Actors' Equity and Dr. David Michaels Share Steps for Getting Actors Back to Work

Earlier today, Actors' Equity Association hosted a conversation with Dr. David Michaels, the public health expert who is consulting with the union to determine how and when it will be safe for workers and audience members alike to return to the theatre.

"The theatre, in terms of COVID-19 exposure, presents a challenge unlike any other industry," said Michaels. "Our understanding of our primary tools to reduce exposure (distancing, personal protective equipment, sanitation)... they are challenging in some situations and impossible in others in the theatre."

On whether Actors Equity Association is considering green-lighting actors to participate in productions in regions that have been least affected by the pandemic, Executive director of Actors' Equity Association Mary McColl responded,: "We are not in a position yet that we are in a position [to give] a go-ahead."

Equity also released the following statement:

It's been just over a month since Equity announced that we had retained Dr. David Michaels to provide additional expertise to our safety team and advise Equity on safety standards during the Coronavirus era. Dr. Michaels is a world-class health and safety expert, and his input has been invaluable during this time.

Today, we're able to present the first results of Dr. Michaels's work: four considerations that must be addressed before we believe it will be safe for you to go back to work.

1. The epidemic must be under control, with effective testing, few new cases in the area and contact tracing.
2. Individuals who may be infectious can be readily identified and isolated, with frequent, regular and accurate testing with speedy results.
3. The way we audition, rehearse, perform and stage manage may need to change and the venues we work in may need to undergo changes in order to reduce the risk.
4. Efforts to control COVID-19 exposure must be collaborative, involving Equity members, employers, the union and all others involved in the production of theatre. There must be collective buy-in and ongoing evaluation and improvement of health and safety practices.

We retained Dr. Michaels to give the industry the foundation for building a safe reopening. Today we are sharing these four principles to provide the foundation. Ultimately, we all need to do that together. These initial principles are the ground floor.

Right now, it is clear that these four considerations have not been met in any part of the country. As things change, we'll approach the return to work on a place-by-place basis. Some parts of the country may be at a lower risk level for you to go back to work before others.

I think we have just one chance to get it right when it comes to reopening. That means letting the science guide us. If we don't do that, the entire industry will suffer. I'm grateful for Dr. Michaels's advice, so that we can be sure that when you do return to work, we have taken the proper steps to ensure you can be safe and healthy.

Equity made its first public statement on March 2 that staff were making plans to prepare for a possible pandemic. Equity then asked producers to put members health and safety first and postpone Equity EPAs and ECCs. The union also publicly called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to put worker safety first as the mayor considered whether to limit public gatherings to slow the spread of Coronavirus. Equity has made a public statement telling employers that it is "unclear how" a theater could safely reopen under the current circumstances and asked members to contact the union if they are asked to go back to work.

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 #EquityWorks