New Laws Proposed by State Threaten Broadway Child Actors

Wow....this could be a problem.

Bye bye, Billy.

---

WONDERLAND recasted the role of Chloe, Alice's daughter, this year (for obvious reasons) with the 11 year old (& phenomenal) Carly Rose Sonenclar... a shame if talents like her are restricted.

That being said, there are some actors (like Julie Brooks, the role's originator) who are very convincing to play 10 year olds. A whole new generation of adult child-actors.. Ha ha

Wouldn't the most logical thing to do be just have earlier start times for performances? Most shows with children are double/triple cast anyway so would that be a big problem for 2 show days?

Well I guess the revival of Annie will have to be cancelled...

Wouldn't the most logical thing to do be just have earlier start times for performances? Most shows with children are double/triple cast anyway so would that be a big problem for 2 show days?

Equity requires a certain amount of time between shows, so that the adult actors (who perform both shows) get some time to rest.

Also, earlier start times are not necessarily the answer, either. No one wants to start an evening show at 7:00 on a Friday or Saturday night, when people are still at dinner. It's nice on a Tuesday, but not the rest of the week.

Billy Elliot runs almost 3 hours. In order to guarantee the actors are out by 10, the performances would have to start by 6:30.

Also, many teen actors have been in the 16-17 range (Jenn Damiano was under 18 for all of Spring Awakening and a big chunk of Next to Normal, many SA actors were under 18, etc. ) Many 16 year-olds work part time jobs that go past ten (waitressing, babysitting, etc.)

7:30 shows are terrible. I've never been at a show that started on the half hour that didn't have a dozen latecomers come tromping in at 8pm.

---

Thanks for the link. It does seem that the 10pm rule is more workable than the article and the people quoted would have us believe with the language clearly stating that work up until 12:30am is allowed if a school day does not follow it. I wonder what the real beef with the new regulations are?

What's creepier to me is finding out that only 15% of the money the child makes is legally required to go into his/her trust fund.

It could be up to 12:30 every night as long as the day they worked does not supercede 9 hours (5 for work and 3 for school). Since most children attend regular school and do shows at night, they would be allowed 5 hours at the theater which is enough for one evening performance. On two show days like Saturday and Sunday (where there is no school) their work day could be 9 hours which should be the amount of time it takes to do two performances. At least that is what I took from the text..

some clippings for you:

"NY State Labor Department spokesman Leo Rosales said the rules, quietly proposed in November, could be altered. A public hearing is set for Monday, January 31.

"The January 31 hearing will be held in 75 Varick Street, Conference Room G, New York, New York, 10013 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"Individuals attending the hearing will have an opportunity to present brief verbal comments on the proposed rule, if they wish. Oral presentations will be limited to five minutes each.

"Written comments on this proposal will be accepted through February 7, 2011 by:

Jeffrey Shapiro,
New York State Department of Labor,
State Office Campus,
Building 12, Room 509,
Albany, NY 12240

bcejjs@labor.ny.gov

"or by leaving them with the Department representative at the January 31 public hearing.

Telephone: 518-457-9000 1-888-4-NYSDOL TTY/TDD 1-(800)-662-1220


Notice of Third Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Child Performer Regulations

Updated On: 1/17/11 at 01:03 AM