Kate Shindle News

Actors’ Equity Association has issued a statement in response to both the House and the Senate voting to pass the American Rescue Plan Act. “This pandemic has been especially brutal on arts workers; most of us have been unemployed for a year now, and are desperate to get back to work the moment it’s safe,' said Kate Shindle.

Actors' Equity Association has released a statement after news reports that the attacks against Asian Americans that began to spike during the pandemic persisted over the course of 2020, reaching a 150% increase over the year before. 

The co-chairs of Northwestern University's 90th annual Waa-Mu Show have announced the title and theme for its upcoming production. “The Secret of Camp Elliott,” a supernatural mystery musical following three friends at summer camp in 1977. The production will be filmed and available for streaming June 9-20.

Now more than ever, the students might be the future. The education department of a theatre company has long been an important piece of the business model - but that might be more true now than it has ever been before. While audiences still can’t come into most of our performance spaces, students are still able to be reached in digital ways. These digital programs not only increase access, they are increasing the number of students (of all ages) who are able to engage with theatre in an all new way. In a time of continued social distancing, what we are learning about bridging that distance will be important for us to remember when we no longer have to stay apart out of necessity for public health. This week, we’ve got stories about connecting with audiences, with students, and continually questioning what our performance spaces should look like, along with stories about the ongoing economic impact of the shutdowns.

Actors’ Equity Association has announced its commitment to pursue a new diversity, equity and inclusion policy agenda for the industry in partnership with arts, entertainment and media unions. 

The Broadway Advocacy Coalition has announced the roster of panelists for Part I of its next #BwayforBLM Forum What Now will include Jeanine Tesori, Rachel Chavkin, Kate Shindle, Warren Adams from Black Theatre Coalition (BTC), Brandon Michael Nase from Broadway For Racial Justice (BFRJ) and Destinee Rea from BOLD.

The School of Communication at Northwestern University will host a virtual residency with Hope Abelson Artist-in-Residence Michael R. Jackson Feb. 15 to March 5. During the residency, Jackson will visit classes, lead workshops for performers, dramatists, composers and lyricists and participate in a free livestream panel discussion at 7 p.m. CST, Thursday, Feb. 25.

Members of the theatre community have spoken out about the impact that the near year-long Broadway shutdown has had on the industry, and what the shutdown could mean for people in the industry moving forward.

Actors’ Equity Association has issued a statement following reports that the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, has been re-introduced in Congress. “The numbers clearly show that when workers unionize, those workers thrive and America thrives,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association.

Actors' Equity president Kate Shindle has shared the ways in which she feels that Actors' Equity would be able to efficiently help with vaccine distribution by utilizing the skill set and resources that members of AEA possess. 

Actors’ Equity Association has released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts of $27.4 billion of programs, which includes a request to cut $110 million from the 2021 fiscal year budget for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Read what theatre stars from across social media are saying about the passing of Rebecca Luker.

Actors' Equity Association has released a statement regarding the newly passed COVID-19 relief bill, which extends COVID unemployment payments and includes the $15 billion “Save Our Stages” provision with help for venue operators. 

Actors' Equity Association has released a statement after the Associated Press has named the Biden/Harris ticket winners of the 2020 election.

Actors' Equity Association has released a statement after signing a memorandum of understanding with Walt Disney World regarding layoffs of most of their Equity member employees. 

Actors' Equity Association released a statement regarding SAG-AFTRA, which has undercut contracts and cost Equity members $154,000 in health fund contributions during the pandemic.

The Equity League Health Fund has announced a new health plan for Equity members which would require union members to work a higher number of weeks per year in order to qualify for health coverage.

Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, released the following statement regarding the updated HEROES Act, introduced by House Democrats. 

Actors' Equity Association has commended Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), for their introduction of the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act, which will offer 100% COBRA health insurance subsidies for those who have lost their health insurance due to the pandemic.

Actors' Equity Association has announced its endorsement for the 2020 presidential election, supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.