons holding House positions, and production crew hired in isn't much better outside of a couple departments. It's just not.

Saying anything different is putting lipstick on the proverbial pig. Is it better than it was? Sure.

Is it GOOD? Not a chance in hell. 

Will it be good in the future? I hope so, but Local 1 is a bit of a rotten apple in that sense. It's a conservative old boys club and I can rattle down a list of fathers and sons working together or passing the position along their family line. Even when the very best of intentions among people there now, they have to SEVERELY change the  pipeline and the path to those jobs or it will be nothing more than smoke, mirrors, and virtue signalling.

Do you REALIZE how many women and BIPOC persons work in those fields and decide to take other paths to other cities and venue work because the door to the commercial / Broadway world is shut and locked??

You can count on less than half a hand the number of WOMEN who have designed sound for a Broadway musical. You know who those women would be more likely to consider bringing in as their A1 or A2? Women and BIPOC, because they know the glass that THEY had to crawl over to get there.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/13/20 at 2:38pm

Local 1 on Broadway does not compare favorably even to the similar demographic of the FDNY. The average theatregoer does not see a lot of stage hands but ask yourself how many BIPOC stage hands you have seen hanging out outside the stage door of a Broadway house at 7PM. A similar experience still with firefighters in much of the city. Both groups look like they were sent from the same central casting call.  

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/13/20 at 2:49pm

HogansHero said: "Local 1 on Broadway does not compare favorably even to the similar demographic of the FDNY. The average theatregoer does not see a lot of stage hands but ask yourself how many BIPOC stage hands you have seen hanging out outside the stage door of a Broadway house at 7PM. A similar experience still with firefighters in much of the city. Both groups look like they were sent from the same central casting call."

That's a SOLID description.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 12:22am

The theatre owners do the hiring of all heads. Discuss this with them. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 12:32am

KKeller6 said: "The theatre owners do the hiring of all heads. Discuss this with them."

Trust me, this is not a road you're gonna be happy you traveled down... 

From what pool do theatre owners hire? 

 

[KKeller6]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 9:11am

Trust me, you have no idea what you're talking about. Unless you're saying Local 1 has no POC who are qualified for those positions. If that's your opinion, have the courage to say it. Otherwise, they are there, eligible for the jobs like anyone else.
We've already discussed and agreed, years ago Local 1 was somewhat considered a"closed shop". Even tho that's not true due to the apprentice test that began about 40 years ago. I've also agreed that change is slow. I've also shown in the last 20 years or so, available heads jobs on Broadway have gone to about 30% to POC which is fairly on line with the stats of population of block and latino people.
You just assumed my list was mostly women. It wasn't you were wrong.
How many POC stagehands you see hanging outside a theatre at 7pm has to be one of the stupidest comments I can imagine. Larger shows like Wicked the preset starts at 6:30 and the stagehands are still working. In smaller shows like plays, the Local 1 crew has 5 total people on the entire crew. But i have to say, I'll give you the last word you don't seen to be interested in facts, so there's no point in arguing with you.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 9:11am

Trust me, you have no idea what you're talking about. Unless you're saying Local 1 has no POC who are qualified for those positions. If that's your opinion, have the courage to say it. Otherwise, they are there, eligible for the jobs like anyone else.
We've already discussed and agreed, years ago Local 1 was somewhat considered a"closed shop". Even tho that's not true due to the apprentice test that began about 40 years ago. I've also agreed that change is slow. I've also shown in the last 20 years or so, available heads jobs on Broadway have gone to about 30% to POC which is fairly on line with the stats of population of block and latino people.
You just assumed my list was mostly women. It wasn't you were wrong.
How many POC stagehands you see hanging outside a theatre at 7pm has to be one of the stupidest comments I can imagine. Larger shows like Wicked the preset starts at 6:30 and the stagehands are still working. In smaller shows like plays, the Local 1 crew has 5 total people on the entire crew. But i have to say, I'll give you the last word you don't seen to be interested in facts, so there's no point in arguing with you.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 9:11am

You're right

My apologies. 

Updated On: 8/14/20 at 09:11 AM

[KKeller6]

Posted: 8/14/20 at 9:12am

Updated On: 8/14/20 at 09:12 AM