Industry Pro Newsletter: Public Lays Off 19% of Staff, IATSE Gets a New Touring Contract

With Hollywood at an impasse, IATSE was able to notch a win for their members this week as a new touring contract was ratified. However, the news wasn’t all bright in the theatre world as The Public Theater became the latest major institution to announce layoffs of their staff - laying off 19%, and announcing a deeper restriction on programming for next season. While we already knew of the plans to renovate the Delacorte, the Public will also be performing fewer shows at Astor Place. But in Miami, we also have an example of a city stepping up their arts and culture funding - this time in a bid to rebrand a city currently better known for Spring Break than anything else.

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Industry Trends

Industry Trends Weekly: In Development Works Return to Poughkeepsie With a Dance-Driven Project by Cara Joy David

This past weekend, two big New York development programs got underway. This is the first summer season that New York Stage and Film (NYSAF) has been completely separate from Vassar’s Powerhouse Theater, opening the opportunity for them each to do their own things. NYSAF—in its first year exclusively at Marist College—has used the opportunity to launch a new program, “Stories That Move: Developing Dance Musicals,” which will allow it to present at least one dance-driven musical each year. Dance was not typically a big part of the NYSAF workshop process, but these pieces will showcase choreography.

“[The dance musicals are] a lot bigger and require a lot more resources because it's not just about the words on the page and the music that you're hearing—there's a third language,” NYSAF Interim Artistic Director Liz Carlson said. “There's the whole language of dance and body and movement, which can take the form of so many different things. There are more people involved. It takes a little bit longer. And it's thrilling because it's a whole different way to tell a story than we're used to here.”

This year, NYSAF is doing one dance-driven piece: Princess Lockerooo and Harold O’Neal’s Paradise Ballroom, which features waacking, a dance style that became popular in Los Angeles’ underground gay clubs in the 1970s. The Paradise Ballroom team will be in residency for four weeks—two with just the creatives and two with the cast—culminating in three presentations in August. That four weeks is twice as long as the musical A Wrinkle in Time will be in residence and four times longer than any of this season's plays (which include a one-man show by Laurence Fishburne). The project is supported by the Jerome Robbins Foundation (which previously had a similar program under its auspices), Howard Gilman Foundation, Frederick Loewe Foundation, and Mertz Gilmore Foundation, and, according to Carlson, the funds associated with it can only be used for dance-driven works.

As I’ve previously detailed, NYSAF launched everything from Hamilton to Side Man, and it continues to be a place where writers can have their early-stage work heard by an audience. However, like many other non-profits, NYSAF is producing less overall than in prior years.

“We've recalibrated the scale just a little bit,” said Carlson, who took over for outgoing Artistic Director Chris Burney at the end of last year. “We transitioned leadership in the fall. We were also reconsolidating our resources on one campus and, like everybody, we're also feeling the changing financial tide of the industry. So we wanted to be really responsible with how we were bringing together the resources that go into public presentation.”

However, NYSAF is still keeping its behind-the-scenes early development programs up. There will be around 175 people on the Marist campus, where, Carlson explained, “everyone lives in the same set of townhouses and works in the same building.” With the shuttering of developmental programs, this support for nascent products is more necessary than ever. Residents this summer include Heidi Schreck, Lila Neugebauer, and Deirdre O'Connell, all working for a week on a piece Schreck is writing. (NYSAF is also continuing its film-related projects and its non-summer programming.)

Plus, Powerhouse Theater is working with other non-profits and producing entities to present its own season of in-development musicals and plays. It is stepping up to fill a void. Is it all cumulatively as big as in the before times? The amount of public presentations is comparable. And while there might be fewer people total in residence on extremely early development projects, the number is still substantial enough to celebrate.

“We're feeling the struggle of a lot of things, but we're also feeling an exceptional amount of joy in our spaces right now,” Carlson said. “The artists are in their rooms. They are developing their stories. It's nice to feel that energy because it shows us that there's maybe hope in all of this.”

Actors Strike as SAG-AFTRA Negotiations with Hollywood Studios Reach Impasse - Deadline

SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, is on strike as negotiations with major Hollywood studios have reached an impasse. The article discusses the key issues at stake, including fair compensation, residuals, and improved working conditions. Click here to read more...

IATSE Ratifies Touring Agreement, Ensuring Better Working Conditions for Crews - BroadwayWorld

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has voted to ratify a touring agreement, securing improved working conditions for crews. The article highlights the key provisions of the agreement, including better pay, rest periods, and increased job security. This development is a significant win for IATSE and its members, as it addresses longstanding concerns and aims to create a more equitable and supportive working environment. The ratified agreement will benefit crew members involved in touring productions across the entertainment industry. Click here to read more...

Broadway/New York

Public Theater Announces Staff Layoffs, 19% Affected by Restructuring - BroadwayWorld

The Public Theater has implemented staff layoffs, affecting approximately 19% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring plan. The article discusses the reasons behind the decision, citing financial challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Theater remains committed to its mission of producing groundbreaking theater, but these layoffs signify the difficult choices organizations have had to make in order to navigate the current landscape. The article highlights the theater's ongoing efforts to adapt and continue serving its audiences while ensuring long-term sustainability. Click here to read more...

The Shed Announces Max Hodges as New CEO - The New York Times

Hodges, currently the Executive Director of Boston Ballet, will take over the administrative duties from Alex Poots, who will remain at the Shed as Artistic Director. Hodges describes her excitement at freeing up Poots to be fully focused on the art, while she focuses on righting the ship after a shaky opening complicated by the pandemic. Click here to read more…

Regional

Miami Looks to Move Beyond Its Reputation as a Spring Break Destination with $100 Million Bond - Bloomberg

The City of Miami announced a new $100 million bond designed to allow the city to invest in their arts and culture infrastructure - including theaters, concert venues, and other public performance venues to help the city tap into the influx of new high net worth individuals who have flocked to the city in recent years. Click here to read more…

International

Venues Collaborate to Offer Audiences Green Travel Plans - The Stage

A group of UK venues is joining forces to provide audiences with sustainable travel options. The initiative, called the Green Arts Venues Travel Plan Network, aims to reduce the environmental impact of audience travel by promoting public transportation, cycling, and car-sharing. Participating venues will work together to develop strategies and resources that encourage patrons to choose eco-friendly modes of transportation when attending performances. The article highlights the importance of the arts sector in leading sustainability efforts and addresses the role venues can play in promoting greener travel choices among their audiences. Click here to read more...

Missed our last few newsletters?

July 10, 2023 - Broadway's COVID Guidelines Evolve, Lookingglass and Signature Limit New Production

From the intersection of politics and school plays to the evolving landscape of Broadway, we explore the trends and developments that are shaping the industry. Join us as we celebrate the expansion of UCB Theater in New York, new Artistic Director appointments at Abingdon Theatre company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Raven Theatre in Chicago. On the flip side of the coin, we also look at the industry as more companies continue to battle headwinds - with Signature Theatre off-Broadway and Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago the latest to announce halts and reductions in programming. Click here to read more…

June 27, 2023 - Labor Shortages in Shops Across the Country, Triad Stage Ceases Operations

As regional theatres continue to deal with shortfalls, news of another closing (Triad Stage) and gap fundraising came to light last week. American Theater Magazine reported on the labor shortages and significantly higher materials costs that scenic and costume shops across the country are dealing with putting further strains on regional theater budgets. Click here to read more…

June 20, 2023 - CTG Presses Pause, A Look at OSF's Finances

Things are not alright in the regions - this week, Center Theatre Group announced a 10% staff reduction and reduced programming at their Ahmanson and Kirk Douglas Theatres, along with a complete pause on programming at the renowned Mark Taper Forum. As previously reported, Oregon Shakespeare Festival is in dire financial straits, looking at a massive budget shortfall to complete the season, despite assets valued at nearly $100 million. Add to that earlier reports of issues at Dallas Theatre Center, and an image begins to emerge of the structural issues that exist in the American regional theatre movement. But it isn’t just the organizations - as cities and regions struggle with keeping their mass transit organizations afloat, this puts a further strain on theatre groups whose audiences and artists often rely on these methods of transportation to get to and from the theatre - as the San Francisco Chronicle reported this week. There are not going to be easy solutions to these challenges, but as a sector we will need to come together to find the path forward. Click here to read more…

BroadwayWorld Resources

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