Non-Equity Hairspray Tour?

[PalaceRent06]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:21pm

ok...so i guess there a new hairspray tour starting...and i heard its non-equity. Now ive never seen a "non equity touring production". How is it different, besides that the acotrs arent equity. Is it usually a bad production? Do they use the same sets and costumes?

Thanks so much!

[Parks]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:23pm

I heard that the set recently used for the tour (which was scaled down from when it first started) will probably be re-used for the non-equity tour. Ex--the posters on the wall during Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now have been reduced to just 2.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:33pm

I don't like how people assume that non-Equity means bad. Non-Equity means that the actors aren't part of the union, aren't paid the same as an Equity member, and don't get the same benefits as someone in Equity. Also certain things such as sets are scaled down. Yet, the prices they charge for people to see the shows are about the same as Equity prices. Although things are scaled down, I don't think this automatically means it is a bad production. After all, actors get their start somewhere. I saw a non-Equity production of Oklahoma! and enjoyed it very much.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 7:44pm

I mostly agree about "OKLAHOMA!". I caught the non-Equity tour and it was pretty good, overall. However, it had a very scaled down thin sounding orchestra which did impact the score.

[wishinguweresomehow]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 12:37am

I definitely would agree that non-equity doesnt necessarily mean bad. That does not mean that I have not seen a few not so good non-equity productions(ie:RENT) However, Ive noticed that a lot of times they are a lot younger and not as mature as equity casts. Partially because most of them are just starting out in the biz.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 12:42am

The Non-Equity "Saturday Night Fever" had a person playing the mother who, even with make up and a bad wig, looked like she was 18. That was an awful non-Equity production. I try and stay away from them but I loved "SNF" on Broadway and on the first national tour. I went to "Oklahoma" because I liked the Broadway revival (saw it twice. Once to see Patrick Wilson and once for Patty Duke).

[Joshua488]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 1:00am

I am very scared of this non-Equity tour. Non-Equity tours don't have a good reputation and I am worried that this show will suffer because of the change.

And Parks makes me laugh.

Posted: 6/25/06 at 1:18am

So heres the skinny on the non eq tour of Hairspray. Its the exact same show as what is on the road now. The sets and costumes are the same with additional sets and costumes from Vegas since it just closed. Its the same creative team that keeps the broadway show and equity tour running so things most likely will be the same. most non eq tours do scale things down and put on some pretty low budget productions but that is normally the faults of the producer. its my understanding that the this show is the same, minus the larger paychecks. I personally dont think non eq shows are the amazing but its all because people are creedy. these smaller producers get the rights to shows from the greedy owners and go to cities, sell it as broadway and charge broadway prices and pay the cast 1/4 of the rake in and buy yachts with the rest. many people are at fault and almost never the cast. I honestly think this non eq production is going to turn some heads because in many ways it might end up being better what is on the Big Mighty Broadway right now. At least these people will probably smile on stage and actually look like they are enjoying doing there shows and not there "jobs" and collect there 1/2 paycheck and enjoy the fact that they are working actors.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 1:27am

When I saw it again last week, they had already cut the sets in the Equity tour to a smaller vanity (only 2 faces) and no Har Dee Har Har Hut. Also, the backdrop in "Welcome to the Sixties" was cheaper looking than the first time the tour came through the Bay Area a few years ago. I'm worried about how the non-Equity show will sound. They are bound to have a smaller orchestra. I find it annoying that non-Equity tours are sent out while a show is still running on Broadway. They must be making plenty of money in NY that they could put into the tour. We never used to get non-Equity in San Francisco until a few years ago. They started with "Cats", "Rent" and "Grease" and, at first, the prices were a little lower than the Equity shows but they have been raising them lately.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 1:31am

And, for the actors involved, you have to start somewhere...

[winston89]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 7:49am

The thing is that this is a good way for actors who want to be equity become equity. If you sign a contract with an equity show and your not a memeber of the union, signing that contract makes you equity right away exepect for the fact that the deduct your pay check and give the deduced money towards your membership fee. but after that it done that thats it. Also, RENT has always had a non union tour. Sometimes its been great sometimes it's not. But, that is dpendent on if its a good cast or not. Some years the cast is great like last years and some years it is not so great and only one or two people really stand out like this years current tour.

[Singin Fo' Jesus]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 8:12am

First of all winston, we're talkin bout NON-EQ touring production here, so there is NO way of any of these actors becoming Union on this tour, and they're well aware of that. Had this been a Union tour, yes you'd be right about them getting thier Eq. Cards.

Secondly everyone else, How bout we just reserve ALL judgement until we actually see the tour in Atlantic City when it opens in July.
Not very fair to say if it's gonna be good or bad so early in the game. I mean they JUST started rehearsals this week folks.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 8:23am

I heard this will be the 90 minute version that was done in Vegas. That way they can have 2 shows a night and make twice the money, but the audience will only see a condensed version of the original show.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 8:28am

Winston, it's not true that the "Rent" tour has always been non-Equity. There were 2 Equity tours out at one time when the tours first started. One was known as the "Benny" tour and the other was the "Angel" tour and they were Equity. After those tours ended, they sent out the non-Equity tour.


http://www.angelfire.com/mn/angeltour/

http://www.bennytour.com/

Some of the performers were:

Neil Patrick Harris
jeremy kushnier
wilson cruz
trey ellet
cary shields
Kristoffer Kusick
Alan Mingo Jr

Updated On: 6/25/06 at 08:28 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 8:40am

Not to mention Amy Spanger and Simone.

[Buscee]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 8:45am

I have to agree that Non-Equity doesnt mean its bad. Do you think producers cast people who are bad? A being in Equity doesnt necessarily mean you are good. Sometimes it just means that at some point in they're lives they did a children's theatre tour and got an equity card from it. I have seen many awful Equity performers. One that comes to mind is the woman who played Jack's Mother in the revival of INTO THE WOODS. My God she had to literally have her melody line plunked out for her. These tours usually have actors who are very hungry to impress which is always a plus. I think most of the negative response to these tours comes from the Equity Members themselves. Go enjoy the show.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 9:00am

winston, the others are right. Rent has NOT always had a non-Equity tour. The non-Eq tours started in 2001 when the Benny tour (the last Equity tour) ended. There have been several legs of the non-Eq tour ever since. They've varied in quality, in my opinion. The thing I will say is that you can't make generalizations about non-Eq tours. Some are good, some are bad, just like with Equity tours. Every non-Eq tour of Rent I've seen has had some wonderful performers and a few not so wonderful. The current tour is the most consistently good one I've seen in years. There's one major exception but that's likely to change when the contracts are up.

Yes, they earn less, and, yes, the benefits aren't what they are in Equity, however, these kids are doing what they love and earning a decent salary while travelling the country. It's a good start for their careers. Many of them are just as good as current castmembers on Broadway. I've seen both. The non-Eq tour ticket prices for Rent are nowhere near the prices they are at the Neder. That MAY be true with other touring shows but it hasn't been my experience, and I know for a fact that it isn't with the Rent tour.

Lastly, the set is the same, the costumes are the same, and the band is the same. And Winston, you might try seeing this year's tour before making your opinion known.
Updated On: 6/25/06 at 09:00 AM

Posted: 6/25/06 at 11:26am

the 90 minute version of the show will be performed in AC as it was in vegas but when it actually hits the road it will be the full production.

[theatregrl0456]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:15pm

anyone know who is in the cast of this tour?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:16pm

I believe the Miss Saigon US tour was non-Equity and I adored every minute of it. Except for Mario Tadeo as Thuy, but that's another story for another time.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:21pm

Is the non-equity tour what will be coming to San Diego? It will be here Jun 5-10, 2007

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:33pm

There is no more Equity tour of "Hairspray" after today. Any future tour dates are non-Equity.

[broadwayboy522]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:44pm

Will the Non-Eq tour have a website because right now the site for the tour only list the dates up until when the Eq tour ends.

[broadwayboy522]

Posted: 6/25/06 at 3:44pm

Will the Non-Eq tour have a website because right now the site for the tour only list the dates up until when the Eq tour ends.

[pointpark kyle]

Posted: 7/8/06 at 11:14pm

Is there any official listing of future cities to be visited on the Non-Equity tour of Hairspray?