Talks Resume, but Strike Continues NY Times Sunday newspaper

[billynj]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 8:59pm

November 18, 2007
Talks Resume, but Strike Continues
The producers’ league and the stagehands’ union negotiated into the night yesterday in an attempt to bring an end to the strike that has darkened most of Broadway for more than a week.

The meeting, which started at 10 a.m. at the Westin Hotel on West 43rd Street, was the first time that the stagehands’ union, Local 1, and the League of American Theaters and Producers had met since Nov. 8. The walkout began two days later, temporarily shutting down 27 shows.

The president of Local 1’s parent union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, attended yesterday’s talks, as did as a senior labor relations executive from Disney, which is not in the league.

Producers are trying to add some flexibility to the rules on when stagehands are needed for work, how many are needed and what tasks they perform. The stagehands’ contract expired at the end of July.

As the two sides bargained, the mood on the sidewalks of Broadway was somber after the death of Frank J. Lavaia, a 57-year-old stagehand at the Minskoff theater who died after suffering a heart attack on the picket line on Friday evening. Some picketing stagehands wore black armbands, made by the wardrobe union.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:22pm

That is just bad.

Just when there was hope for us all this weekend, now brings us into the second week of a strike. There is no hope left!!!!!

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:31pm

Well, this is just friggin' wonderful. Well, I guess I'll have to be content standing out in the cold and listening to an acoustic Bitch of Living when I could have had onstage seats. Oh well. It's out of my hands.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:34pm

Sorry, GlindatheGood22, your avatar just doesn't work anymore.
There is NO hope. The strike will go on for months. And it will lead to the end of Broadway.

And please don't ask me to be positive, because where has that gotten me? NOWHERE!!!! I think I'm just going to give up Broadway and try something new.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:39pm

Some picketing stagehands wore black armbands, made by the wardrobe union.

Not to make light of Mr. Lavaia's truly sad passing, but...um...isn't it kind of cute/convenient that they've got a wardrobe union to do that?

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:43pm

Um, Josh, I got rid of my avatar like a week ago.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 9:43pm

I meant your signature. I'm sorry.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:01pm

Josh, I need to take you out for a drink.
Try to cheer up.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:17pm

There's nothing you can do. I'm changing my life career from Broadway music to regular music. I think I would make a better living off of that, and I'm going in that direction. Sorry everybody.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:19pm

Are you seriously that much of a drama queen?

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:22pm

I assure you I am not a drama queen.
I've already made my decision and I'm confident and serious about it.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:42pm

Josh,

The written nature of this board makes it hard to determine if you're serious or saracastic in your continued lamenting about this strike. Friday night, eight days ago, I sat in the orchestra pit at WICKED to watch the Keyboard 1 book. Backstage, many people were chatting about the looming strike. One particular item of interest about the strike was the possible length of it, and many were worried about the possibility of it going on for too long. It's the Holidays, there are gifts to buy and travel to be done. The point I'm trying to make is that this strike is most real to some people. It doesn't affect an industry they're aspiring to break into. It's directly affecting the jobs that pay rent, utilities, and food bills. It's quite insensitive to continue moaning about something that is relatively tangential to your ultimate survival or livelihood. That being said, nobody really cares about what industry you want to go into. If Broadway were to disappear tomorrow, you wouldn't be left in too much of a lurch like the actual practicing musicians would be. I know Broadway will survive. Do you want to know why? Because there are plenty of people out there who love it more than you do. That's why it'll make it. Anyway, I don't know if you're trying to bait me into lecturing you or if your dramatics are real. If the latter happens to be the case. Give it a rest.


Updated On: 11/17/07 at 10:42 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 11:33pm

Amen to that. People, this is a bad situation. But, I mean, New York City is more than Broadway, especially at Christmastime. I know everyone's upset. I'm upset too. But we have to try to make the best of a sucky situation. Go see and Off-Broadway show. Go see one of the eight shows that's still running. Go see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center, once it opens. Go see the tree at Rockefeller Center, or go iceskating if you don't mind the crowds. A lot of the actors are right out there on the picket line, and some are giving impromptu concerts. Go see them. For example, if this is still going on Friday night, I think I'll go up to the O'Neill and see the cast of Spring Awakening, and then I'll go eat at one of the restaurants that are giving a discount. (BTW, I'd take advantage of that while you can, it's over 11/25.)

End of rant.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 11:49pm

Nicely put, Glinda and Clark.

The good that will come out of this is hopefully people will go see more Off-Broadway.
or even one of the still running Broadway shows, a lot of which are great shows.

If I get tickets, I intend to try and FINALLY catch "Xanadu" this week. I know that's not off-Broadway, but I'm excited. This strike is sad, but ya gotta try and look on the bright side. I am refraining from making a "Positive"/Legally Blonde joke :-P

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:21am

Josh Freilich, you really are being wayyyyyyy melodramatic about this. This will not last for months. It will not spell the end of Broadway. And if your confidence to be a musical theatre composer is shattered so easily, then maybe it wasn't what you really wanted to begin with.

You gotta fight. For your right. To make shoooooowwwtunes.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:36am

Some food for thought. 2 days ago, a horrific, huge typhoon directly hit the shores of Bangladesh, killing at least 1,000 and destroying thousands of lives. A very desperate situation which has hardly been reported here in the mainstream media. Remember, there's a balance of world and local events that should sometimes put your life (and views) in some sort of perspective... (Yes, I love and work on Bway, too...)

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:53am

"Go see one of the eight shows that's still running."

What shows are those? I've asekd two or three times.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:54am

BTW, how does one italicize on this board?

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:59am

The fact that they're talking is a good thing. Does anyone know how today's talks went? At least, I hope they're narrowing the gap. When do they plan to talk again.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 1:01am

Can you not see the top article on the front page of BWW, Timmer?

The shows are:
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
XANADU
THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
PYGMALION
MAURITIUS
CYMBELINE
THE RITZ
and MARY POPPINS

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 1:04am

The reason no one is responding to your question about what shows are open is because they've been posted countless times, most of the newspaper sites have them, as does this website and playbill and countless others I'm sure. But since it's so difficult to find out what shows are open apparently, I'll type 'em out. Spelling Bee, Xanadu, Mary Poppins, Young Frankenstein, Pygmalion, Mauritius, Cymbeline and The Ritz.

And the typhoon that hit Bangladesh did in fact make it onto the news. It was on all the national newscasts, newspapers and all major newsites.

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 11:28am

Thank you Clarkstallings. Someone finally put Josh in his place. I always wonder if the guy is putting us on or if he's an extreme narcissist comfortably free to say whatever he wants with the distance of a computer. I'd rather think he's pulling my leg.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:33pm

Okay, I'll try to hope for the best, but I'll also expect the worst.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:34pm

You know, that doesn't sound half bad!

HOPE FOR THE BEST
EXPECT THE WORST
LIFE IS A PLAY
WE'RE UNREHEARSED

[claudia2]

Posted: 11/18/07 at 12:37pm

Josh: You should be banned from the board. You do not have anything intelligent to contribute. DO you just like to post negativity?