Vanity Fair on Broadway's Reopening - "Not Until There's a F**king Vaccine"- Page 3

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 9:10am

jdrye222 said: "Message deleted because people who know nothing about are inferring and assuming they know what my knowledge stems from and what my background is regarding this topic.

If you've quoted my post please respectfully delete.

"

Huh? This isn't how the internet works. 

 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 11:05am

Excellent points. I agree with all of them.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 1:46pm

 




If someone has a high temp, highly unlikely they could go to show. Likely feeling miserable.

One would hope they would stay home.  However, tell that to the Great Clips customers in Missouri. Last week, two employees came to work, knowingly had the virus symptoms, and exposed multiple people.

 

Updated On: 5/24/20 at 01:46 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 1:46pm

double

 

Updated On: 5/24/20 at 01:46 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 1:59pm

Jarethan said: 

I agree with everything you said, with the possible exception of #5. I think that one is more complex. On the one hand, I have read that Amazon doesn't pay its people well and much of the work is soulless; I don't know much about the meat packing firms, but I did read that there are a lot of illegals and low wage earners working for them, so I am pretty sure I know where you are going. I have to admit, however, that I am very thankful for Amazon right now. It is the only was I was able to get a number of things related to living in the pandemic -- couldn't get masks, gloves, alcohol wipes at all-- until I went on Amazon,for which I am grateful. You point ut a very real dilemma with 5."

I have used Amazon to buy gloves, masks, as well as a DIY haircut kit and other PPE supplies I couldn't find in stores. But their business model is definitely very assembly line. One factory worker falls sick, another takes its place. However small businesses where employees are somewhat valued can't sustain themselves if company members are falling sick left and right and people are afraid to come to work. It doesn't matter what the orders are from the government. The US has simply not handled this pandemic well at all and as a result the curve has not flattened the way it should have.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 2:10pm

I tested positive for COVID antibodies, despite having not been sick at all. About two months ago, I was exposed to someone who had what turned out to be COVID (thankfully a mild case!), and my doctor had me tested once more reliable tests were available. I've conferred with friends who are medical professionals, including epidemiologists, and they and my doctor all agree it is very likely I had an asymptomatic case.

But think if we were in a pre-shutdown world. I would have been riding rush hour subways twice a day, five days a week, crammed in close with dozens of people. I would have been going to my office. I would have shared elevators, leaned in to speak to people at bars and restaurants, and been surrounded by fellow audience members at shows. It is not inconceivable at all that I would have exposed 100 people in a week, whihh means it is likely that 1 or 2 could have ended up dying- to say nothing about how many those 100 people would go on to expose. The numbers are mind boggling; the risk is exponential. All without me suspecting I had been infected at all.

Thankfully, we were in a post-shutdown world. The number of people I could've passed COVID onto went from dozens daily to maybe a few people in a week, and those people would be at a much lower risk as I have been wearing a mask.

That is why this matters.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/24/20 at 3:30pm

^this

As antibody testing has become pervasive (I am going in in a week or so), we will soon have a decent percentage of people who know a lot more than they do now. And we will know just how much contact tracing did not happen in the early period. In my case, I had very heavy exposure, but no symptoms, in the week before everyone's consciousness was raised. Most of the people in my office have had the virus. The advice, which I followed, was to isolate, but not get tested. How this newfound knowledge will affect things is not yet clear, but the critical thing to understand is that much of the country (and much of the tourist base for Broadway) has not even reached April 15, NY time. So not only do we not yet know when these folks we peak (or how many times) but we absolutely do not want to give them a reason to come to NYC. It's akin to how casual vistors from NYC are being viewed in the Hamptons this weekend, where everything that can be done to encourage them to stay away is being done. 

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 4:51am

Even if they develop a vaccine you will still have the anti vaxxers that will refuse to get one. Like the ones that refuse to get a flu shot and end up getting the flu and spreding it to lord knows how many people.

As for me personally I will go back to the theater the first day it reopens. I have no issues wearing a mask as a wear one between 8-12hrs at work as is and when I have to go out and do the weekly grocery shopping.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 8:58am

If one gets a vaccine, the point is that they are immune to the contagion. The concern about anti-vaxxers is mostly a public health one: they are a burden on the system. 

Without a vaccine or other effective treatment, there will need to be social distancing in addition to masks, and so long as that remains the case, Broadway cannot function. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 9:37am

and here is an interview with Charlotte St. Martin. https://www.thedailybeast.com/broadway-league-president-charlotte-st-martin-hopes-for-january-reopeningwith-full-theaters-and-masks 

the league really needs to find a different mouthpiece during this pandemic. 

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 10:03am

A January opening seems unfeasible to me for two reasons. It’s historically been the worst  time of year for broadway financially even in the best of circumstances. Everybody is broke after Christmas/New Years and the weather is bad, so less demand for theatre. Second, it’s In mid winter and most of the experts seem to be expecting a worse second wave then.  
 

It would make more sense to wait two more months and open in March, when the market should be better. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 10:44am

And here again, evidence that St Martin should not be speaking from a position of authority. There is another big issue with a January re-opening: it would mean that the show would be doing production planning casting and rehearsing no later than Nov-Dec, and that is never going to happen, simply a naive idea. Perhaps what she had heard from someone and repeated without understanding was that some limited productions (no one is going to be kissing and hugging onstage, or getting in each other's face) might try to commence production in January. (And remember that even if there is magically an effective vaccine by the end of the year, it will take several months for it to roll out, and a critical mass will not return until there is an effective answer to the virus.)

[KKeller6]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 10:59am

This was the opening salvo to let everyone know- particularly stagehands- that there will be heavy pressure financially to take massive paycuts, and most likely to revamp the entire salary structure of the industry.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 11:56am

Pay cuts? No union would agree to them, nor should they.

Pay freezes? Possible but still would represent a massive concession on the part of the employees.

[KKeller6]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 12:03pm

There's literally no question there will be a certain period of pay cuts whenever Broadway comes back. It happened after 9/11, and it will assuredly happen now.
My opinon is they will be drastic. You may have conditions change rather then an actual lowering of your hourly wage. But, I'd say probably both at first.
You do realize almost every single show asks for some kind of relief during their time in the theatre, in normal times, right? There are probably 50-100 grievances filed by the producers yearly throughout Broadway. It's a never ending battle.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 12:12pm

I don't understand what you mean in your use of "relief" and "grievances" here. Who would producers be filing a grievance against, or seeking relief from?

[KKeller6]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 12:34pm

There's 2 things that almost universally happen with every show that comes to Broadway. Every single show. The company managers, and/or the tech will come to the heads of the crew (stagehands and wardrobe, but mostly stagehands) and ask for certain waivers to the contract. These "asks" range from small things, like "can we deliver a few props to the theatre today, even tho the prop crew isn't here because it's only a few items and they are coming from another show that's having their load out today", to large things. The large items vary, but its usually about crew size and who can do what,and when, and maybe the tech wants to bring some out trade in, for example to lay a large carpet, or some type of flooring that is normally stagehand work. Or a light programmer not being a local stagehand. These examples, which have happened are usually done on the sly. Meaning the company will not notify the union of their plans at all. They just show up. And then the grievance process begins. These issues, and others like them are a constant part of the load in process. Then we go to the actual running of the show, where more pushback against what stagehands normally do continues. Such as working automation and leaving your station while pieces are moving to do a cue on deck to save hiring one more person (an actual fight between union/ show). It's endless.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 1:35pm

@Keller, whatever it is you are trying to say (and I don't agree with much of it) is irrelevant to the subject at hand. There is no way there will be massive pay cuts broadly because there is no reason. For starters, pay is not enough of a component to make or break many shows and if it is, that show will be back-burnered. Everyone I talk to is worried about revenue and logistics, not how much stage hands make or don't make, or what they do or don't do. Yes there may be some concessions to accommodate necessary changes in operations (negotiated, not on the sly) but what you seem obsessed with is at best a side bar. Right now cost trimming of the sort you mention is not on anyone's radar, and reopening on the backs of union members (which seems to be what you are advocating) is not gonna happen. Nor is any of this in her portfolio (much less what she said).

Updated On: 5/25/20 at 01:35 PM

[KKeller6]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 1:42pm

Kad specifically asked a question, so I answered it. There's nothing to agree with here, or not. It's all factual. We were already told there will be concessions. Again, there were concessions after 9/11, so why not now?

This is directly from the article..

“We can’t socially distance the cast and crew in these 100-year-old-plus buildings,” St. Martin said. “And we can’t afford to socially distance the audience. We have terrific theatrical employees, but they are the most expensive theatrical employees in the world.”

Obviously, she's talking about the crew.  You think she's talking about reducing Patti Lupone's salary? She's absolutely, 150% talking about NYC stagehands. 

Updated On: 5/25/20 at 01:42 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 1:55pm

who is we? and who is doing the telling?

as I said, maybe there will be some early stage concessions but that is not what she is talking about (not to mention, as I also said, this is not in her portfolio). She is saying that we can't reopen without putting butts in every seat. That is because we have a lot pf people to pay well. That is not a reason to cut pay. But I repeat, she has wandered off the reservation.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 2:14pm

KKeller6 said: "Kad specifically asked a question, so I answered it. There's nothing to agree with here, or not. It's all factual. We were already told there will be concessions. Again, there were concessions after 9/11, so why not now?

This is directly from the article..

“We can’t socially distance the cast and crew in these 100-year-old-plus buildings,” St. Martin said. “And we can’t afford to socially distance the audience. We have terrific theatrical employees, but they are the most expensive theatrical employees in the world.”

Obviously, she's talking about the crew. You think she's talking about reducing Patti Lupone's salary? She's absolutely, 150% talking about NYC stagehands."

Well, the ushers are pretty well-paid for the little amount of work they actually do.  They are paid for 36 hours of work per week but actually only work at most 24 hours per week (assuming they work all 8 shows). And from I've been told the porters are also very well-paid. Compared to the onstage talent and backstage crew it's not comparable,  but compared to the same jobs elsewhere,  no doubt they are more expensive, too.

[JennH]

Posted: 5/25/20 at 5:31pm

^^^ Ushers aren't PAID that well...I've interviewed for a good few of those jobs, and it's not as good as you'd think, even in a Union house. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 5/26/20 at 1:49am

First off, unlike other positions on Broadway, ushers aren't hired or have anything to do with production staff of a given show. We are employed by who owns the house. You work at the Majestic, you're an employee of The Shubert Organization. That's the name that's on the check. You work at The Minskoff, you're an employee of Nederlander. So, I don't see how this comes into play with what St. Martin is talking about in that article. And, Fosse, for whatever it's worth, we aren't paid that well. We do more than just seat people.

And, kkeller6, regarding what you said about "asks" during the load in/load out process, no one would do any of the things you mentioned. For one thing, non union members doing any work on Broadway, for whatever reason is just not something that happens. Hell, you can't (and this is true) have a lightbulb changed in the men's room of a theatre without a union electrician doing it. A few work buddies of mine are crew. And, yes, while it is true that you would need more stagehands working for load in/load out than during the actual show, they don't bring in non union members for help. What does happen is that union crew members who are working on other shows, will help with load in/load out during the day, then at night work their shift at their respective theaters. 

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 5/26/20 at 4:19am

Pay cuts will have to come from upper management and many positions will have to be combined or furloughed. The salaries in those positions are astounding. Staffing will not be as expensive because less people will be needed.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 5/26/20 at 4:20am

Pay cuts will have to come from upper management and many positions will have to be combined or furloughed. The salaries in those positions are astounding. Staffing will not be as expensive because less people will be needed.