Many Broadway Shows Going Dark on Election Day 2016

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:43am

http://www.playbill.com/article/many-broadway-shows-cancel-election-night-shows-so-people-can-vote

Is this standard practice during presidential elections? How much of this is a pure loss-cutting business decision?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:50am

I'm surprised Hamilton isn't cancelling their performance since they have been so out there about getting people to register and vote.

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:55pm

I'm sure if Hamilton could cancel, they would. Unfortunately, I don't think people who bought their tickets months in advance would appreciate it. I don't remember shows going dark on election night, but it makes sense as this is a major election being viewed all over the world and the Broadway community has been been very vocal about people voting this year. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:56pm

isn't voting over by 8 pm basically everywhere?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:57pm

Yes. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:59pm

...so why cancel a Broadway show? if anything i'd think going to one would help stave off having to watch all that dreadful election night coverage which i've always wished i could take a nap through but couldn't physically accomplish.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:00pm

Because people would be distracted otherwise? Both onstage and off? I'm actually seeing Fun Home in Chicago on Election Night and am glad it's a one-act so no one will be glued to their phones at intermission.

 

Related, 2008 Election thread here: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=983625

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:01pm

Factor in the time difference, once the East Coast polls close, then it is watching the rest of the states to see what happens. 

[Ranger Tom]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:12pm

gypsy101 said: "...so why cancel a Broadway show? if anything i'd think going to one would help stave off having to watch all that dreadful election night coverage which i've always wished i could take a nap through but couldn't physically accomplish."

Thank you so...probably don't want to be sued for violating Voting Rights Act.  "My voting rights were restricted because I had tickets to Cats."  

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:14pm

I don't remember shows going dark in the last presidential election, but this one is a bigger deal, I think it's fair to say.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:14pm

As over this election season as I am, I would not want to be at a show on election night. I would have to be home to watch the returns. That's just me though.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:17pm

Election Day also equates to overtime, for whatever that factors in to the decisions. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 5:30pm

In what way does Election Day have any affect on overtime for anyone involved in a show?

[MinnieFay]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 5:38pm

trpguyy said: "Election Day also equates to overtime, for whatever that factors in to the decisions. "

Huhh??  In what way?

 

 

[whatdoesntkillme]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 5:40pm

Looks like Waitress changed their schedule without telling the cast: https://twitter.com/kealasettle/status/783075846210908161

 

EDIT: Whoops, looks like this has a thread of its own already

Updated On: 10/4/16 at 05:40 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 5:58pm

This has nothing to do with overtime.  On any planet.  Actors,  for the most part,  don't have to arrive to the theater until 1/2 hour.

 

 

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 6:26pm

I remember working a show on election day 2008 and having the ushers tell me the current "score" during the show. At the interval, I and a colleague dashed to Time Square to see what was happening and got back there after the show in time to see CNN declare for Obama on the big screen. Such an occasion...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 7:07pm

PT.....may I ask WHY?  It's not (in any way) a holiday.  I've never heard of someone receiving time and a half for Election Day.   

 

I also never thought about actors receiving extra pay on holidays....do they???  

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 7:23pm

dramamama611 said: "I also never thought about actors receiving extra pay on holidays....do they??? "

 

There are provisions for certain holidays in the Production Contract (New Year's Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Performances on those days do result in an extra payment if the actor is making less than a certain amount. Under the old contract it was under $5,000 a week, and the payment was 1/16th of their contractual salary if there was one performance scheduled. If there are two performances scheduled then the payment is 3/32nds if the actor performs in both, and 1/32nd if they only perform in one. (This may have changed in the new contract, but the rulebook for that still hasn't been posted to the document library on the AEA website, and I didn't see it mentioned in the summary of changes that is posted).

 

All that being said, Election Day is not recognized as a day which would incur any extra payments to actors or stage managers, and, quite frankly, I'm kind of surprised that the League let any other union sneak that one in.

[howardbf]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 8:28pm

gypsy101 said: "isn't voting over by 8 pm basically everywhere?

See below

• Primary Elections: In New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Erie, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM. In all other counties, POLLS OPEN AT 12 NOON and CLOSE AT 9 PM.

"

 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:17pm

Election Day is a holiday in many of the CBAs (not Equity's, however).

 

"All that being said, Election Day is not recognized as a day which would incur any extra payments to actors or stage managers, and, quite frankly, I'm kind of surprised that the League let any other union sneak that one in."

Not snuck in, it's been in the IATSE contracts for decades. 

Updated On: 10/4/16 at 10:17 PM

[trpguyy]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:32pm

dramamama611 said: "This has nothing to do with overtime.  On any planet.  Actors,  for the most part,  don't have to arrive to the theater until 1/2 hour."

Actors' call time is irrelevant, they're not paid hourly. 

[Bell0708]

Posted: 10/5/16 at 1:09am

Maybe because this election's so heated, they're afraid of rioting and want as few people out as possible, a stupid theory,  I know, just putting it out there for no apparent reason other to clutter up the board.