New Laws Proposed by State Threaten Broadway Child Actors

According to an article from the NY Daily News, proposed state regulations could slash the number of hours for child performers. Critics say that this would make it almost impossible for children to work on the Great White Way.

"They are just that restrictive," said Keith Halpern, director of labor relations for the Broadway League.

The proposed state Labor Department regulations would prohibit actors under the age of 18 from working past 10 p.m., which is before most Broadway shows end, and also limit the hours they could work.

Actors between the ages of 9 and 16 would be limited to five or less hours of work and must have at least three hours of schooling.

"It doesn't work within our environment," said Maria Somma, spokeswoman for the Actors Equity Association, the union for stage managers and actors.

Labor Department spokesman Leo Rosales told the NY Daily News that the new regulations are coming from a 2008 law that empowered the labor commissioner to "safeguard the health, education, morals and general welfare of child performers."

Rosales said the rules, proposed in November, could be altered. A public hearing is set for Jan. 31.
"This is part of the process," Rosales said. "We want their comments because we are going to look at them very closely to see if any changes need to be made."

Nancy Fox of the Screen Actors Guild warned that the new rules could drive film and TV productions to less restrictive states. "You want to make sure New York is as user-friendly as possible," Fox said.

"Fox said SAG objects to what it believes is an overly burdensome requirement that parents of child actors obtain medical certifications every six months declaring that their children are fit to work," according to the article.

SAG fears the new regulations don't guarantee "sight and sound access" - the ability of parents to hear and see their children at all times.

"It really just comes down to the Department of Labor didn't understand what they were doing and they did it anyway," said Linda Crisp, mother of an 11-year-old actor and founder of the Child Performers Coalition.

For the original article, click here.

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy