WGA strike impact on the 2023 Tonys- Page 14

[ivy3]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:02am

Ensemble1680343767 said: "Was curious if there was a way to know if someone was a WGA member to see who this decision may impact. Turns out they have a directory feature (https://directories.wga.org/)."

Thanks for this. Very interesting. According to the directory Lin is indeed not a member. Ben Platt isn't a member as well.

Sara Bareilles is a member because of a TV series she created. Not surprisingly Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are members. Christian Borle is a member - assuming because he wrote a Marvel Spotlight Play for high schools or for additional material credit on SLIH. Kevin del Aguila is a member because he wrote for children's tv shows. Annaleigh Ashford is also a member, don't know why. Sean Hayes is a member too.

It does seem like anyone with a smallest writing credit can turn out to be a WGA member. Even for things that wasn't for TV, or if it was for just one episode or even if it was from years and years ago. This isn't just going to impact writers and writing award. I know not everyone listed above are likely to win but there are some that could end up winning.

 

 

Updated On: 5/28/23 at 11:02 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:17am

I agree it is weird and confusing but I offer two possible explanations.

1. WGA members are on strike. The agreement explicitly does not provide a strike waiver for the Tonys, just an agreement not to picket. It is technically a distinction with a difference. An employee  picket line serves as a request not to cross which is subtracted when there is no line. Of course, no individual without a contract requiring their presence (i.e., a nominee) is obliged to show up.

2. When a WGA writer speaks on CBS they are "writing." 

TBC I am not advocating either of these arguments.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:31am

re LMM, his various credits highlight 3 things that are not in WGA jurisdiction: writing for animation, song lyrics, and writing for the stage that is filmed as such. I really guessed he would have been a member.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:38am

So all nominees have to submit a pretaped acceptance speech. Can only imagine how many times CBS will play the wrong speech.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:55am

ivy3 said: "It does seem like anyone with a smallest writing credit turn out to be a WGA member. Even for things that wasn't for TV, or if it was for just one episode or even if it was from years and years ago.This isn't just going to impact writers and writing award. I know not everyone listed above are likely to win but there are some that could end up winning."

There are many reasons why people can be a member of the WGA (or other unions), even if it's not their primary job. Reasons for why someone is or isn't a member is irrelevant. And remember sometimes people waive being billed as a writer on a project even if they contributed/got paid for written material, or they could have written a script that hasn't yet been produced.

[PegasusOasis]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:59am

HogansHero said: 2. When a WGA writer speaks on CBS they are "writing."

I agree but aren’t they also writing if they 1. Have a non-member to accept? 2. prerecord a speech to be aired on CBS? #1 seems the most writing of them all as you could improvise #2 or a live speech. Unless the non-member does not read a speech, just goes on stage for the trophy?
Am I missing something about speaking in-person that changes things regarding writing the speech? I guess since it’s prerecorded and not live on Zoom, they aren’t considered to be attending virtually.

Speaking on CBS = writing would bar WGA presenters, too.

They weren’t offered to attend and accept in silence so it seems to be a members only picket line.

Updated On: 5/28/23 at 11:59 AM

[ivy3]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 12:00pm

HogansHero said: "re LMM, his various credits highlight 3 things that are not in WGA jurisdiction: writing for animation, song lyrics, and writing for the stage that is filmed as such. I really guessed he would have been a member."

Any idea why are Christian Borle and Annaleigh Ashford members? The directory doesn't list any projects for them so clearly whatever they wrote wasn't for TV and wasn't broadcasted. To me it makes no sense that they would be WGA members and LMM wouldn't be. 

 

 

[ivy3]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 12:12pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "There are many reasons why people can be a member of the WGA (or other unions), even if it's not their primary job. Reasons for why someone is or isn't a member is irrelevant. And remember sometimes people waive being billed as a writer on a project even if they contributed/got paid for written material, or they could have written a script that hasn't yet been produced."

I'm sorry if it came across as I'm questioning why people are members of the WGA. That wasn't my intention. I was just trying to say people in several categories such as acting categories will be impacted by this do not attend request and this will probably impact the performance numbers as well. 

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 12:48pm

@ACL No one HAS to submit anything; they theoretically CAN. Also, CBS will mix up nothing because they are not the producer of the Tonys. White Cherry is and would not mess up. It is also important to keep in mind that all of this discussion is about what WGA will and will not allow its members to do. That does not mean that the Tonys has agreed to broadcast videos or permit a third party to accept. (Both dumb ideas, but I digress.)

@Pegasus I have no clue. And yes presenting would seem to fit in the same category. 

@Ivy I have no clue.

[bear88]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 12:59pm

All of this raises a host of questions.

If Ashford and two Some Like it Hot stars and maybe Platt are writers, that’s certainly going to affect the performances - even if it only affects the actors in the WGA and everyone else just shows up and sings. And who is going to want to risk being seen as a bad ally during a strike with so much at stake?

And it was the performances that the Broadway producers were most concerned about and seemed to be the product of the playwright-inspired agreement. If Ashford doesn’t perform, for example, that shrinks the number of Sweeney Todd  songs that can be performed by a lot. Epiphany? The Johanna quartet? And does Josh Groban want to put himself in that position?

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 1:44pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see some pushback on this from within the WGA...

[BJR]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 1:48pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "I really don't understand the WGA asking its members to not attend unless it was part of the "deal" (which I'm guessing it wasn't since we're just hearing about it now). Any work they did that will be honored by the Tonys is not WGA affiliated and winning a Tony can be a very special moment to experience in person I imagine. Plus why not have a chance to support the WGA in an acceptance speech."

And preventing CBS to benefit from a broadcast would have been one thing. But it's happening now. The writers not going doesn't do anything to punish CBS.

[bear88]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 2:22pm

Ben Platt is listed as a co-writer of the film, Theater Camp, which debuted at Sundance in January and is scheduled to be released in July. I assume he is a WGA member too.

If he cannot attend, then there will be no live Parade performance that includes him. I don’t know if exceptions will be allowed for pre-taped performances of Parade, Sweeney Todd, and Some Like it Hot to accommodate the actors who are also WGA members.

The whole thing seems incredibly messy and tricky for the  actors who aren’t WGA members. That’s not even getting into the issue of pre-taped acceptance speeches (which the Tony Awards show producers don’t have to air).

I don’t know if any of this is actually a new development, or just a WGA request that was part of the agreement - but hadn’t been reported until now. I thought the point of the agreement was to not include any writing for the show (no script) while not hamstringing Broadway shows too much by denying them the telecast entirely. But the actual logistics of doing that is looking difficult unless there are agreements and understandings I don’t know about - which is certainly possible. I’m no insider, just an interested observer.

Updated On: 5/28/23 at 02:22 PM

[PabloJuan]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 3:53pm

You are able to look up the Tony nominees in the writers Guild of America database to see if they are members.

I am unable to post the link here.  (Directories dot wga dot org)

But I found the following WGA members:

Annaleigh Ashford

Sara Bareilles

Christian Borle

Sean Hayes

Kevin Del Aguila



Also the book writers of every single nominated musical except for New York New York are members of WGA. All but one of the play authors (Ain’t no mo) is a member of WGA. Also Shaiman and Wittman. 
 

Updated On: 5/28/23 at 03:53 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 3:59pm

Let's wait and see where all this ends up. Everything we know on this development is gossip, isnt it?

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 4:31pm

No a formal email from the WGA went out to members, it isn't gossip. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 5:21pm

Thanks boring. I had just seen the Deadline piece on here. I am not really following the news on this other than here, as ill-advised as that might be.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 9:12pm

I had hoped that the writers would have been able to use this as leverage to get their work (and those of their fellow behind the scenes creatives) actively featured and recognised during the broadcast instead of being hidden in an ad break. Ah well.

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 9:55pm

This is all so childish.

The event is going with so many conditions it's hard to keep track. I don't envy the production and tech teams, sounds like a nightmare.

 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 10:16pm

A couple of weeks back, during intermission of a show I was working, I was talking to a woman who is a member of the ATW and a voter and she shared with me interesting insight with all this. First, the idea of asking for a waiver was the brain child of Charlotte St. Martin. An idea she told me that surprised no one when they didn’t get it. Also, despite the WGA saying that they wouldn’t picket outside the United Palace, there’s nothing stopping writers, should they wish, to picket on their own and ignore what the higher ups at the WGA have stated. So should that happen that can be a bad look. 

And, interestingly enough, regarding the venue, she told me that contrary to popular belief, Lin Manuel had nothing to do with the choice of the United Palace, and they didn’t want The Beacon even though they were offered that since a concert residency is scheduled at Radio City and one of the performances is Tony night. I think that that has to do with how Dolan operates. One of his slightly illegal security tactics is facial recognition. And with Dolan’s criteria no one would be allowed into Radio City or The Beacon.  Also, apparently the decision of the venue was made during the pandemic. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/28/23 at 11:23pm

Islander,

My guess is that she was BS'ing you about her bona fides. A good part of what she told you is not correct. 

Updated On: 5/28/23 at 11:23 PM

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 12:31am

HogansHero said: "Islander,

My guess is that she was BS'ing you about her bona fides. A good part of what she told you is not correct."

Care to elaborate? 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 11:33am

Islander_fan said: "Care to elaborate?"

I would but I don't feel I can without compromising some things. Perhaps I should not have posted and of course you are free to believe her rather than my unadorned response. Or perhaps you might choose to be at least a little skeptical. 

[Voter]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 11:44am

Reports of smaller scaled seating resulting in less attendee tickets per show... Who gets to go from the show? And who gets relegated to the back row? 

[sppunk]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 1:29pm

This will be a mess. My idea x cut it to an hour. Shoe pre-recorded performances from nominated shows. Intersperse with a press conference style award announcement. It isn’t pretty but having 1/2 a cast or the main stars out is much worse.