Who is REALLY affected by the strike? Oh, those POOR tourists! — Page 3

Look, I'm coming from California to NY. This is my second time. And if I had tickets lined up for Wicked, The Jersey Boys, RENT, you name it, I would be sorely disappointed too. Hell, I came out in March to see Journey's End, and I saw it FULL TICKET PRICE, 2nd row. But I also come from a long pedigree of people who shrug things off and say "oh well" -- it's not like New York isn't the most exciting city in the world. Go see the Rockettes if you need a glitzy glam show! Or something off Broadway. I certainly hope that the actors and everything behind the scenes are still getting paid because I can't imagine going through a holiday season without money to your name, let alone a little going around change.

Updated On: 11/10/07 at 01:19 PM

They had little choice. The League started throwing back offers that were ridiculous. Basically, nonsense. I'm afraid this is politics. If they waited until January, when everything is slow, the Producers would just ignore their requests. It's about leverage. Now is when the stagehands have to work their hardest. Why put in all of that effort when you know you have nothing left for you the beginning of the year? Many will get laid off anyways because of the lack of new shows.

There is not a good time to strike. Had the League not forced the Union workers to work under an unsigned agreement, we probably wouldn't be seeing picket signs.

Again, the League had already started to eliminate jobs without an agreement which was in violation of the previous agreement they had with the Union. So there was no contract basically. To continue to work with no contract is silly. Both sides have to compromise. No where have I seen that the League has offered compensation for those who will be further burdened by more work for not more pay.


It is terrible because yes, some people saved all year to come to New York to see certain shows. If it was that important though, you should read the newspapers of the place you want to visit. If you plan your vacation when you are told there will be a snowstorm, than your are stuck but than, you really knew better right? Buying tickets when you know a strike is pending is a gamble, unfortunately, some of you lost. Just bad luck.

I will visit New York again, when I know I can see a show that I like. I will not come when there is little doubt a strike will happen. Just looking at ticket sales over the last two weeks obviously, I'm not the only one who felt this was not a good time to visit New York for a Broadway show at any of the warned about Theatres. I wish more people knew about this website because it would have saved some people a lot of money. If they listened to us.

It's one of my pet peeves too! D*mn CNN! At least Playbill stayed on top of it and really the NY Times kept posting statements from both sides. If this ends before Thanksgiving or Christmas, than all is not lost.

The Parents, being one, can take their children to see a different show and then rent the Grinch on Video. One of life's lesson we have to learn sooner or later right?

I have Playbill radio on and they are giving updates in between sets of songs.

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Thank you, pab.

I'm from Ohio, and will be driving 10 hours next Friday to NYC for a trip that i've had planned around "The Little Mermaid" since May. Though, yes, i've since found many other shows to build around that, 4 of which will still be running should the strike still be in effect, I was looking VERY forward to seeing my favorite Disney movie translated to the stage. I paid full price for every ticket to every show that I will be attending in the coming weekend... and I take offense that, because I'm upset that I won't be able to see Cyrano and Mermaid, many of you assume I am just ignorant to the goings-on and should just suck it up and find something else to do.

I came for theatre - for these six SPECIFIC shows. If the Saturday doesn't work out and the strike is still in effect, i'll hopefully be able to pick up tickets to Cymbeline and a play off-broadway... but they're not what I had planned to see since MAY.

And definitely not what I had driven 10 hours to see.

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exactly songanddanceman2 I live in KY and go to NYC about 3 to 4 times a year mostly just to see shows. I'm actually going the day after Christmas with a friend. If we can't see shows we'll find something to do but it is a bit of a disappointment since I can't get up to the city often and when I do I want to see shows. I've seen the rest of NYC so many times. But I do enjoy off broadway so if, God Forbid, the strike goes on til after Christmas, we'll find something to see and do...but I can't say it's not a disappointment.

I feel more for the people out of work or suffering because of this strike and hope that a deal can be struck swiftly. Everyone loses when there's a strike *sighs*

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Absolutely. I spent months planning my last trip to London when I saw 8 shows I had very specifically chosen based on reviews, word of mouth etc.... I would have been very pissed had any of them been cancelled for any reason (as it was, I was disappointed when the star of one of the shows was out the night I went to see her show -- she was the main reason I wanted to see it to begin with).

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How very sad. I sure wish I could walk out of my job and strike for better things, like money, and not be fired. Unions are just a waste of time. In theory they are a good idea, but all they really is give people big heads. I've known so many people in unions, and most states have labor laws that would never require a union, yet they are still around to raise money and make people feel "protected". I went to NY for my first time in Sept. I did the tourist things and saw three broadway shows. If I had gone there and the shows were cancelled I would have been very upset. I understand that the stagehands may feel wronged, but is a strike the only way to get what they want? Who are the real losers here? The same people who basically keep them employed (the money paying tourists) are the ones being shat on.

I'm sure it's the not the same stagehands that were there 120 years ago, thus it's just stagehands wanting $$$.

Updated On: 11/10/07 at 04:30 PM

I'm aware that tourists put a lot of time and money into coming to the city, they create a lot of jobs for people, and I'm sure that all New Yorkers appreciate that.

Again, though...go to Paris when there's a strike on and the city is shut down. Go to London or Rome. They've got lots of tourists too. And they will all tell you that the priorities rest with the people who are on strike. They're not going to apologize because you might not get to see the Eiffel Tower observation deck that day.

From what I understand, the other unions may be helping out their people out of their strike funds, but it might be a percentage, not the entire week's salary. And the League sure as hell isn't paying any of them anything. So we're going to have a lot of actors, wardrobe people, ushers, bar staff, etc. going into the holidays missing at least some of their salary. Maybe they won't be able to afford to fly home to see *their* families or take vacations at all. Or more seriously, maybe they're going to have trouble covering next month's rent and groceries. My heart goes out to them, a lot more than it does to tourists who are disappointed.

uncageg, I just had a National Lampoon's Walley World vacation moment after reading your post....

Seriously, I think those of us over 21 just need to go out and have a beer...there's a strike and there's nothing we can do about it bu sit around and whine. Does it suck? Yes. For everyone? Yes. Can we do anything about it? No.

Can you reschedule your tickets / trip? I hope so. If the answer to the previous question was "no", can you go do something else while in the city or God forbid see an off-Broadway show? Yes.

Are you thoroughly angry that you can't see your shows? Sure. But can you get over it and TRY to make the best of a situation? I sure hope so.

So can we PLEASE stop whining about the strike YET???? It's pointless to sit around, and waste energy complaining about something that we have no control over.

(PS...Yes, I too had tickets for today but do you see me whining about the strike? No...I simply rescheduled my trip and got new tickets...)

not nearly as sad as your unending ignorance monkey boy.