RIALTO CHATTER: Peeved Plow Producers to Pursue Piven Arbitration

The following statement has been issued by the producers of “Speed-the-Plow.”

The grievance went as expected yesterday. The grievance committee (made up of League and Equity representatives) did not rule for either side and we will be filing for arbitration as provided by our contract.

Actors' Equity Association could not reach a ruling yesterday in the hearing involving Jeremy Piven, so now both sides will be headed to arbitration reports.

The two sides released an official statment on the matter, "A grievance hearing was held today in accordance with the Equity-League Production Contract regarding the matter of Jeremy Piven and Speed-the-Plow. Following the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, a panel of five League representatives and five Equity representatives met and heard the positions of the parties. The League and Equity representatives were unable to reach a unanimous decision. The Producers have the right, as a next step, to proceed to arbitration."

Piven appeared in person before the grievance committee of Actors' Equity to defend his claim that high levels of mercury in his bloodstream, brought on by a passion for sushi, forced him to abandon the Broadway revival of David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow."

The hearing was held at Equity headquarters on West 46th Street.

Piven appeared before a committee of five actors and five producers. He entered the Equity building without giving comment at 11:30am this morning.

Last month, Piven agreed to a blood test administered by a doctor hired by the producers of "Speed-the-Plow." The results of that test have not been revealed, but the producers are expected to allege that long before he claimed to be ill, Piven was agitating to leave the show.

Piven informed the producers he was sick, then jumped on a plane to Los Angeles and announced he was not returning to the show. "There was no discussion, no negotiation - he was just gone," said a source to the New York Post.

In a Dec. 18 statement the play's producers gave a statement regarding the Piven exit, "We have been advised by Jeremy Piven's medical representatives that he is seriously ill and is unable to fulfill his contractual obligation to Speed-the-Plow. Consequently, he has left the production ten weeks early."

Piven was scheduled to perform throughout the show's run, which end this past Sunday, Feb. 22nd.

A Piven spokeswoman has previously called the grievance "absurd and outrageous."

A spokeswoman for Actors' Equity told the New York Times earlier this year that its grievance committee could resolve the complaint that day or hold more meetings. 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.