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"A Manhattan judge refused to play Grinch Wednesday, allowing the Broadway production of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" to reopen Friday.
The judge ruled this morning that the show would go on, despite the stagehand strike, at the St. James Theater.
"One Grinch is enough," Supreme Court Justice Helen Freedman declared.
The first show will be 11 a.m. Friday.
The judge's ruling was met with a standing ovation inside the courthouse.
It came a day after she heard arguments from producers of the show and owners of the theater housing the $6 million production. Producers, citing a special contract between the show and Jujamcyn Theaters, wanted the show to go on.
The show's limited run was supposed to last through January 6, but it was shut down by the November 10 walkout.
It had been another tumultuous week on Broadway, as theater owners stepped in to block the show, which was set to reopen Tuesday.
After the surprising move by the management of the St. James Theater, members of the League of American Theaters and Producers, the producers of the "Grinch" sought legal action against the very theater they call home.
"Grinch," the first show shuttered by the strike, appeared to get a temporary reprieve when the union representing stagehands approved the reopening of the seasonal holiday musical.
The musical, which runs on an unusual 12-performance-a-week schedule, negotiated a special arrangement with Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees last year.
The show's producer, James Sanna, successfully argued that arrangement puts it outside the current negotiations. The union agreed and instructed members to stop picketing at the theater.
But the league responded by locking the "Grinch" producers out of the St. James Theater, where the musical opened November 9.
Meanwhile, one of Broadway's busiest weeks will be a bust after producers canceled all other shows through the holiday weekend. They say a weekend of talks went nowhere.
Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director, League of American Theatres and Producers, released a statement just before 11:00 p.m. Sunday, which read: "We are profoundly disappointed to have to tell you that talks broke off tonight, and that no further negotiations are scheduled."
The statement went on to say, "We presented a comprehensive proposal that responded to the union's concerns about loss of jobs and earnings and attempted to address our need for some flexibilities in running our business. The union rejected our effort to compromise and continues to require us to hire more people than we need."
"Out of respect for our public and our loyal theatergoers, many of whom are traveling from around the world," Martin said, "we regret that we must cancel performances through Sunday November 25."
Both sides had for more than 12 hours Saturday in a theater-district hotel.
Pressure has mounted for a solution to the work stoppage, which began November 10, because Monday starts the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday week, one of Broadway's best weeks of the year.
The stagehands - who include scenery and prop handlers, carpenters, electricians, and lighting and sound technicians - have been working without a contract since the end of July. Negotiations have focused on work rules - how many stagehands are required to open a Broadway show and keep it running.
Before this weekend, the two sides hadn't talked since November 8.
A small memorial service was held Saturday in front of the struck Minskoff Theatre, home of "The Lion King," for Frank Lavaia, a 57-year-old prop master who had a heart attack on the picket line Friday night and died.
The shows idled by the strike include some of Broadway's biggest hits such as "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lion King" and "Mamma Mia!"
Ticket sales for Thanksgiving week could normally top $1 million for several of those shows."
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=entertainment&id=5777775
Posted: 11/21/07 at 12:52pm
"A Manhattan judge refused to play Grinch Wednesday, allowing the Broadway production of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" to reopen Friday.
The judge ruled this morning that the show would go on, despite the stagehand strike, at the St. James Theater.
"One Grinch is enough," Supreme Court Justice Helen Freedman declared.
The first show will be 11 a.m. Friday.
The judge's ruling was met with a standing ovation inside the courthouse.
It came a day after she heard arguments from producers of the show and owners of the theater housing the $6 million production. Producers, citing a special contract between the show and Jujamcyn Theaters, wanted the show to go on.
The show's limited run was supposed to last through January 6, but it was shut down by the November 10 walkout.
It had been another tumultuous week on Broadway, as theater owners stepped in to block the show, which was set to reopen Tuesday.
After the surprising move by the management of the St. James Theater, members of the League of American Theaters and Producers, the producers of the "Grinch" sought legal action against the very theater they call home.
"Grinch," the first show shuttered by the strike, appeared to get a temporary reprieve when the union representing stagehands approved the reopening of the seasonal holiday musical.
The musical, which runs on an unusual 12-performance-a-week schedule, negotiated a special arrangement with Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees last year.
The show's producer, James Sanna, successfully argued that arrangement puts it outside the current negotiations. The union agreed and instructed members to stop picketing at the theater.
But the league responded by locking the "Grinch" producers out of the St. James Theater, where the musical opened November 9.
Meanwhile, one of Broadway's busiest weeks will be a bust after producers canceled all other shows through the holiday weekend. They say a weekend of talks went nowhere.
Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director, League of American Theatres and Producers, released a statement just before 11:00 p.m. Sunday, which read: "We are profoundly disappointed to have to tell you that talks broke off tonight, and that no further negotiations are scheduled."
The statement went on to say, "We presented a comprehensive proposal that responded to the union's concerns about loss of jobs and earnings and attempted to address our need for some flexibilities in running our business. The union rejected our effort to compromise and continues to require us to hire more people than we need."
"Out of respect for our public and our loyal theatergoers, many of whom are traveling from around the world," Martin said, "we regret that we must cancel performances through Sunday November 25."
Both sides had for more than 12 hours Saturday in a theater-district hotel.
Pressure has mounted for a solution to the work stoppage, which began November 10, because Monday starts the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday week, one of Broadway's best weeks of the year.
The stagehands - who include scenery and prop handlers, carpenters, electricians, and lighting and sound technicians - have been working without a contract since the end of July. Negotiations have focused on work rules - how many stagehands are required to open a Broadway show and keep it running.
Before this weekend, the two sides hadn't talked since November 8.
A small memorial service was held Saturday in front of the struck Minskoff Theatre, home of "The Lion King," for Frank Lavaia, a 57-year-old prop master who had a heart attack on the picket line Friday night and died.
The shows idled by the strike include some of Broadway's biggest hits such as "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lion King" and "Mamma Mia!"
Ticket sales for Thanksgiving week could normally top $1 million for several of those shows."
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=entertainment&id=5777775
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 11/21/07 at 12:52 PM
