?? About the two shows that are changing theaters

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/7/10 at 8:27pm

Does anyone know: will the actors and crew be paid during the hiatus of these two shows? It would seem that they SHOULD so that they are willing to wait around for it to re-open.

Along those same lines, does a new contract need to be negotiated?

Just curious. TIA

[stagewright]

Posted: 12/7/10 at 9:28pm

Not sure on the Equity side of things, but the crew will most likely not miss any pay -- they'll be involved in actually moving the scenery, lighting, sound, wardrobe, props, etc. out of the old theatre and into the new.

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 12/7/10 at 9:34pm

Wouldn't they be eligible for unemployment? I believe once the show closes the current contract would be null and a new contract would be re-negotiated for when it opens again. (it is possible a clause could also be added to a current contract to extend to the new location, I would think this costly to the show since it is not taking in income during the dark time)

[joeyvalcort]

Posted: 12/8/10 at 12:42am

Re: Actors paid during hiatus. Most likely not. I believe the AEA members would have no rights to their parts so long as the show was closed for longer than six weeks.

Re: Unemployment. Yes, they can all collect. I think there's a one-week waiting period after a show closes, but yes, should be no problems.

Re: New contract. Assuming the producers don't want to pay layoff pay to the performers (and can't imagine they would), they would indeed negotiate a new contract with AEA, then with performers. If most of the company was making minimum, then there's not much to negotiate. Those making above minimum will have to do some negotiating...

Re: Crew. They'll be just fine. Maybe miss a few weeks of work between shows, and collect unemployment or pick up overhire work. FWIW the crew basically stays with the house, doesn't travel with the show. So the crew at the Hayes has to be pretty happy, b/c they'll go from "Long Story Short" pretty quickly into ROA, which will probably run for a long time...

[stagewright]

Posted: 12/8/10 at 1:33am

Joey- Some of the crew on the show are hired by the producers under what is known as a "pink contract" with IATSE. They work for salary where the house crew and other local stagehands generally are paid hourly. I'd expect most of the pink contract guys to stay with the show, unless they happen to be jumping ship to something completely different.