Actors' Equity Celebrates Fourth Annual National Swing Day!

On Wednesday, January 16, 2019, Actors' Equity Association will recognize the fourth annual "National Swing Day" with a day-long social media celebration. Under the hashtag #EquityTeamSwing, a host of events will take place on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The day's festivities will include:

An Instagram Takeover by Micaela Martinez from the Wicked tour and Mathew deGuzman from the Aladdin tour. Both will step in to take over @ActorsEquity on Instagram throughout the day and share an inside look at a day in the life of a swing on the road.

Facebook Live: swings from The Prom and Pretty Woman will give us a backstage view of life as a Broadway swing as well as share their experiences getting into swing work.

Additionally, swings across the country will receive gift bags of swag from Equity to celebrate their unique contribution to theatre.

Actors' Equity is calling on swings everywhere to contribute to #EquityTeamSwing and share their experiences!

Swings play a crucial role in the daily life of a show. They are the company members who cover the parts played by other chorus members and know every detail of every "track" -- the dialogue, the blocking, the harmonies, even what side of the stage enter and exit from. On the occasion that an understudy fills in for a lead role, the swing will then take over the parts normally performed by the understudy. Always ready to step in, they must demonstrate great vocal range, be able to dance and be prepared to take on a wide variety of roles that range in age and even gender, often at a moment's notice.

"The job of the swing is one of the hardest, underappreciated jobs in our industry," said Jennifer Cody, 2nd Vice President and Chair of Equity's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs. "They are a show's backbone. We celebrate those who save the show eight times a week!"

Actors' Equity Association, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its Members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org.