Topic Broadway musicians from the General Chit-Chat forum.
This thread is locked -- no new replies can be posted.
You may begin a new topic.
View other threads or jump to a different forum.
Go to page: Next or 1, 2, 3, 4
|
| Author | Topic: Broadway musicians |
|---|
Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 1/13/2003 at 5:03:32 PM ET
Hi guys--
I received this email from a friend of mine who is in the orchestra of a current "hit" show on Broadway. He's been playing with various orchestras and various shows for many years now so this is very important to him and many other musicians. And should really concern and be important to any Broadway fan in general. I know its long, but its definitely worth reading!!
------------------------------
Dear friends, family, and colleagues:
The following information was compiled by Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians in New York City in an effort to familiarize as many people as possible with the issues that Broadway's musicians are facing in the upcoming negotiations. If you have received this e-mail, chances are you are either a Broadway musician yourself, a friend or family member of a Broadway musician, or some more "distant relation" of a Broadway musician. We ask that you forward this e-mail to as many sympathetic people as you possibly can, even people who are not involved in the business in any way, and even people whom you think may already be aware of this information. We also ask that people who receive this e-mail write letters to their local newspapers so that people all over the US can be made aware of the threat of Broadway's live musicians being replaced by computers playing what is essentially recorded music.
TO SIGN OUR ON-LINE PETITION TO SAVE LIVE MUSIC ON BROADWAY,GO TO www.savelivebroadway.com (site will be up in early January, 2003).
AEA and IATSE members, especially those currently working on Broadway shows, we ask you to read this information particularly carefully. And we encourage you to talk to the musicians at your shows about any questions that you have regarding these issues.
BACKGROUND INFO
On March 2, 2003, the agreement between Local 802 and the League of American Theatres and Producers covering Broadway's orchestras expires.
From the earliest days of musical theatre, every Broadway house has been required to present musicals with a minimum number of musicians. There are no minimum requirements for dramatic shows. The minimums were mutually agreed upon and evolved over the years largely based on the size of the theatre and the need for appropriate musical projection.
Over the last two decades, Broadway has seen a wide variety of musical genres presented on stage with varying musical needs. In a few cases it led to orchestras larger than needed and musicians on staff who were not required to perform each night ("walkers"). In response to that, in 1993, Local 802 and the League reached agreement on language making those minimum orchestra sizes flexible depending upon the musical needs of a show. A panel of prominent orchestrators, arrangers, and musical directors was put in place to arbitrate any disputes over these artistic issues.
Since 1993, Local 802 and the panel have approved sharply reduced orchestras for a number of shows, including Smokey Joe's Cafe, On the Town, Footloose, Chicago, High Society, Swingin' on a Star, Civil War, Swing, Aida, Mamma Mia, Movin' Out and Amour. Over this 9 year period, the system put in place has worked. There have been no "walkers". Musicals have been presented with a wide variety of orchestra sizes, and Live Broadway has flourished
What then are the issues in these negotiations?
The employers want the right to further reduce and/or eliminate orchestras. They claim they need the "artistic discretion" to decide on the musical needs of a show.
Who should be making the musical decisions about a show?
Decisions about the musical needs of a show are properly made by the composer, arranger, orchestrator, and music director, often in consultation with the director and choreographer. These are the people involved in making these decisions, and they have made clear to Local 802 that their ability to do so depends upon the minimum orchestra requirements in the Local 802 contract. Without these minimums, they would not have the latitude to continue to create the musical theatre that has made Broadway so successful over the last several decades.
If it's not about "walkers" or artistic discretion, what is the issue? Why are they making demands to change something that seems to be working?
Broadway producers believe that the technology exists to replace many, if not most, of the orchestra members with synthesized or digitally recorded (sampled) musical sounds. Saving the cost of these musicians' salaries would mean greater payoff to investors and theater owners. Their demands have nothing to do with "walkers" or "artistic" needs. Their demands are purely economic.
It's interesting to note that the musicians, who are the people who make a Broadway musical a musical, represent a small percentage of the average ticket price, ranging from a low of 2.1%($1.76) to a high of 11.4%($6.35), with the overall average 6.1%, based on the latest information from the League. Consumers should ask themselves two questions: is it worth this small amount to have real musicians instead of machines providing the music in this apex of live theatre?; and if the producers were able to eliminate some or all of the musicians, would they pass this savings on to the ticket buyers?
Is Broadway in trouble? Do they need financial help?
Broadway grosses have set new box office records in each year of the last decade, the one exception being 2001 when the impact of 9/11 was felt. However, with the help and sacrifice of all the employees on Broadway, by the summer of 2002, Broadway had bounced back and is now once again reporting record grosses. The profits of long running shows, particularly long running musicals, are measured in the billions of dollars.
What if the producers got their way? What would happen to Broadway Theatre?
We believe that audiences view Broadway Theatre as the pinnacle of this art form. Broadway is about quality: quality design, quality live performance, quality technical work, and quality live music. New York is the destination for those who want to see the highest caliber of live musical theatre. Half of our audiences are tourists who come to NYC just to attend the theatre. Why would they continue to come if the same caliber of show could be seen in their local theater or concert hall? In the quest for short term profits, producers seem willing to kill the goose that lays the golden egg eight times a week in Broadway theaters.
Could they possibly be that short sighted?
We hope not. However, we know the kind of short term economic decision-making that is so prevalent in the business world today. Certainly Broadway producers are not immune. But we can't allow a few misguided employers to turn midtown Manhattan into Las Vegas or an entertainment theme park. Broadway Theatre is an important economic engine for the city of New York. Cheapening our product could not only threaten all of our jobs and futures, it could also do serious damage to the NYC economy. We all have a stake in protecting the quality of live musical theatre.
Once again, TO SIGN OUR ON-LINE PETITION TO SAVE LIVE MUSIC ON BROADWAY AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.savelivebroadway.com (site will be up in early January, 2003).
|  moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 1/13/2003 at 5:24:16 PM ET
This issue seems to come up every time they renegotiate their contract. It would be awful if they were replaced with canned music. I sure hope it never comes to that. Thankfully it never has.
| Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/1/2003 at 11:24:05 PM ET
Gosh-- I really hope they work things out!! The casts have already started( last week) rehearsing with computer generated virtual orchestras...nothing could ever replace the REAL thing...too bad orchestras have pretty much been taken forgranted by so many. Lets just they work things out and it won't come to that!
| mikee
Registered User
Registered:
12/4/2002 | posted: 3/1/2003 at 11:33:29 PM ET
ARGGGHHHH!!!! This thing is getting ridiculous!!! Many of the actors and actresses have said that they are very worried and that this whole thing is crazy!
| angelgrl9
Registered User
Registered:
2/16/2003 | posted: 3/2/2003 at 1:53:50 AM ET
wow...i can't believe this is even an issue. i'm a violinist, though not a very good one, and being onstage without live musicians is unbelievable! i couldn't imagine being in a show without the people who make a musical a musical. i hope this all gets figured out.
|  Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 3/2/2003 at 2:16:55 PM ET
I hope they come to a decision soon; otherwise, Broadway musicals (as we know and love them anyway) will cease to exist.
<3CMH<3
| mikee
Registered User
Registered:
12/4/2002 | posted: 3/2/2003 at 7:25:26 PM ET
Don't you think they'd already realize how much ticket sales would plummet???
| Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/2/2003 at 7:30:37 PM ET
Most of the people who go see shows are not avid broadway goers..they probably wouldn't realize if the orchestra was made up of real people or computer generated. I personally think that the musicans will win out eventually...I mean you just can't have computer generated orchestras forever! I definitely do think it would affect Broadway(and not in a good way)...there's no doubt about that. This wouldn't be an issue otherwise.
| Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/7/2003 at 6:33:36 AM ET
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/78277.html
| Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
68.32.115.x | posted: 3/7/2003 at 7:01:55 AM ET
I wonder how the strike affects the rehearsals for Gypsy (and Nine, for that matter)?
| Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 3/7/2003 at 9:03:05 AM ET
I hope it doesn't cause Gypsy's preview-opening to be pushed back!
This stinks  I wanted to see a sow this weekend,but now I don't know  It's not the same without live music.
<3CMH<3
| Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/7/2003 at 7:53:00 PM ET
According to the news stations the AEA is on strike now as well...so that means the actors, stage hands and stage managers are now on strike too supporting the musicians...so there will be no Broadway shows until they reach an agreement. Actors in rehearsals are also on stike too--which means Gypsy will be affected. If any of you have tickets for a musical this weekend I'd suggest calling the theatre's box office.
|  Kevin
Site Administrator
Registered:
11/19/2000
From:
South Jersey
Fav. BP CD: Sondheim, Etc.
Fav. BP Song: No One Is Alone
| posted: 3/7/2003 at 8:20:13 PM ET
That's really ashame 
I hope it all works out...
-Kevin
Webmaster of Bernadette-Peters.com
| angelgrl9
Registered User
Registered:
2/16/2003 | posted: 3/8/2003 at 1:09:05 AM ET
i went into the city for a show tonite and as of 7:30ish the actors union and teh stagehands union joined forces with the musicians and no shows went on tonite! eventhough i didnt get to see the show, they gave everyone a full refund and i say POWER TO THEM! GO MUSICIANS!!!
| Christine-NYC
Registered User
Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 3/9/2003 at 11:43:54 AM ET
Well, I finally saw some of the strike first-hand yesterday; it was certainly something I will always remember (Musicians, actors, and stage-hands in front of every Broadway theatre...and for most of the day, marching all around Time Square with signs and music).
They were handing out flyers basically saying this:
What can I do to support the strike if I am NOT in a Broadway company?
~Join a picket line: there's one at every Broadway musical - report to the Equity rep 1 hour before show curtain.
~Sign the petition to save Live Broadway www.savelivebroadway.com/petition
~Call the League of American Theatres and Producers at (212) 764-1122 and say: "save live music on Broadway!"
<3CMH<3
| Bwaybaby
Registered User
Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/9/2003 at 5:11:04 PM ET
From what I've been told...even with the strike the actors and stage hands were still "required" ( I put that in quotes b/c AEA is supporting the strike) to be at the theatre 30-90 minutes( they definitely have to be there a half hour before curtain) before curtain or, in this case, what would be curtain call. A friend of mine who is a musician for a Broadway show was trying to explain this to me yesterday -- one of the reasons for them making a picket line outside the theatres is create a barrier of sorts to stop the stage hands from being able to get in...since they're still required to be there. So the majority of the picketers are there from 90 minutes before curtain until a little after what would be showtime. Even with what went on Friday the cast and crew of his show was still required to show up at the theatre Friday for a FULL dress rehearsal for the producers. I was in the city yesterday and saw the huge marching picket line through Times Square...and let me say, it was amazing. History was definitely made yesterday! Everyone in Times Square( even people who had no idea what was going on) just stopped and watched. The picketers spanned about 1 and 1/2 to 2 blocks! I was told there would have been more but many musicians found out about it late. I'm sure a lot of you have seen the pictures from yesterday...but they had two guys up in front dressed like "producers"-- with "money" pouring out of their pockets, dressed in pinstripe suits with cigars, holding up signs that simply read "producers" and "$". Behind them was the "funeral procession"...complete with a casket, pole barrers and grieving widows draped in black veils with the musicians playing a funeral march.( a little further down the march a group of late comers joined and started playing upbeat Caribbean type of music - I believe these were the musicians from the Lion King - but this definitely showed how awesome their talent is and how greatly they'll be missed!) The casket read "Don't Let Broadway Producers Kill Broadway". May have been a little morbid....but it definitely got the point across.When the picketers got to 44th street people standing on the streets started going crazy and cheering for them...it was sooo loud!! I also learned yesterday that when we as patrons buy a $100 ticket only $4 of that goes to the orchestra! I just hope this is resolved soon and the producers realize how important these musicians are! I mean...what would Musicals be without musicians?! Many of the actors were right out there in the cold for much of the weekend picketing with the musicians...and not because the AEA announced their support for the strike, but because they wanted to be there. In many shows the orchestra is an actual visual part of the show( such as CHICAGO and AGYG). As I recall even for Gypsy is the orchestra visual part of the show. Many actors rely on the orchestra and the conductor for help too. They have a special relationship. Think of AGYG when Bernadette and Tom would sing OLD FASHIONED WEDDING...depending on Bernadette's mood and how the audience was reacting that night...she would cue Marvin to add the extra verse to OLD FASHIONED WEDDING. That woulnd't happen with a virtual orchestra. And think about all the funny mix-ups that go on( not often but it happens). Could you imagine...say an actor flubbed a line - the virtual orchestra would still keep playing...leaving NO room for ad-libbing( which has created some of the funniest moments I've seen on stage).
| Go to page: Next or 1, 2, 3, 4
Other threads: « Next | Previous » |
Do you think this topic is inappropriate? Vote it down. After a thread receives a certain amount of negative votes it will be automatically locked.
Please contact us with any concerns you might have.
|
