"Are we not entitled to the same kind of lifestyle that everyone else in the world strives for???"
Listen comrade, ain't no one here that wants to hear your tired, lefty, Pinko whining. That philosophy has been disproved ages ago--it doesn't work in politics nor does it work in the arts, i.e. the theater.
You may not like producers as a rule but face the facts, without these "greedy" producers none of you whining queens would have a job on the boards. Easy to test this theory, just GO OUT AND PRODUCE YOUR OWN UNION PLAY OR MUSICAL! Why don't you do it? Not because you can't but because you think (erroneously) that you are too good to do anything but read a few lines from a work that SOMEONE ELSE has written and then get paid huge sums for the "effort". Yeah, whatever.
The thing that bugs you the most is that industrious young men and women are busting their humps to do what they love be it act, sing, whatever. You fear them because they don't waste time sitting on "commitees" but rather they pound the pavement and make opportunities. They takes classes and put on their own small productions and toil by the sweat of their brows to make it. But where is your precious union at this time of their lives? Hmm? I'd love to hear how the union helps aspiring actors, etc. Is it by one of the many, many, many union authorized and sanctioned and funded classes that is out there?--the classes that are offered to help these future union dues payers??? Yeah, the union is doing what it can to increase membership by being there for people at the point in their careers when they most dearly need it. And if you believe that I've got this sweet bridge that's nearby that I'd like to sell ya.
Did your precious union ever pay your rent? Put food on your table? Paid for your headshots? No, but they were there to take your money in exchange for the grovelling honor of finally attaining membership, huh mate?
Bottom line my sad, communist friend is that the day of the union, be it in theater or the automotive industry is dead! It will never be back because it is no longer a necessary evil. The theater isn't a sweatshop environment and your comment about rehearsals sans break is ridiculous. I'd laugh if I heard of some queen being "worked" to death at some play rehearsal. Truly, that is comedic.
As for non-equity touring shows, I say more power to them! The fact that you think there is some great conspiracy in the producer's ranks to get more profit by paying less truly shows your complete ignorance of reality. Well duh! Ever take an economics course (not including that one you took from Marx)? Of course they are going to try to maximize profit, that's how our relatively free market works, genius. This isn't a crime or even unethical. It is the free exchange of goods and services. No one is required to work in a touring cast. No one is beaten and fed gruel (unless they are in the revival of "Oliver", but I digress
. I know plenty of people who are in non-equity touring casts and they aren't exactly starving to death nor do they have problems paying mortgages and making car payments. But then again, these are people who have worked hard at learning their craft (and their abilities oft surpass those of any equity actor)and they didn't waste time whining about how hard it is to be an actor. They went out and paid their dues and did what had to be done. I don't think a single one ever wasted time chairing a commitee though. There's your answer if you care to be self-honest enough to see it.
Now go back to your Fellow Travellers Pity Party and cry in your cheap, European beer, cuz baby, ain't no one here wants to hear your cryin'!
