There is an underlying tone in this post that seems to foster the misconception that Equity is this separate elite organization that graciously grants actors with salaries and privilages. In fact Actors' Equity Organization IS THE ACTORS and THE STAGE MANAGERS of the professional stage. All of the officers from President Patrick Quinn to the Counselors are Equity Members and VOLUNTEERS. They don't get a dime from the Union for their work (the only people who get paid in the offices are the staff). Once you join the Union, you too are eligible to participate in all Union activity from sitting on a committee to running for Council. By reinforcing the fact that we are Equity performers, audiences who don't live in New York and come to Broadway to see a show can go home and hopefully differentiate between an Equity tour vs. a non-union tour. Yes, all shows on Broadway employ Equity Actors, but by stating our pride for the Union in our bios, it shows the public that we do not take our Union for granted and we hope the audiences won't take it for granted too.
Mmm, Mmm, I feel sorry for the poor folk that got to pay to see this play. - The Maid from "Bullets Over Broadway."
