Talks resume 10am Saturday - New York Times- Page 2

[StageFan2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:17am

I don't think so April. There would be no reason for them to add discounts (IMO) because of Thanksgiving Week. Tourists will have already gotten their tickets for the shows they're seeing that week as did, I suspect many local theatre goers. So there's no reason to entice folks back to the theatre. I fully expect this will be the end of the strike. There has been enough chest pounding, ego stroking, and posturing. I don't think it lasted long enough to sour theatre-goers. If the lights are on, the shows will do dynamite business...without discounts.

Think positive.

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:06pm

This is great news. Hopefully, they can cometo a resolution soon that is fair to both sides. Unfortunately, some of the parties seem only to want one that meets their standards of fairness to their side, but definitely not the other.

Hopefully, this can get resolved ASAP. This is not good for the producers, the stagehands, teh actors, the theatre owners, or any of the theatre district businesses. I can imagine that the restaurants in teh theatre district, for example, are taking a hit.

But hey, who cares about that as long as we get what we want?

To quote the saying, "no goose, no golden egg."

[Timmer]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:10pm

What shows are open?

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:26pm

I hope and pray this will work out and shows will be back up on Tuesday, Monday if applicable

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:26pm

Break - a - leg and LISTEN to each other, work towards an agreement... Please

Long live Broadway!!!

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 01:26 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:34pm

What are the chances of having this over with by December 16?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 1:37pm

"And it's even better that they're bringing people in from the West Coast to oversee it, so let's hope for the best!"

What does that matter?

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:13pm

Hey, you guys were right! Sunday performances just bit the dust, got an e-mail from Telecharge a few minutes ago. This strike sucks, and leaves me wishing I didn't love theater as much as I do, because--and God forbid I start some political post here about the strike, because that's not my intention--after taking in all the rhetoric on both sides, I'm not sure that passion is shared by these warring factions. I'm a single working mother who belongs to a union herself, but it seems that in this particular battle, the warriors lose sight of the fact that so many of these shows are fragile entities and can sink like ships even without the losses a strike brings. In the end, there will be compromise and resolution, but will all of this anger and macho posturing have been worth it?

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:48pm

I wish April, if you really love those shows, you would keep those thoughts to yourself. Especially as a single Mother who depends on her job to help support her family. That just makes those who work for these shows feel unappreciated. It's about the people who make those shows come to life and share their talents with us. Try not to forget that. There are always other shows and places to work besides Broadway.

The Seafarer folks might feel generous under certain conditions but I would agree, it would be a case by case situation, they need to pay their bills first.

I love Snoopy and his happy dance. Living in Snoopy Country, Sonoma County, we idolize him here. I am hoping for the best and I am really excited because yes, it doesn't really matter where negotiators come from, as long as they are neutral and respected by both sides. Anything is possible but coming to a contract even Sunday is being terribly optimistic on my part.

Finally! I hope it is all settled as nicely as possible. Sunday, understanding business as much as I can, seemed unreasonable. They will bark and bite all day Saturday and hopefully come up with a final proposal and then sign everything Sunday, if Disney is the key to ending all of this.

Disney has a big horse in this game so I myself can't be overly positive but I will dance none the same. If this is what it will take to allow everyone to go back to work. This in-fighting is hurting both sides. They need to stop telling people what to do but compromising and playing fair so this can end in a good fashion.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:05pm

Most shows have a Monday show next week due to the cancellation of Thursday shows for Thanksgiving, so if the talks go well, I am sure everything will be up and running by Monday. I am curious to see if TLM postpones their opening...

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:19pm

Hey Tkt2Ride--I have kept my thoughts to myself as I've read dozens of posts about this strike, many of them really ugly, and my comments weren't intended to favor either side. I work for a large metropolitan newspaper and have been on strike myself, but with the current state of my industry, it's no longer a possibility, because we basically need all the readers and advertisers we can still get. What I was trying to say is that given how many of these shows never make it, there's a real fragility there and I hope when they all sit down this weekend to work things out, they don't lose sight of that.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:26pm

Yes, April and based on experience, you should also know Union's don't go on strike at their leisure. I'm sorry but you still seem to be siding with the League and that is your choice. Try to forgive me for seeing that bias as just sad. Whenever it comes from a Union worker I can't help but cringe. It is because of the Unions that most of us have jobs that pay a remotely decent salary with better benefits than most people get.

The Local One will settle, when they are offered a fair contract. They will not however work under rules that they are not contracted to do.

When a contract is ratified, Broadway will be up and running again. I will return happily knowing everyone on stage is being treated fairly and getting paid for the work they are performing. If you have been following the threads then you should know that,

1) Local One had work rules imposed onto them that was a direct violation of their previous contract.

2) The negotiations were shut down by the League. Every new compromise Local One offered to them was thrown back with no compromise. What other choice did they have but to strike?

Being a Union member, all of this should make sense? I believe Local One cares a lot about who pays their bills. They had only two choices and the first one was a very bad one. They even accepted the bad one but still no negotiations were being offered to them so they went with plan B. Very simple to understand.

I myself again, hope for a good and fair agreement so that both sides win something but neither side gives up too much of what they need. This way, they both win and lose but to a fair contract. The last thing I want to see, is a lot of unhappy stagehands back to work. It will effect the whole show.

What will you do, when the Actors have to go on strike next year? What do you want me to say when maybe it is your turn to strike? Just something to think about.

Oh and on the side note to go even further off topic here. Unions didn't destroy Newspapers it was printing false statements and using it for propaganda that drove many from the daily rag.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 6:24pm

Though we can't publish without confirmation (we're not Reidel), I have it on VERY good authority that the strike will be resolved this weekend and performances will continue next Monday.

The negotiation tomorrow is "to save face for everyone" as most things have been settled in meetings now and this week.

Let's hope so!

[leko2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:00pm

first off, no one should guarantee anything. for all your or i know things could go south again and they will still be on strike come monday.

as long as the league and local one are polite to each other i'm sure that this issue will be resolved soon. i'm going to guess that the league will lift the new work rules that they implemented at the theaters and everyone will go back to working under the previous contract. but should the league or local one lose their cool and walk away from the table, i won't be surprised to see a strike/lockout happening again.
Updated On: 11/16/07 at 08:00 PM

[April Saul]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:30pm

Whoa, slow down, Tkt2Ride! I expressed no bias towards either side in my post, only the desire for peace in this settlement. And I would NEVER in a million years say that unions destroyed newspapers--nor do I believe, as you seem to, that newpapers aren't doing well because they're "rags." On the contrary, my union bent over backwards in the last negotiations and wound up making all kinds of concessions because we know we're in an industry that's having problems. And still, we faced painful layoffs. (I'm not saying this to compare my industry to entertainment, just to explain) And here my co-workers and I had been thinking people are reading newspapers less because of TV and the internet while all along, you're telling me, it's been because we just plain suck? Okay, now I officially regret saying anything about this strike or my own experience....and Tkt, in spite of the insult, I do wish you well and hope for peace, we surely need more it it.

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:38pm

probably a dumb question, but say the shows are back up and running next week- do you think any shows would add a Thanksgiving performance because of all the performances they missed this past week with the strike? i know a few shows play on Thanksgiving Day, just wondering if anyone thinks any more shows would play that day now.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:12pm

Be nice to April, She/He expressed their opinion quite well. if people like that were in the negotiations maybe we wouldn't be on strike.
Both sides need to give up something, and get back to work.
I miss my show, and ALL the people I work with there.
Updated On: 11/16/07 at 09:12 PM

[Mooo]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:13pm

I would guess that even if an agreement is reached quickly this weekend that every show would need a brush-up rehearsal(s) to get back on their feet.
I would think dance numbers like Mary Poppins' Supercalifrafgurdfes-whatever would need a few runs to get the timing back. This is a pretty exact science sometimes.
If you've never seen how much scenery is crammed into these little theaters you'd be amazed. I would certainly want a run through or two to get everything going again.
My guess would be Tuesday assuming a deal is reached Saturday night or Sunday.
I think people are correct that there have been some back channel discussions this week. That usually happens in negotiations like this. I don't think we'll hear anything until possibly Saturday night. It always seems to happen that strikes like this are settled at about 2am.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:29pm

Just out of curiosity, CurtainPullDowner, what show do you work at?

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:10am

I assume the extra rehearsal time would be what Sunday is for and tey could also hold rehearsals Monday afternoon. Once the strike is resolved, no one is going to want to postpone ANY more shows.

ANd I doubt they will add Thanksgiving shows...wouldn't the actors have to all agree to give up their Thanksgivings?

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 3:44am

Sorry April but just because your Union gave in doesn't mean it is good advice. I wish you got more for the work that you do. I still say it is best to let them fight their own battles. You didn't have to explain, I already knew what you meant.

but it seems that in this particular battle, the warriors lose sight of the fact that so many of these shows are fragile entities and can sink like ships even without the losses a strike brings.

It comes across very clear that this Union, who works the boards every day, even when the Actors are home eating dinner, know exactly how fragile a show is. They see it from it's beginning to its end. Why would you question how much they know? A lot more "ships" will sink if negotiations break down. Both sides, I believe know exactly what their agenda is and it is way beyond the two of us.

This is the first time this Union ever went on strike. Their children are important to them too. I'm sorry it means you have to miss a show.

Remember, the League has 20million to repay those shows that they forced closed during this period. No guarantee their shows would make much money but the strike fund? That's money in the bank. I'm not crying too hard just yet. They should give some of that money to the tourists they put out because they stopped negotiating with the Union. That really is where the money belongs.
****************************************************************

What I said was pretty plain. I blame those who print stories that are not verified, causing numerous retractions on a regular basis, a problem. Most of the real news is found in the back of the Newspaper. Just the opinion of many people that I know. This strike alone is testament to some of that. Here, we knew negotiations were in trouble but did the rest of the World know? No, the news isn't covering it. I don't personally blame you but those at the very top who are only printing for us what they want us to hear. I have to go to the Internet and BBC because my own Country refuses to mess with their investments. The News, whether it is in print or on the Internet from the major Newspapers sucks right now for those looking for information and not recipes or American Idol. It's too bad for the few people left who are actually allowed to cover the real news events of the day.

They are guilty of firing some of the greatest investigators in the business. How would that be your fault if we have so little foreign corespondents? Unless you are the one firing them, I don't consider you the blame at all.

I still buy some papers. I stick to local and international news now. It's sad and I wish it wasn't this way. So do a lot of people that I know. I have to read through all of the silliness too just to get to the real issues. Wouldn't it have been better if I could have gotten this all from a Newspaper instead?

I wish you well too. I also wish for better days ahead. Save some of that well wishing also, for those out picketing on those cold New York streets right now too.
*****************************************************************
Eugene, I hope you are right and everything turns out well enough. I know at least you have some good sources. It is unfortunate for those with tickets this weekend but if it ends in a week, we are very lucky and have every reason to be thankful.

I want people to be able to see their shows. I don't want it though at the loss of jobs that ensure everyones safety during a performance.

***************************************************************

It doesn't seem reasonable to schedule extra shows this week. Unless people want to pay premium for the understudies? Some of the Actors may have had to do other work during this time so they probably can't handle more shows. You can only sing so much a week? They would want overtime too! To be fair, the Producers would have to charge more per ticket to make up for what they would be losing in overtime.

When we get an official notice the strike has ended, log or head on down to Tkts or Box Offices. There could be some very good deals at first when this ends. That is everyones best bet.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 7:39am

"I would guess that even if an agreement is reached quickly this weekend that every show would need a brush-up rehearsal(s) to get back on their feet.
I would think dance numbers like Mary Poppins' Supercalifrafgurdfes-whatever would need a few runs to get the timing back. This is a pretty exact science sometimes. "

Thats very unlikely, Ive toured with shows in the UK and sometimes we have 10 days off in between each venue (if we are lucky) and we dont have to go back in and rehearse, trust me it gets engraved in your brain...FOREVER lol

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 10:15am

I'm sending all of my mental good will to the mysterious spot where the two sides are meeting right now. I'll just scrunch up my forehead and send my energy into the wall until an agreement is reached.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 11:36am

I'm siding with songanddanceman. It's not like people have missed a month of shows, they've missed little more than the equivalent of a vacation week. They're not making the shows rehearse before going back on stage.