IATSE President Meets With Kennedy Center Workers Amid Cancellation Concerns

Earlier this week IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb visited the Kennedy Center to meet with IATSE members, hear their concerns, and show solidarity as behind-the-scenes workers face uncertainty following recent show cancellations. 

During his visit, Loeb reaffirmed the vital role that stagehands, wardrobe professionals, makeup artists, ticket sellers, press agents, and other skilled entertainment workers play in bringing world-class productions to life at the Kennedy Center - regardless of the content or artistic choices involved. 

"Behind-the-scenes workers need to feed our families and have neither participated in any decisions relating to booked content, nor have we considered social issues as a matter of whether we service a production in the history of our relationship at the Kennedy Center," Loeb stated. "We have a contract and fulfill our end of the deal. We are the best, safest, most experienced workforce available and we’ve worked in the building since it opened 53 years ago, throughout all the challenges and successes the institution has seen. It is our hope the Center can continue to offer the best to the public when it comes to promoting world-class productions, while protecting freedom of speech and expression, free of censorship in the spirit of foundational democratic values." 

With seven IATSE Locals representing labor at the Kennedy Center - including Local 22 (Stagehands), Local 772 (Wardrobe), Local 798 (Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists), Local 868 (Treasurers & Ticket Sellers), Local B868 (Instant Charge/Telephone Sales and Information), Local USA 829 (Scenic Artists), and ATPAM Local 18032 (Theatrical Press Agents & Managers) - as well as touring crews working under IATSE’s Pink Contracts, cancelled shows and empty seats directly impact hundreds of families. 

In a statement issued today, IATSE urged artists and producers to consider the workers behind the scenes "who make world-class live performances at the Kennedy Center possible" - perhaps referring to a recent cancellation by Hamilton producers at the venue. "When productions walk away, it leaves more than just an empty stage — they leave behind critical opportunities for skilled middle-class workers to earn living in the arts, and forego a chance to inspire American audiences at this historic institution..." the statement said.