HIGH FIDELITY Special Union Meeting

Just an FYI...there was a meeting this past week at The League of American Theatres and Producers reguarding the orchestra for HIGH FIDELITY.

Apparently the orchestra is actually a ten-piece rock band and the producers had to meet with the musicians union in order to gain special permission to allow this on Broadway since they don't meet the union minimum.

No clue on whether or not an agreement was reached. But, what puzzles me is, if there is a union minimum...how would a show like HIGH FIDELITY get around it. I can understand situations like CABARET and SWEENEY TODD having the actors as musicians. But, this situation puzzles me.

---

Updated On: 10/15/06 at 07:10 PM

What did Spelling Bee do?

Is an orchestra under ten pieces really that uncommon? I don't see where thinking they may not "get around it" comes from. Other shows have, why won't this one?

---

>Does anyone else find this union minimum thing to be really stupid.

Not any more stupid than when Actor's Equity tries to make shows hire off stage singers to fill in dance number vocals instead of allowing sweetening with click tracked tapes.

This is what the Broadway musician's strike of 2003 was all about. High Fidelity was probably asking for a "Special Situation" exception, the idea being that since their show wants to sound like a rock band they shouldn't have to hire the extra musicians. The special situations process was part of the contract negotiated in 2003. From what I've heard producers feel that special exceptions aren't granted frequently enough, and theater musicians think that they're granted way too often, so perhaps it's a reasonable system.

I'm sure that many Broadway shows would have smaller bands if it wasn't for the mandated minimums. I agree that it seems like a stupid system, but I'm still glad it's there. I would also rather have singers off stage than have large portions of shows performed to click tracked tapes.

---

It's not THAT big of a theater, but it ain't small either.

Question, do the musicians all have "under studies" too? Or "stand bys" - if one of the players is sick, who takes over for them?

Oh, that's so interesting. So if they sub 50% of their shows, do they still get paid?

well can't high fidelity just use the hairspray ploy of having cast members creditied as musicians too? In that case Link, Penny, Mr. Pinky, and Velma are/were all credited as playing in the orchestra (since they do play an instrument on stage however briefly); see also Stephen Lynch in the Wedding Singer

---