Dallas' Casa Mañana Causes Stir Among Three Unions Over MATILDA Compensation
Unions representing musicians, actors, and directors have all engaged with the venue seeking to resolve issues related to the production.
By: BWW Staff Feb. 14, 2022
Last week Dallas Morning News Reported that Casa Mañana has violated their contract with the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, per the union, for presenting their mainstage production of Matilda the Musical with pre-recorded music.
While that dispute was ongoing, BroadwayWorld has now learned that the production's director, Jeremy Dumont, was owed more than $5000 in pay, in addition to payments to the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society for his pension and health contributions.
Additionally, Actors' Equity Association notified cast members they will also be receiving back pay of $259.50 per week, as well as 3.5% pension contributions, after it came to light the venue was employing performers under a Theater For Young Audiences contract while performing a mainstage production.
"[President/Executive Producer William Jones] was bragging that he had people on TYA contracts... he knew what he was doing" said Dumont to The Dallas Morning News.
While the disputes with Actors' Equity and the Stage Directors union appear to be resolved, the local AFM has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board and that dispute is ongoing.
Tickets for the production are priced up to $135 a seat. While the production was originally scheduled in 2020 as part of the theatre's Children's Theater Series - which would not have included live music, the production now appears to be billed as part of the Casa Mañana Broadway Series (though still appears under both series on the venue's website.)
The production does not note the exclusion of live music on any of the show's marketing.
A representative for Casa Mañana did not respond to a request for comment.
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