By Sean F.Taylor,Central Regional Director

On September 17, 2015,Second City returnedto its Mainstage

Theater — three weeks after anextra-alarm fire swept throughPiper’s Alley, the complexhousing the company’s officesand theaters. The fire severelydamaged the Second Cityoffices and smoke damagerequired carpet, wiring andlighting to be replaced. While noone from Second City wasinjured in the blaze, fourfirefighters suffered injuries asthey worked to extinguish it.

With those injured in mind,the first performance back in themainstage theater was a privateperformance for Chicagofirefighters, and Second Citycontinued to collect donations ateach show through the end ofSeptember for the Chicago FireDepartment’s Gold BadgeSociety, which was founded in1991 to assist the families offirefighters and paramedicskilled in the line of duty.

Andrew Alexander,CEO/Executive Producer of TheSecond City said in a releasebefore reopening, “We aregrateful for everyone’s supportand assistance — the City ofChicago, the Chicago FireDepartment, The Hartford,Piper’s Alley, all of thecontractors, the Chicago improvand theater community and all ofour friends and neighbors thathave helped us through thisprocess. In an unfortunate

circumstance, we have beenvery fortunate.”

The most heartwarming partof this terrible situation was howthe Chicago community cametogether to help. Second Citystaff has been working out of thebackroom at Chicago’sCorcoran’s Bar and Grill, locatedacross the street from thetheater. Rehearsals were heldoff-site at a number of differentlocations: local theaters, dancestudios, museums, universitiesand churches all played host tothe temporarily homelesscomedy troupes. Second City’stouring company performed atthe Steppenwolf Theatre, whilethe Second City Mainstagerevue Panic on Cloud 9performed at Victory GardensTheater (both Equity) for oneweekend.

Actors’ Equity Associationwas glad to see the mainstageback in action when thecompany resumedperformances — especially ofthe reopening of the UPComedy Club on Sept. 22 andthe e.t.c. stage on Sept. 24.

Central Regional DirectorSean F. Taylor credits BusinessRepresentative Cynthia Hanksand Contract Associate KateySchwartz for helping membersand colleagues at Second Cityduring this difficult time.

Taylor said, “Second City issuch an integral part of ourEquity family and we are gladthey are back home.”

Actors’ Equity Association’s

Council has voted to extend the

Cabaret Agreement through

October 16, 2016. This one-year

extension includes a 3% salary

increase to all weekly and per

performance rates. There will be

an increase from $148 to $155

for the lower health rate if the

weekly contractual salary is

below $400. The higher health

rate of $180 for salaries above

$400 remains the same. All

other terms from the current

agreement will remain the same.

The rate sheets will be available

shortly on our website at

actorsequity.org.

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ACTORS’ EQUITY: STANDING UP FOR OUR MEMBERS

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Equity ReachesTentative Agreementwith Broadway League for NewProduction Contract

Actors’ EquityAssociation and TheBroadway League

reached a tentative agreementfor a new, four-year ProductionContract. The National Council,which reviewed the terms andconditions of the newagreement at a special Councilmeeting, voted “yes” torecommend ratification.

At press time, the ratificationballot had been sentelectronically to members ingood standing who have workedunder the Production Contractat least once between June 30,2008, and September 27, 2015.The results of the vote areexpected in late October and, ifratified, the contract will beretroactive to September 28th ofthis year. This is the first timethat a ratification vote will beconducted exclusively onlineand will save the union tens ofthousands of dollars, which canbe used instead for memberservices.

This negotiation resulted inanother historic move: For thefirst time, a negotiation with onebargaining partner will benefit

the entire membership. For thefour (4) years of the newagreement (through September,2019), the eligibilityrequirements to qualify forhealth coverage under theEquity-League Health Fund willbe reduced for all membersworking on an Equity contract –not just those working underthe Production Contract. If thenew agreement is ratified, theeligibility for six (6) months ofcoverage will be reduced to 11work weeks (down from 12weeks) and the eligibility for 12months of coverage will bereduced to 19 weeks (downfrom 20 weeks). These changescould make it possible forhundreds of additional Equitymembers across the country toqualify for health coverage.

The new agreement calls fora 12.57% increase in minimumsalaries on Broadway and fullproduction tours, with increasesranging from 6% to 12% onincrements. Tiered tours will seeincreases in salary andincrement payments with salaryincreases of 10.04% over thelife of the contract. This

compares to the 6.12% increaseover the course of the 2008-2011 agreement, which includeda wage freeze in the first yearfor tiered tours.

Per Diem for full productiontours will increase by 6.25% andby 9.7% for tiered tours. For thefirst time, tiered tour per diemswill be equal to full productiontours by the end of thisagreement.

In another first, thenegotiating team achievedpayment for all touring stagemanagers who work load-ins onthe day after the day off. Stagemanagers will receive anadditional $150 — a 400%increase over what is currentlypaid.

The negotiating team, whichhad heard from membersthrough surveys, focus groupsand meetings, made quality oflife issues a high priority. Thenew agreement requires accessto physical therapy beginning onthe first day in the theater forshows with extensivechoreography or a raked stage.Another new rule states that

Results of RatificationVote Expected in October

(continued on page 2)

Equity’s Cabaret Contract Extended

Second CityTriumphantlyReturns Home

Photo

byJohnny

Knight

Benicia, CA - Benicia OldTown Theatre Group joins theEquity family operating on theMBAT agreement for its fallproduction of Two Trains Running.

Cincinnati, OH - EnsembleTheater marks 30 years

beginning in 2016.Houston,TX - Stark Naked

Theatre has signed on to thetransitional use of the SPTAgreement (CAT-1), providinghealth insurance the first year andutilizing at least five times the

minimum required Equitycontracts for its transitional phase.

Houston,TX - Theatre Underthe Stars’ WCLO Tour of TheLittle Mermaid resulted in 19Equity contracts and 170 workweeks.

Lincolnshire, IL - MarriottTheatre celebrates its 40thanniversary in 2015 and adds asixth mainstage production,increasing the total member

workweeks to 65 for the 2016season.

Long Beach, CA - MusicalTheatre West renewed itsagreement (LOA to WCLO) withan increase of nine contracts for2015-16 season.

Los Angeles, CA - GeffenPlayhouse marks its 20thanniversary this season.

Los Angeles, CA - T w o n e w (continued on page 3)

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2015 / Volume 100 / Number 8

# EquityWorksTheater News & Notes

Equity members across the country proudly marched in their city’s Labor Day parades. Above,union members marched together in New York City. To read the full story, turn to page 6.

Gypsy Robe Turns 65 ...............2

From The President .................3

Performing TYA ......................4

Theater Spotlight ....................5

National News .......................6

Production Contract(continued from page 1}

“I had just finished the premiere of Mr. Chickee’sFunny Money at Chicago Children’s Theatre, and I

was picking up my last bit of paperwork. Enclosed were pictures thatchildren who had seen the show had drawn of their favorite scenes.To havetangible proof that our story inspired the imagination of each child —

and all in different ways — meant the world to me.”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.JONATHAN BUTLER-DUPLESSIS

Editor: JOSH AUSTIN

Equity News Advisory CommitteeChristine Toy Johnson, Chair

(Eastern)

Nancy Daly (Western)

Diane Dorsey (Central)

Nicole Flender (Eastern)

Bruce Alan Johnson (Eastern)

Kevin McMahon (Western)

Liz Pazik (Central)

Barbara Roberts (Western)

Melissa Robinette (Eastern)

Buzz Roddy (Eastern)

EQUITY NEWS (ISSN: 00924520) ispublished monthly except for com-bined issues in Jan./Feb., July/Aug.,Oct . , /Nov. , by Actors ' Equi tyAssociation, 165 West 46th Street,New York, NY 10036. Telephone:(212) 869-8530. Per iod ica lspostage paid at New York, NY. and ad-ditional mailing offices. Copyright2003, Actors' Equity Association.Subscription price for non-membersof Actors' Equity Association: $25 peryear. Postmaster: Send addresschanges to Equity News, 165 West46th St., New York, NY 10036.

EQUITYNEWS

Area LiaisonHotline systemCall 877-AEA-1913

Equity has a national toll-freehotline system for members wholive in area liaison and officecities. The number is 877-AEA-1913 (honoring the year ofEquity’s founding). Each AreaLiaison city has its ownextension, where members canaccess news and informationin their region.

(1) Dial 877-AEA-1913

(2) Dial your city extension:811 Atlanta812 Austin/San Antonio813 Boston814 Buffalo/Rochester815 Chicago816 Cincinnati/Louisville817 Cleveland818 Dallas/Fort Worth819 Denver820 Detroit821 Florida – Central822 Florida – South823 Houston824 Kansas City825 Las Vegas826 Los Angeles827 Milwaukee/Madison828 Minneapolis/St Paul829 Nashville830 New Orleans831 New York832 Philadelphia833 Phoenix/Tucson834 Pittsburgh835 San Diego836 San Francisco837 Seattle838 St. Louis839 Washington DC/Baltimore

should a schedule change resultin 15 or more consecutiveperformances, there cannot bea 9-show week either before orafter the consecutiveperformances (even with a dayoff in between). Becausehousing on the road is one ofthe top priorities for Equitymembers, the union was able toget agreement from TheBroadway League that a seriesof labor/managementdiscussions will be held, and willinclude general managers,company managers and thirdparty vendors (such as RoadRebel and Road Concierge).Equity was also able to stave offthe League’s proposal toeliminate the actors’ and stagemangers’ housing choice.

The Broadway League putforth a strong case that castchanges every six monthsamong the chorus put addedstress on the remaining castmembers and the productionoverall. Equity achievedlanguage in response to a newone-year chorus rider thatprovides opportunities forchorus members to get out ofthe contract for principal work inspecific situations. Equity alsonegotiated a retention bonusand increment payments so thata member who signs a one-yearrider and stays the full year willearn 50% more than a memberwho signs two six-month riders.

Other achievements in thenew agreement includecompensation increases forovertime travel, rehearsalovertime and the six-month usefee for both television and radioand internet commercials. Forthe second consecutivecontract, Equity has madeimprovements that will makesick leave available to moremembers.

The negotiating team, underthe guidance of co-chairs FirstVice President Paige Price andThird Vice President Ira Mont,employed a strategy that wasfocused and dedicated toachieving a strong contract forthe members. Together, theyapproached the negotiations asproblem solvers looking toaddress the issues thatmembers face every day in theirworking lives. The negotiatingteam included members whohave worked under the contractand staff who administer theProduction Contract. MaryMcColl, Executive Director,served as the lead negotiator.

2 / EQUITY news OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2015

For many Equity memberswho have worked on theBroadway stage, the

magical Gypsy Robe ceremonyis synonymous with openingnight. A theatrical staple, the

Robe and its extraordinary ritualwas born on October 12, 1950.

“Actors love traditions andbackstage superstitions,” saidDavid Westphal, Equity BusinessRepresentative and official“Keeper of the Robe.” Andaccording to Westphal, the Robe,for many members means“realizing that all of your hardwork in rehearsals and previewshas finally brought you to thispoint — and you are now part ofBroadway history.”

The ritual of the Gypsy Robetakes place every opening nighton the stage of every Broadwaymusical with a chorus. It began in1950 when Bill Bradley, in thechorus of Gentlemen PreferBlondes, persuaded FlorenceBaum, a chorus member, to lethim have her dressing gown.Jokingly, Bradley sent the gownto a friend in the chorus of CallMe Madam on opening night —with the addition of a pinnedcabbage rose; the Robe was

then sent to the chorus of Guysand Dolls on its opening night.Rather quickly, the passing of thegown became custom.

Now, with added show-centriceccentricities, once a chorusmember receives the covetedRobe, he or she must run aroundthe ensemble counter-clockwisethree times followed by a visit toeach dressing room to fully“bless” the show before itsmomentous curtain.

More than that, however, theRobe symbolizes an historicallesson of showcasing and

recognizing talented chorusperformers. Chita Rivera andCasey Nicholaw, just to nametwo, have donned the artisticgowns.

“I believe it’s important forBroadway actors to be madeaware of the contribution ofensemble members — as theyadd a lot of texture, detail andsupport to the stories being told

on stage,” said Betsy Struxness,who garnered the Robe for thefirst time this year with theopening of Hamilton.

“On one of the most exciting,important nights that happen intheater, everybody stops torecognize a hard working chorusperson,” said six-time Roberecipient Lisa B. Gajda.

For those who have earnedthe Robe or witnessed one of thetreasured ceremonies, the GypsyRobe continues to represent 65years of Broadway, and theater,history.

Tediously, happily decoratedwith the shows that have playedthe Great White Way, each gowntells a story of every Broadwayseason with memories of thecrew and Equity members thatplayed those stages knitted intothe fabric.

“To me,” said Struxness, “theGypsy Robe symbolizes hardwork, diligence and legacy.”

An Equity Tradition Turns 65

The original Gypsy Robe.

For the first time in more than35 years, there will benominal increases to the

union’s administrative fees.Administrative fees are applied toitems like a replacement card or areturned check (a full listing of ouradministrative fees and the newrates are listed at the end of thearticle). In reviewing Equity’sadministrative fees, it was notedthat in some cases the fee beingcharged was actually less than thecost of providing the service. Since

these administrative fees are notapplicable to most members, theoverwhelming majority of themembership will not be affected bythese increases. The increases willgo into effect December 1, 2015.

As part of our due diligence,and to keep our fees comparable,we researched administrative fees(such as late payments,reinstatement and others) at oursister entertainment unions andunions in other industries. We alsolooked at fees that banks charge

for returned checks to ensure thatany increase would cover theactual cost to Equity.

The schedule of administrativefees as of December 1, 2015, is asfollows:

Late Payment Fee: $15 in thefirst month of each 6-month billingperiod and $4 each subsequentmonth

Reinstatement Fee: $100Name Change Fee: $30Replacement Card Fee: $5Returned Check Fee: $40

Administrative Fees Raised forFirst Time in 35 Years

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 EQUITY news / 3

Dick Moore, an actor who spentmore than half of his life working forEquity — and much longer than that

as a member (he joined in 1938) — died onSeptember 7, 2015, days before his 90thbirthday.

Moore made his screen debut at the age ofeleven months, playing John Barrymore as aninfant in the silent film, The Beloved Rogue. Hewent on to make more than 100 films,including such classics as Oliver Twist,Sergeant York, The Life of Louis Pasteur andHeaven Can Wait. He was probably bestknown for his appearances in the Our Gang

comedies and as the boyfriend who kissed 14-year-old Shirley Temple in Miss Annie Rooney(1942).

As an adult, Moore relocated toNew York and added radio, TV andsummer stock to his credits. He alsoappeared on Broadway in GeorgeBernard Shaw’s Saint Joan in 1956.

Elected to a five-year Councilterm in 1955, Moore reunited withEquity President Ralph Bellamy, withwhom he had appeared in the film,Disorderly Conduct in 1932. Heserved on the Stock and Off-

Broadway, Alien, Agency and Industrial Showscommittees. Moore resigned from Council in1957 to become editor of Equity Magazine

(continued on page 8)

From thePRESIDENT

“During a post-show Q&A for The Velveteen Rabbit, which I stage managed atSeattle Children’s Theatre, a small child raised her hand and, filled with awe,

asked,“How did you make the fairy fly?” Now this was a fairly low-tech production, beautifullydesigned and orchestrated, but with no rigging — or, no “flying.” The actress portraying the fairy took

a small pause before answering, “My dear: That is what we call ‘theater magic.’”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.

KANDRA PAYNE

productions will operate on theHAT Agreement: Carrie, TheMusical and Cash on Delivery.

New York, NY - The Off-Broadway business departmentadded two new companies underNYC-LOA: Ripple Effect Artistsand Axis Theatre Company, bothwith the goal of producing as fullEquity companies moving forward.

Philadelphia – LanternTheatre, which produces a five-show season, will be transitioningto an SPT-10, increasing contractssalaries by 50% for the next fouryears, effective October 6.

Sacramento, CA -Sacramento Theatre Co. renewedits Letter of Agreement for the2015-16 season with two additionalactor contracts and 3% salaryincrease.

Santa Barbara, CA -Ensemble Theatre Companyrenewed its agreement for the2015-16 season with oneadditional ASM contract and 3%salary increase.

Sun Valley, ID - Company ofFools has signed on to thetransitional use of the SPTAgreement (CAT-5), providinghealth insurance the first year andtripling the minimum requiredEquity contracts for its transitionalphase.

Waxahachie, TX - AmericanMusical Theatre Company hassigned on to the transitional use ofthe SPT Agreement (CAT-5),providing health insurance the firstyear and doubling the minimumrequired Equity contracts for itstransitional phase.

New York, NY - The Off-Broadway department has over 80productions in performancebetween October 1 and November30, 2015.

Tracking WhatYou’re Owed

After a lengthy inquiry withproducers, Eastern Region staffcollected over $46k in back salaryand pension contributions on behalfof nine members who did notreceive new contract employmentoffers from a 2012 staged readingthat resulted in a special touringagreement.

An the end of season review ofLORT contract records, Equity staffidentified underpaid vacationaccrual for 15 members in theEastern Region resulting in over$2,000 in individual back pay.

After standard review of LORTcontracts on behalf of members,Eastern staff recovered $200 forrehearsal time and $1,000 in per for

one member. As a result of deputy reporting,

Equity staff recovered an additional$110.50 in payments to themembers working on a COSTcontract in the Eastern Region dueto a longer show running timewhich impeded on the required 1.5hours of rest time between matineeand evening performances.

Equity staff recovered over $550in missing increment payments andfive missing health week paymentsfor three seasonal ANTCcompanies.

Equity staff discovered an NYC-LOA company never paid amember for additional duties asfight captain and was able torecover over $300 in back pay forthe 11-week contract period.

After a phone call from aconcerned stage manager, Equitydiscovered that a show wasrehearsing off-contract. Equity staffwas able to place one actor andone stage manager retroactively oncontract for rehearsals that hadalready taken place and secure afull Off-Broadway contract for theshow’s successive 15-week run.

Upon reviewing weekly reportsfor a TYA production, EasternRegion staff determined adiscrepancy in two actors’ salariesand immediately made a claim toresolve the underpayment with thetheatre. Equity was able to achievefull payments totaling $178.08 onbehalf of these two members.

After conducting a chorus partsdetermination of a new musicalcontract, Central Region staffrecovered approximately $3,000total in parts and specialtypayments for members working onthe eight-week run in Chicago.

Western Region Staff collectedmore than $7,500 in vacationpayouts from Western RegionDeveloping Theaters; almost $5000in parts increments and $250 invacation payouts from WesternRegion LORT Theaters; and nearly$2500 in vacation payouts from BayArea Theaters.

# Equity Works(continued from page 1)

Equity Mourns Former Councillor

By Kate Shindle

Over the summer I wasinterviewed by CareyPurcell for a feature

that appeared on Playbill’swebsite. It was a fairly wide-ranging conversation, and wespent a few minutes talkingabout the challenges andrealities of making a living asan actor — including the factthat, as of July 1, 2015, I wasofficially without healthinsurance. My purpose instating this was simply toemphasize that I’m a workingactor, assembling a living likeso many of our members.

A couple weeks later, Iattended my first meetingsince being named to theBoard of Trustees at TheActors Fund, which has longbeen one of my favoriteorganizations. Basically, ifyou work in theentertainment industry andyou need help withsomething, The Actors Fundshould probably be your firststop. Housing seminars.Career counseling. Timemanagement workshops.

Social workers. Financialassistance. You name it.Also, the Fund’s staff does apretty deep dive, in manydifferent ways, into the issueof health care. Andapparently, they readPlaybill.

It’s possible that JoeBenincasa said hello first(he’s a pretty nice guy, forsure), but he quickly went onto tell me that I would besitting down with one of theirhealth insurance counselors.Busted. And he was right, bythe way. In 2015, there reallyisn’t much of an excuse fornot being insured.Approximately 16% of ourmembers qualify for EquityLeague coverage at anygiven time, and about 11%are using it. But with therecent availability of healthexchanges under theAffordable Care Act, we alldo have the opportunity —and the responsibility — tobecome more activeparticipants in our ownhealth care. The days ofdrifting into and out ofcoverage, rolling the diceand hoping that we don’t geta serious illness or injury,seem to be coming to aclose.

This is not to say thatnavigating the health caresystem is easy; far from it.Over the course of about anhour, The Actors’ Fund’sRenata Marinaro (Director ofHealth Services/EasternRegion for The Artists' Health

Insurance Resource Center)thoroughly schooled me inthe variety of plans availablein New York. Although I havenot signed up for one yet —the annual open enrollmentperiod doesn’t begin untilNovember 1 — I am sograteful to have been walkedthrough the process. Andseriously impressed by thelevel of detail and assistanceavailable not only to me, noronly to Equity actors andstage managers, but quiteliterally to anyone in theentertainment industry. It’samazing to witness theactual work that gets donewith all those dollars we allhelp raise for The ActorsFund and BroadwayCares/Equity Fights AIDS (amajor supporter of TheFund). The glamour of aspecial performance, or theFlea Market or the FireIsland Dance Festival canseem very far away fromsitting in an office learningabout deductibles. But it is allpart of the same picture.

Speaking of health care: Ifyou’re in New York or LosAngeles, come on into theoffice when PhysicianVolunteers for the Arts (witha grant from BC/EFA) isscheduled to provide free flushots! We’re all very gratefulto Dr. Barry Kohn for thisannual service and hope thatyou will take advantage of it.

That’s all for now. Happyautumn, and take care ofyourselves!

When in doubt,ask The Actors Fund

4 / EQUITY news OCTOBER/NOVEMB

“On each TYA contract, I keep a list of ‘kid quotes’ — shout outs fromexcitable audience members. One of my favorites is from Theatreworks USA’s

Max and Ruby, where a goofy-looking ‘blue tarantula’ (me) climbed over Max’s bedroom wall asone of his scary storybooks came to life. Upon my entrance during one performance, a small girl

leapt to her feet and screamed, “Save yourselves!” I wish adult audiences were so invested.”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.ETHAN ANGELICA

By Daniel C. Brewer, Equity Stage Manager

Around 9:30 a.m. thebuses begin rollingup to the lobby

doors. Out spring scores ofexcited young children on afield trip heading into our500-plus seat theater.Audiences of Jr. High orHigh School studentssaunter in with a “too coolfor this” ‘tude. A challengewe eagerly accept in theaterfor young audiences — TYA — because we areconfident we can capture their attention and theirimaginations. As the house lights go down, the rush of

energy from the audience swells back to the stagecharging the company.

It has been an honor and pleasure to serve asNashville Children’s Theatre’s company stage managersince 1985. NCT was founded in 1931 and became anActors’ Equity TYA company in 1998. We serveaudiences of all ages. (Yes, a mother once set her babyon a side stage and proceeded to change a diaperduring a show.) One wonderful and unique aspect ofour theater is that the incredible pool of talent fromwhich we cast includes professionals who have fondmemories of attending shows at NCT as students.

Working in TYA is not for the faint of heart. You mustwarm up your voices and bodies so you can be at yourbest for a 10 a.m. curtain. Easier said than done. Youmust have the concentration of a stand-up comedian to

react, or not react, to very direct audience responses. Ifan actor asks aloud, “Should I share this ice creamcone?” they had best be prepared for a huge “Nooooo!”or “Yeeeesss!” If the stage and set allow, then it’s engarde, as audience members might just crawl or run onstage and join the show. The most jaded teen will gaspor scream in spite of himself when Frankenstein’screature suddenly appears from the shadows behindElizabeth. We’ll hear a satisfying “He’s behind you!”

A TYA actor has the opportunity to create fantasticalcharacters (not always human) in fantastical worlds,from A Wrinkle in Time to James and the Giant Peach.Costuming for TYA is an artistic challenge. Just howmany different kinds of animal tails and ears can onemake? TYA also provides opportunities to draw realistic,memorable characters from history — some with acapital “H” and some not. We create deep andcompelling characters from evocative plays like Selkie;Bud, Not Buddy and And Then They Came for Me.

Many times adult actors are challenged to createyounger-aged characters by tapping into theirimaginations — to be believable and find the essence ofa young character without talking down to audiences.Working in TYA provides tremendous responsibility andtremendous opportunity because in every audiencethere will be at least one child who will need this sharedcommunal experience to see what it’s like to walk insomeone else’s shoes. To laugh, feel and cry, toempathize together. To know she is not alone, and thatdespite our many differences, we are one in humanity.

As each performance comes to a close, there is thatmagical moment when the audience erupts with anenthusiastic roar of approval that comes from agenuine and visceral place. When the audienceconnects with the acting ensemble, it is an absolutelyexhilarating ride like no other on earth. As the last linein Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat lands “And whatwould you do if your Mother asked you?” we hear fromthe audience, “Blame the fish!”

Audience Participation Welcomed

“Those children who are inspired to study theater afterseeing it gain skills in creativity and self-expression thatwill support them in any life endeavor.”

Janet Stanford, Artistic Director of Imagination Stagein Maryland, believes that now more than evertheater for young

audiences is crucial.“Our children are

growing up in a complexsociety full of stresses,” shesaid. “The theater is one ofthe few remaining placesfor reflection. The theater isa place to examine values,to learn how to make moralchoices, and to find theinspiration that giveschildren strong role models and positive goals for theirfuture.”

Taking on characters and working on shows that tendto teach tolerance, acceptance, perseverance and oftena comically different way of viewing the world, Equityperformers and stage managers have become a staplein the TYA [theater for young audiences] community.

For stage manager Julie Haber and actor ChauncyThomas — in addition to the palpable excited buzzbefore curtain and hearing the usual unfiltered reactionsthroughout a show — working in children’s theaterallows them the opportunity to provide an incrediblymeaningful experience to young audiences.

“I have the privilege of being in aposition in which I often get to be apart of a person’s first live theaterexperience,” said Thomas. And whenit comes to performing andconnecting with the children, Thomassaid “kids and teenagers generallyhave built fewer walls [than adults],and I hope theater can reach thembefore some of those walls are builtand I hope it validates their humanity.”

“A good children’s play makes me believe that we canreally teach important and complex lessons to even veryyoung children,” said Haber. The sincerity of unionmembers is why Stanford believes it is important to hireand continue to work with Equity members.

“If we want children to love theater,” she said,“we must show them quality work. Equity actorsand stage managers are committed to their craft.They keep themselves fit, work to refine their skillsand add talents to their résumés. There is nosubstitute in my experience for the single-minded,long-term and comprehensive focus that Equitymembers give to their careers.”

Equity, which started its TYA contract in 1969,has seen the other side of the bargaining tablegrow from 5 to 17 participating theaters on theProducers’ League of Theatre for Young Audiences, orPLOTYA, team.

“When I ran for Council in 1964, I was determined to

fight for the creation of a Children’s Theatrecontract that would establish Equity’s rightfulnational jurisdiction,” said Barbara Colton, theTYA committee chair and chief negotiator from1967 until 1988. “However by 1967, with theconsiderable support of Equity giants TheoBikel, Bill Ross, Jeanna Belkin, Edith Meiser,and Nancy R. Pollock, Council was finallyconvinced and appointed me to chair areactivated, long-dormant Children’s TheatreCommittee. We were instructed to prepare

negotiation demands for the approval of Council beforeapproaching management to begin negotiations.”

Stanford noted that when she got into the TYAfield in the ‘80s, the writing and production values ofTYA tended to be rather simplistic, where actors

(often dressed to the nines insilly costumes) wereencouraged to play down to theaudience. She said, thanks toefforts around the country(including TYA-centric writingcompetitions, visionaryleadership and, ofcourse,Equity artists), theaterfor young audiences “continuesto grow in sophistication and

importance as part of the overall theater scene.”Luckily, it’s not just the young viewers who glean a

Inspiring and Teaching the Next Generation

Dan Brewer

Janet Stanford

Chauncy Thomas

Julie Haber

Phot

o: H

ethy

r Ver

hoef

(continued on page 5)

EQUITY news / 5 MBER 2015

“Let me tell you about the wonder of youth audiences. As Charlotte inCharlotte’s Web, I sustained an injury the evening before opening night

(performing aerials on silks). I feared the daring wonder of the show would be lost; but lo andbehold, the youth audiences adored the adjustments — solidifying to me that theater doesn’t

have to razzle dazzle, but to just be embraced with a wondrous eye.”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.

DANIELLE DEADWYLER

We asked the staff at the Seattle Children’sTheatre to tell us about the company; this is what they had to say:

Back in 1987, Seattle Children’s Theatre took its firststeps to become an Equity house, because, asArtistic Director Linda Hartzell said, “It became very

clear to me that if we were to be taken seriously as asignificant, viable theater in Seattle we had to become anEquity theater. It was then, as it is now, the sign of aprofessional theater doing important professional work.”

According to union member Linda-Jo Greenberg, whowas SCT’s production stage manager for 27 years, theprocess was quite a challenge, one that worked out thanksto the partnership of former Equity BusinessRepresentative Joe Garber. “When we began the transition,Equity only had rules on the books for children’s touringcompanies,” Greenberg said. “SCT was the first residentchildren’s theater with a relationship to Equity, and we hadquite a number of weird situations to figure out — how todeal with the actors participating in the post-showdiscussions with the children, for one. Now, thanks to SCT’s

leadership, the Equity TYA rule book has two sections, onefor touring companies and one for resident theaters like us.”

SCT is now a major presence at Seattle Center, homeof the Space Needle, with two theaters — the 482-seatCharlotte Martin Theatre and the 275-seat Eve AlvordTheatre — in a beautiful building that includes full scenic,costume and prop shops, classrooms and rehearsalspaces with stunning views.

Since 1975, SCT has produced more than 236 playsincluding 110 world premiere productions. Among theoutstanding playwrights and composers whose work SCThas premiered are Robert Schenkkan, Y York, StevenDietz, Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, Tim McDonald andCheryl West. A large part of the reason SCT can attract allthe talented, creative artists who make the plays —

including directors and designers — isthat we offer them actors who havethe expertise to realize their visions.

Professional actors bring life andpower to the stories that SCT tells andmake all the difference to the successof the theater. In return, they are partof a unique experience. Julie D.Briskman is an Equity actor, a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow and theFounder/Artistic Producer of TheSeagull Project. She played AuntSponge in SCT’s recent production ofJames and the Giant Peach. Briskmanobserved, “There’s nothing likeperforming for an audience ofhundreds of kids. They are loud, theyare honest, they love you when you’regood, they scream at you when you’renasty. They tell you where the secretstone is hidden and laugh when youare frightened by a spider. They are

balls of truth,and theintegrity required to give them theperformance they deserve is epic.We actors are lucky to be a momentin the beginning of their artisticlives.”

SCT is committed to providingthis rich experience of live theater toall children. The School ChildrenAccess Program servesapproximately 55,000 children andteachers eachyear withhighly-subsidizedtickets andfree tickets forclassrooms oflow-income

students. SCT strives to provideaccess for children in other ways, too.Last year, SCT launched the firstrelaxed performance to servechildren and families affected bysensory disabilities, such as those onthe autism-spectrum.

SCT’s pilot sensory-friendlyperformance was during the run ofGoodnight Moon, and for Equityactor Matt Wolfe, it provided a specialopportunity: Wolfe was instrumentalin facilitating the event because,besides performing in the production,

he was doing a theater leadership internship with Hartzell. “She simply believed in my potential as a future leader in

the industry and in the arts, so she created a pathway forme to learn where there was none,” Wolfe said. “There wasno specific internship available at SCT, but she created away that I could train and learn in a safe environment. I findthat remarkable.”

In continued partnership with Equity, SCT carries thetradition of professional theater for families in the PugetSound area forward into its 41st season this fall.

Performing for YoungAudiencesDuring the 2014-15 season, Equity members brought storytelling to life on stage for

kids across the nation. Whether in theaters or in schools, children have met some interesting and zany characters with important life-lessons to impart. Here are the

Cinderella

Pinocchio

Photo courtesy of Imagination Stage..

Photo by Margot Schulman.

Bringing Stories to Life at Seattle Children’s Theatre

The cast of Seattle Children’s Theatre’s James and the Giant Peach, withwords and music by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek and the book by TimothyAllen McDonald, based on the classic book by Roald Dahl.

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The cast of the company’s A Single Shard, adapted by Robert Schenkkan.

valuable lesson from each production, but theprofessionals do, too. Equity members participate inproductions that often stir something within them.

For Haber, one “magical” show in particular, Honusand Me, about a 10-year-old boy who discovers amystical baseball card time machine, always broughther to tears.

Thomas, who portrayed Tom Robinson in To Kill aMockingbird in November 2014 at Bay Street Theatre in

New York, said that working on this TYA show was the“easiest and most difficult acting” he’d ever done.Having lived in St. Louis for 10 years before moving toNYC and aware of the events in Ferguson, Missouri, hewas emotionally invested and affected by thehappenings in his former home. “Playing an emotionallyvulnerable character dealing with other people’sprejudices as the result of the uncertainty of a raciallycharged event, while my former home was sufferingbecause of people’s prejudices as the result of theuncertainty of a racially charged event, caused me to

experience an emotional intensity I’d never previouslyharnessed on stage,” he said.

As for anyone who might be making his or her debuton or directly off a children’s stage, Haber said, “Be asprofessional as you ever are — strive for the highestquality of every aspect of the project. Just because theaudience is young doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve thebest you have to offer.”

“Everyone should work in children’s theatersometime in their career; it’s so fulfilling,” she added. “Inever thought I would love it so much.”

Inspiring (continued from page 4)

6 / EQUITY news OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2015

“I am a born and bred Chicagoan, and years later I still remember the chills Igot onstage at our first performance of the adaptation of the iconic, Chicago-

set House on Mango Street at Steppenwolf Theatre. It felt special, indeed revolutionary andevolutionary to bring the story of a young, strong and smart Latina to the Latino/a youth of Chicago.

Seeing positive images of ourselves onstage is essential as our youngest cull their hopes and dreams.”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.

SANDRA DELGADO

Notice to Performers Hired to Work Under CollectiveBargaining Agreements

1. In most states, unions are permitted to enter into collectivebargaining agreements with employers that require employees, as acondition of employment, either to join the union (and thereby enjoythe full rights and benefits of membership) or to pay fees to the union(and thereby satisfy a financial obligation to the union without enjoyingthe full rights and benefits of membership).This requirement, set forthin a union security clause, serves the legitimate purpose of ensuringthat such employees who benefit from union representation pay a fairshare of the cost of that representation.The goal of a union securityprovision is to eliminate “free riders” who benefit from the Equitycontract without contributing to Equity’s costs of negotiating,administering and enforcing the contract. If you are working under anEquity contract that contains a union security clause, you have theright to join and support Actors’ Equity Association.You also have theright to choose not to become a member of the union.

2. Actors’ Equity Association, in its role as a collective bargainingagent, has negotiated many hundreds of agreements since 1913 withtheatrical employers on behalf of professional performers and stagemanagers. Equity has worked hard and successfully to negotiateimproved minimum salaries and progressively more favorable wagesand other terms and conditions of employment such as healthinsurance, pension benefits, overtime pay, vacation time andprograms to insure a safe workplace.These contractual benefits areenjoyed by all performers covered by an Equity contract.Yourmembership strengthens Equity and helps the union achieve betterresults in its negotiations with theatrical employers.

3. Members of Actors’ Equity enjoy valuable rights and benefitsflowing from membership (as distinguished from the employmentrights under collective bargaining agreements). Among the manyrights only available to members are the right to attend and to speakfreely and openly at Equity membership meetings and to debateissues affecting all members at union meetings; to participate informulating Equity policies; to influence the nature of Equity’s activitiesand the direction of its future; to nominate and vote for candidates foroffice in Equity; to run for office; to fully participate in development ofcontract negotiating proposals; to vote to accept or reject proposedcontracts—thereby ensuring your active participation on issuescentral to your life as a working member of the theatrical profession. Inaddition, members have enhanced rights to audition at EquityAuditions.

4. Under the law, you also have the right to choose not to be amember of Actors’ Equity. In that circumstance, you will not enjoy therights and benefits of membership described in the previousparagraph. In addition, while you will be fairly represented with respectto your employment rights under an Equity contract, you may notparticipate in or enjoy the benefits of certain social programs andorganizations around the country that are supported by Equity for thebenefit of its members and others in the theatrical profession.Theseinclude the Actors Federal Credit Union, the Alliance for Inclusion inthe Arts, the Actors Work Program, Career Transition For Dancers,Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), and Broadway Cares/EquityFights AIDS — all organizations that Equity has been pleased tosupport for many years.You also will have no right to attendmembership meetings, to audition as an Equity member at Equityauditions, to run for union office, to vote in union elections, toparticipate in the formulation of bargaining proposals or to ratifycontracts.

5. In 1988, the Supreme Court held that a non-member has theright to object to paying any portion of union dues or fees that will beexpended on activities unrelated to collective bargaining, contractadministration or grievance adjustment. Consistent with our firm beliefthat membership in Equity is, in fact, a privilege — not lightly granted— our current policy is not to accept any dues or fees from those whochoose to be objecting “financial core” non-members.

6. Equity will treat a request for “financial core” status as a requestto resign from, or remain a non-member of, Actors’ Equity Association.Upon such a request, you will have no membership rights in Actors’Equity. If you elect to be a non-member, and subsequently decide thatyou wish to join (or re-join) Actors’ Equity Association, you will berequired to apply for membership. Actors’ Equity, however, retains thesole discretion to determine whether or not you will be admitted intoits membership. Should such a membership application be approved,you will be required to pay an initiation fee at the then current rate andunion dues uniformly imposed on all members. (In so-called “right-to-work states,” employers and unions may not enter into contractscontaining union security clauses. As such, this notice is notapplicable to performers who are not required to pay union fees undera collective bargaining agreement.)

7. Equity reserves the right, upon appropriate notice, to changethe policy set forth above.

Across the country this pastSeptember, membersproudly marched side by

side with their union brothers andsisters showing their Equity pride.

In cities like Buffalo, Detroit,Dallas, Milwaukee and New YorkCity, members took part in their

local Labor Day parades, proudlywearing Equity blue.

Corey Joseph Masklee, who justreceived his card on August 3,2015, was marching for the firsttime in New York City.

“I’m marching today because I’mproud to be here,” he said. “I’mproud to be a member.”

Walking with over 100 members,Masklee joined President KateShindle and Executive DirectorMary McColl as they marched upNYC’s 5th Avenue singingrenditions of “Give My Regards toBroadway,” “There’s No BusinessLike Show Business,” “AnotherOp’nin’, Another Show” and“Lullaby of Broadway.”

“The diversity at the parade wasthrilling,” said Eastern RegionalVice President Melissa Robinette.

“Everyone’s energy and hopewas flying high!”

In the Buffalo area, liaisonchair Don Gervasi marched witha dozen Equity members toshow that professional actorsand stage managers are in thearea.

“We are proud to march everyyear alongside our otherbrothers and sisters, fromelectricians to state employees,”Gervasi said. “Unions matterand we welcome anyopportunity we can get to showthe public professionals do liveand work in their communities.”

In Milwaukee,members marched withmusician and stage handbrothers and sisters.

“I was proud to marchin a state where, and at atime when, many peopleneed to be reminded thatunions work for thebetterment of all workingconditions,” said memberKathi Karol Koenig.

A reminder that Actors’Equity stands up for it members,those walking in the paradesproudly shouted “Equity works!”

“It’s incredibly important for ourmembers, who know they’ve joineda union but don’t always feelconnected to the broader labormovement, to be able to witnessthe solidarity and communityfirsthand,” said President KateShindle. “Plus, it’s fun. We’ve beentrying some new outreachstrategies in the past few months,which resulted in a record turnoutand a terrific social media presence— our new Councillor TonyaPinkins was Periscoping like crazy.I plan to need twice as many t-shirts next year!”

For more photos from Equitymembers who marched around thecountry, visit Equity’s Flickr page.

NATIONALNEWSNATIONALNEWS

Across the Country

Marching withPrideEquity membersacross the nation marched to showthat “Equity works!”

Dallas/Ft. Worth

Buffalo/Rochester

Dayton, Ohio Last month The Human Race

Theatre Company in Dayton, Ohio,raised an astounding $7,280 over22 performances of The Full Montyfor BC/EFA. Led by Equity memberRichard E. Waits in the role of“Noah ‘Horse’ Simmons,” companymembers came together to hold thefamous red buckets.

“Before I arrived, I asked ArtisticDirector Kevin Moore if I couldorganize something to raisefunds for BC/EFA and he said ‘yes,’”said Waits. “Then he generouslyoffered to put his appeal into hisnightly curtain speech.”

Following every performancecast members would rotate spotsat the door to the theater offering

signed posters and BC/EFAshopping bags as incentive todonate. “My job,” said Waits, “was

to guide, inform and get everyoneon the same page — then get outof the way to ‘let it go!’”

In 2015, BC/EFA hasawarded more than $85,000 ingrants to AIDS and family

serviceorganizationsin Ohio,includingDayton’s AIDSResourceCenter,Caracole inCincinnati,LifeCareAlliance andthe AIDSResourceCenter in

Columbus, as well asorganizations in Akron andToledo.

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 EQUITY news / 7

“During a preview of Oz 2.5 at South Coast Repertory, something technically related went wrong in thefirst scene. Having to stop the show, bring up the house lights and begin again, I was worried that we would

lose the attention of the kids. Again, I went out for my first line. Instead of the expected confused silence —or even worse, judgmental laughter — they broke into a spontaneous round of applause. I was completely blownaway at their ability to step out of the fact that they were in a theater to watch a play and step into a role of

supporting an artist who they didn’t know. It just showed me once again how sophisticated young audiences can be.”

Share a special memory you’ve experienced while performing for children.

JOE FRIA

Statement of Ownership,Management, and Circulation

(All Periodicals Publications ExceptRequester Publications)

1. Title of publication: EQUITY NEWS.2. Publication No.: 0092-4520.3. Date of filing: September 15, 2015.4. Frequency of issue: Monthly with 3 double issues5. Number of issues published annually: 9.6. Annual subscription price: $25.00 per year.7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Pub-lication: Actors’ Equity Assoc., 165 West 46th Street, NewYork 10036.8. Complete Mailing address of Headquarters orGeneral Business Office of Publisher: Actors’ Equity As-soc., 165 West 46th Street, New York 10036.9. Full names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Pub-lisher, Editor and Managing Editor:

Publisher: Actors’ Equity Association,165 W. 46th St., New York, NY 10036

Editor: Josh Austin,c/o Actors’ Equity Association,165 W. 46th St., New York, NY 10036

Managing Editor:Josh Austin,c/o Actors’ Equity Association,165 W. 46th St., New York, NY 10036

10. Owner: Actors’ Equity Assoc., 165 West 46thStreet, New York 10036.

11. Known bondholders, mortgages, and othersecurity holders: none.

12. The purpose, function and nonprofit status of thisorganization and the exempt status for Federal in-come tax purposes HAS NOT CHANGED duringpreceding 12 months.

13. Publication name: EQUITY NEWS.14. Issue Date for Circulation Date Below:

September 201515. Extent and nature of Circulation: Monthly with

3 double issues15A Total no. copies printed (Net Press Run ) 34,091:

32,669B. Paid circulation and/or requested circulation

1. Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Sub-scriptions Stated on Form 3541, (Include adver-tiser's proof and exchange copies):33,413; 32,2692. Paid In-County Subscriptions Stated on Form3541 (Include advertiser's proof and exchangecopies) : none; none3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street ven-dors, counter sales and other Non-USPS paiddistribution: none; none.4. Other Classes Mailed Through USPS:278; 268

C. Total paid circulation: 33,691; 32,269.D. Free distribution by mail (samples,

complimentary, and other free)1. Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541:200; 2002. In-County as Stated on Form 3541: 0; 03. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS:0; 04. Free distribution outside the mail; 100; 100

E. Total Free distribution (sum of D 1,2,3,4); 300; 300.F. Total distribution (Sum of C and E): 33,991:

32,569.G. Copies not distributed: 100; 100.H. Total (Sum of F & G): 34,091: 32,559.I. Percent Paid and/or Requested: Circulation

(c divided by 15f times 100) 99%:99%.Electronic Copies

a. Paid Electronic Copies: 9,052; 9,766b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15C) +

Requested/Paid Electronic Copies: 42,742;42,035

c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15F) +Paid Electronic Copies: 43,043; 42,335

d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies):99%; 99%

16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed inthe Oct/Nov 2015 issue of this publication.

17. I certify that all information furnished on this formis true and complete. I understand that anyone who fur-nished false or misleading information on this form orwho omits material or information requested on the formmay be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines andimprisonment) and/or civil sanctions including multipledamages and civil penalties.

Steve DiPaola, Administrator

Michigan

Wilde Awards honor Equity talent The 2015 Wilde Awards,

presented by EncoreMichigan tohonor the best in theaterthroughout the state ofMichigan, were presented onAugust 31, 2015, at the BermanCenter for the Performing Arts inthe Detroit.

Founded in 2002 and namedin honor of 19th centuryplaywright Oscar Wilde, theseawards — now in their 14th year— honor the best productions,performances and technicalwork produced or presented bytheaters across the state.

Bestowing awards to Equityactors, EMCs and non-unionperformers, categoriesrecognized best drama, best

musical, best comedy, bestopera, best of the Bard, besttheater for young audiences andseveral others.

“Although I say something similar pretty much every year, this past season was certainly a memorable one — both onstage and behind the scenes,” said Donald V. Calamia, co-founder and editor-at-large of EncoreMichigan.com.

Central Regional DirectorSean F. Taylor and CRB non-Councillor member Peggy Thorppresented the award for bestcomedy, which went to TippingPoint Theatre’s Leaving Iowa, anEquity production, directed byBeth Torrey.

(L to R) Central Regional Director Sean F. Taylor, award co-hostsDonald V. Calamia and Jaime Moyer, director Beth Torrey(winning award for Leaving Iowa, at podium) and Equity CRBnon-Councillor member Peggy Thorp. Photo: Sean Carter

Nashville, Tennessee On Sept. 19, 2015, Equity

members along with the NashvilleArea Liaison Committee gatheredfor an end of summer ice creamsocial. Welcoming new members,the group met at NashvilleChildren’s Theatre. According tomember Elizabeth Davidson, withnew members coming into theregion, the committee felt that agathering to get to know oneanother was in order. Picturedfrom left to right: Nikkita Staggs,Rona A. Carter, Shawn Knight,Mikey Rosenbaum and Eric D.Pasto-Crosby.

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New York City

Equity Toaststhe NewBroadwaySeason

Actors’ Equity Associationcelebrated the Broadwaytheater community with afitting “break a leg.”

On September 20, 2015,Equity President Kate Shindleand Executive Director MaryMcColl welcomed theaterindustry colleagues, Equitymembers and Eastern RegionCouncillors for a special toast

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On September 29, 2015, 107Equity members, includingactors, stage managers andCouncillors, were honored fortheir dedication to the theaterindustry. The seventh annual

Broadway Salutes, which washosted by union member BebeNeuwirth, honored thoseprofessionals in the field whohave devoted 25, 35 or 50 plusyears to the business.

Presented by The BroadwayLeague and Coalition ofBroadway Unions and Guilds,the public celebration at Anita’sWay (next to the StephenSondheim Theatre) honoredactors, stage managers, stagehands, producers, managers,theater owners, press agents,ushers, agents, make-up artists,dressers, designers, directors,choreographers, musicians,casting agents and more whohave made a life-long career in

the theater.“Broadway Salutes remains

my favorite ‘inside Broadway’event, as it honors people inevery corner of our business —from ushers to doormen to ourhard working ensembles andeveryone else who makesBroadway the number oneattraction in New York,” said the1st Vice President of Equity,Paige Price, who has also beena member of the committeesince its inception.”

New York City

Saluting Equity Members

(From L to R): Tom Carpenter (Equity’s Eastern Regional Director)and Paige Price (Equity’s 1st Vice President) with honorees DanaIvey (50 years), Maureen Anderman (35 years) and SteveVinovich (35 years).

to the upcoming season. Guests joining the

president and executivedirector on the Haven Rooftopat the Sanctuary Hotel in NewYork City included AlexBrightman, Andréa Burns,Erin Mackey, Lea Salongaand Josh Young, along withActors Fund ExecutiveDirector Joseph Benincasa,Charlotte St. Martin,President of The BroadwayLeague and producers BonnieComley, Stewart F. Lane,David Elliott, Sue Frost andMartin Platt.

OfficeClosing

All Equity offices will beclosed on Wednesday,November 11, 2015, inobservance of VeteransDay. Additionally, all officeswill be closed on Thursday,November 26 and Friday,November 27, 2015, forThanksgiving. Offices willalso close early onWednesday, November 25for the holiday. Check withyour local office for theexact time of closing.

Equity President KateShindle with members LeaSalonga and Alex Brightmanat Equity’s “toast” to theupcoming Broadway season.

Mistaken Identity Because of David Thorn and

the Membership Department, Iwas able to have my theatercredits removed from Wikipediaand other sites where they weremistakenly credited to a womanwith the same name. Even odder:She had died in 1982, yetcontinued to receive credit for thework I had done years after.

Not knowing what to do, Ireached out to Equity and theyimmediately went to workchecking records. They gave mean official “to whom it may

concern” letter stating that thetheater credits were, indeed,mine, having been a member ofEquity since 1960, and thedeceased had never been amember.

I sent their letter with copiesof all of my contracts listed onher page — and within a shortperiod of time, Ron Jones ofWikipedia’s information team, towhom I shall be forever grateful,removed my credits. But to myfrustration, no one thought oftransferring those credits to theirtrue owner: me, Barbara Lang,

and very much alive. Still in a quandary!

— Barbara Lang

Calling All Stage ManagersThe stage management pro-

gram at the University of Iowa isconducting its biennial survey ofstage managers. This nationalsurvey tracks training and em-ployment trends along withpractices within rehearsing andcalling shows. In the 2013 sur-vey, we received responsesfrom 878 stage managers, in-cluding 478 members of Equity.

Anyone who has stage man-aged theatrical productions inthe United States (or a tour thatoriginated in the U.S.) is en-couraged to participate. Therewill be separate lines of ques-tions for veteran stage man-agers and people who are juststarting their careers.

This online survey shouldtake approximately 15 to 20minutes to complete. The surveyruns November 1 - 29. Thesurvey results will be published inJanuary. To participate, visithttp://smsurvey.info.

— David J. McGraw

In Memoriam It is with great sadness that I

read of the passing of MattLanders. Matt and I went toBoston Conservatory togetherand I think I can speak for mycolleagues when I say that weknew from the start he was very

talented and a hard worker. On

and off stage he was funny, sexy

and creative. He was adept at

improv and, once on the spot he

made up a song (with piano

accompaniment) that told the

whole plot of A Flea in Her Ear.

He left the Conservatory when

he auditioned and was hired for a

Boston tour of Godspell — and

got his Equity card. Later, he was

the first replacement on

Broadway for Sonny in Grease

and was nominated for a Drama

Desk Award for Working. He went

on to work in TV and film. I’ve

never met his two beautiful

daughters, but I’m sure they are

proud of their actor/father who

passed away too soon. It was a

privilege to share the stage with

you, dear Matt.

— Catherine Cappiello

Letters received from paid-up members on subjects of concern to Equity members will be consideredfor publication in Equity News, provided that they are no greater than 175 words in length. Lettersselected for publication may be edited for space requirements. Actors’ Equity Association reserves theright to decline to publish letters at its sole discretion. When multiple letters on the same topic aresubmitted, the Editor may decide to select a smaller number of representative letters for publication.Letters must be signed and must provide preferred contact information for verification purposes, butnames may be withheld from publication in certain limited circumstances, at a member’s request.Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of Actors’ Equity Association.

U.S.Postage

49Letters to The Editor

The cast of The King and I onBroadway gave a wonderful specialperformance on September 20, 2015,to benefit the programs and services ofThe Actors Fund. Tony-winner andEquity member Kelli O’Hara delivered a

post-show curtain speech thanking theaudience. All of the funds raised fromthese extra performances, featuring thedonated time and talent of Equitymembers, go to help those in needwithin our performing arts community.

Actors Fund Hosts Special Performance

Jay Brady Photography

No strangers to theChicago theater scene or theJeff Awards, real life marriedcouple Paula Scrofano andJohn Reeger were honoredwith the Jeff Award’s 2015Special Equity Award forCareer Achievement onOctober 5, 2015, at DruryLane in recognition of theircontributions and talents lentto Chicago’s stages.

In a press release, theJeffs committee stated:“Paula and John areconsummate professionalswho have enriched theChicago community withsignature techniques thathave brought laughter, tears,chills and thrills to audiencesover the years.”

The couple has garnered

both Jeff nominations andawards throughout theirillustrious careers: Scrofanowith two principal actresswins and an astounding 18nominations and Reegerwith a principal actor awardas well as many nominationsfor his play, The ChristmasSchooner.

Together, the couple hasappeared in 48 productionstogether, which is nearly athird of the more than 150shows in which each of themhas appeared.

“We became part of aliving community of actorsthat supported each other,”said Reeger in a preparedstatement. “We wanted to doour best work, earn ourhealth insurance and raise

our children as we had beenraised. We somehow got ourkids through college, ownour home, are still happilymarried and are debt free —it’s a tribute to the Chicagotheater scene of the pastforty years as much as it isto us.”

Additionally, CentralRegional Board memberRonald Keaton was awardedthe Best Solo Performanceaward for his portrayal ofWinston Churchill inChurchill (which he adaptedand performed atGreenhouse Theater Centerin Chicago and then broughtto New York City’s NewWorld Stages.)

Central Region VicePresident Dev Kennedyalong with Executive DirectorMary McColl and CentralRegional Director Sean F.Taylor presented BestEnsemble award to TheHypocrites’ company for itsproduction of All Our Tragic.

The Jeff Awards havebeen honoring outstandingtheater artists annually sincethey were established in1968. The Jeff Awards fosterthe artistic growth of areatheatres and theatre artistsand promote educationalopportunities, audienceappreciation, and civic pridein the achievements of thetheater community.

(From L to R) Central Regional Director Sean F. Tayloralong with Central Regional Vice President Dev Kennedyand Executive Director Mary McColl.

Photo: Brittany Steiger

Chicago

Jeff Awards Honor Equity Members & Chicago Theater Couple

and director of public relations for theunion.

He also served as legislativeliaison, working closely with theEquity’s legislative representative inWashington and testifying onnumerous occasions beforeCongressional committees on issuesof importance to the arts and Equitymembers. He served as a delegate tothe New York State AFL-CIOConvention in 1959, 1960 and 1963;was a member of the National Councilon the Arts and Government; the StateDepartment’s Theatre Panel onCultural Exchange; and the StateAttorney General’s Theatre AdvisoryCommittee. During the ‘50s, he also

produced and directed USO-sponsoredoverseas tours, was a member of theacting faculty of the America Academyof Dramatic Arts, wrote a televisionplay produced on NBC and lecturedextensively on theater.

Moore left Equity in 1964 to becomecreative director for films, meetings andshows for a leading advertising agency.He formed his own public relations firm,Dick Moore and Associates, in 1966,representing performing arts andlabor organizations, including AFTRAand the AFL-CIO Department forProfessional Employees. He camefull circle in 1975, returning torepresent Equity as editor ofEquity News until 2014.

Moore was married to Equitymember Jane Powell.

Equity Mourns(continued from page 3)

8 / EQUITY news OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2015