BROOKE SHIELDS ELECTED ACTORS’ EQUITY PRESIDENT

“Shields got 2794 votes, vs. 1940 votes for stage manager Erin Maureen Koster and 834 for Chicago-based actress Wydetta Carter, according to a tally shared with Broadway Journal.

Shields hasn’t served in Equity’s governance, unlike Koster and Carter, who continue to have top positions in its volunteer leadership. The 58-year-old actress, famous since she was a child, faces a steep learning curve as she begins her four-year term immediately.”
http://broadwayjournal.com/brooke-shields-elected-actors-equity-president/

Kind of surprised Shields was able to come out on top here, especially with her lack of experience in Equity leadership. Personally, I was rooting for Koster.

She may find that it's a draining and not-fun job with few rewards. But, perhaps she'll surprise us.

Robbie2 said: "Good Brooke! I would have voted for as she's the best of the bunch!"

How? Better than say, Erin Koster, who has been working her way through Equity leadership for years, pushing many of the actual progressive changes that have been seen (including the increases in the OB and regional contracts)? She is also a HUGE advocate for working parents, an area that easily gets overlooked and ignored in the industry.

Brooke is better for one thing - name recognition. But name recognition only goes so far, which isn't far at all if you don't even realize that you should probably acknowledge a whole section of your union membership in any communication (she keeps only referring to actors, and does not mention stage managers). And that's not even touching the fact that according to reports she has not even attended an Equity meeting, and now she's going to lead the whole union.

I'm not an actor, so this wasn't my election, but I'm upset FOR them.

Fran Drescher has smarts and cojones! That's what you need to run a Union. Brooke Shields...not optimistic but good luck to her.

JSquared2 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Shields is already receiving some flack from the stage management community after she described Actors Equity as an “acting community”"


Then maybe some of them should have voted?"

For what it's worth, a friend of mine who's a member of Equity tried to get a ballot multiple times (both by emailing and calling) and never received one. I wouldn't be surprised if this happened to others as well.