TCG, Broadway League & More Set for Microphone Safety Panel in Washington D.C.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, is pleased to partner with the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York) and The Broadway League to represent theatres in the coalition of performing arts organizations, religious institutions and professional sports leagues supporting PARDON THE INTERRUPTION: a Capitol Hill Forum to protect wireless microphones from the threat of harmful interference posed by the reorganization of the broadcast spectrum and a new generation of electronic devices. The office of Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL-1) will host testimonials about the pivotal role of wireless microphones in the U.S. economy and culture from multiple Tony Awardâ-winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein, as well as representatives from Broadway, not-for-profit theatres, mega-churches and major league sports.

The Forum will be held on Monday, July 29, from 12noon to 2pm (EST) at the Rayburn House Office Building in Hearing Room 2322 in Washington,DC. PARDON THE INTERRUPTION will raise awareness of the valuable contributions that wireless microphones make in enabling theatre, amusement park, convention center, museum and religious concert performances. The discussion will also spotlight Congressman Rush's new bill, HR___: The Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013. This act will encourage Federal Communications Commission to maintain several interference protection mechanisms: two safe-haven channels for wireless microphones, access to a database that provides interference protection and eligibility for a Part 74 license allowing for the flexibility needed in these important sectors.

"We're pleased to partner with Congressman Rush as well as our fellow theatre service organizations A.R.T./New York and the Broadway League to protect the use of wireless microphones," said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. "These protections are essential to ensure the quality and safety of performances, so that theatres may continue contributing to the cultural and economic vitality of the communities they serve."

"As technology continues to be integrated into theatrical performances and design, it is critical that The Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013 is passed," explained Virginia P. Louloudes, executive director, A.R.T./New York. "We are extremely grateful to Congressman Rush for his leadership and support."

"The Broadway community is delighted that so many representatives of the live performance industry have come together to show support for this bill. This is a complicated issue and we applaud Representative Rush's leadership and recognition that the spectrum auctions will affect hundreds of thousands of people who earn their living in live entertainment," said Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director, The Broadway League. "It is imperative that we protect theatre's wireless systems from the threat of interference and we hope that our leaders will see that Representative Rush's proposal would allow us to continue entertaining America, and generating billions of dollars for our cities, while still allowing for extensive growth in the technology industry."

The bill has been endorsed by a growing cross-sector coalition of organizations dedicated to protecting wireless microphones from interference, including:

· Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York

· American Society of Association Executives

· Association of Performing Arts Presenters

· Dance/USA

· Educational Theatre Association

· International Association of Venue Managers

· League of American Orchestras

· National Football League

· OPERA America

· Theatre Communications Group

· The Broadway League

· The Recording Academy

For more information on this issue, please visit the Advocacy section of the TCG website: http://www.tcg.org/advocacy/FCCwhitespace.cfm.

Founded in 1972, the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (art-newyork.org) assists over 300 member theatres in managing their theatre companies effectively so they may realize their rich artistic visions and serve their diverse audiences well. Over the years, A.R.T./New York has earned a reputation as a leader in providing progressive services to our members - from shared office and rehearsal spaces, to the nation's only revolving loan fund for real estate, to technical assistance programs for emerging theatres-which have made our organization an expert in the needs of the New York City nonprofit theatre community. A.R.T./New York supports non-profit theatre companies in New York City by providing four core programs: Funding, Training, Space, and Connections.

The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 700-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers who present in nearly 200 markets in North America, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.BroadwayLeague.com, or follow The Broadway League on Twitter@TheBwayLeague or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BroadwayLeague. BROADWAY.ORG is the League's new official on-line headquarters for Broadway in NYC and on tour. Download the free Broadway.org mobile app for iOS or Android, and the free IBDB mobile app for iOS or Android. The Broadway League annually presents the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry, with The American Theatre Wing.

For over 50 years, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, has existed to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. TCG's constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 12,000 individuals nationwide. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through conferences, events, research and communications; awards grants, approximately $2 million per year, to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and serves as the U.S. Center of the InterNational Theatre Institute, connecting its constituents to the global theatre community. TCG is North America's largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 12 Pulitzer Prizes for Best Play on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning AMERICAN THEATRE magazine and ARTSEARCH, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate theartistic talent and achievements of the field and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre. For more information, visit www.tcg.org.

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