I thought this Article about Theater in the Mecca of Theater New York City says a lot about Theater Nationally and worldwide. Things are getting Dark! More Reason for us in the Theater Commmunity to join together and get our ACT together.
Broadway: The Show Won’t Go On if Tax Imposed
By JENNIFER MILLMAN
("Broadway: The Show Won’t Go On if Tax Imposed ", ""The Phantom of the Opera" is one of the most iconic shows on Broadway.
If Broadway tickets are taxed, you can count on some of your favorite shows having early curtain calls.
Thirteen Broadway shows already closed in January because of the bad economy and expensive tickets, according to the Daily News, and more will do the same if Gov. David Paterson’s proposed tax plan takes effect.
Paterson wants a 4 percent sales tax on theater, but Matthew Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, told the Daily News that would mean “lights out” for many shows.
"A show doesn't downsize," Loeb said. "It's dead. That means the lights go off, the workers go home, no more tickets get sold - or taxed - and unemployment claims get filed."
And if the curtain falls, the city may lose out on some money. Broadway pours $5 billion into the economy -- $2 billion in theater tickets and $3 billion in shopping, restaurants, hotels and taxis, according to Rocco Landesman, president of the Jujamcyn Theaters.
Landesman wants to know why the Yankees and Mets get all the goods. How come those sports teams get all this help from government and Broadway has to fend for itself?
"Don’t kill the golden goose," Landesman said. "People do not come into New York to see the Yankees and Mets. They come to see theater."
Emmitt Says...
No Truer words have been spoken. Theater is part of the life blood of NYC. So I am always bewildered when they state these facts and yet the ones who provide the base for these services (shows) Us the Artists, Directors, Stage workers, Designers and Technicians are not proplerly appreciated or compensated for their part. Instead we are prey for the huge giant producers of the Bright Lights and Pomp.
We as Artists need to answer the call and begin taking responsibility for our future out of the hands those who have the least concern for us and our overall success and into the hands of compassionate Artists who understand that change is sorely needed if we and the theaterare to prosper. That takes us becoming more unified. That takes all Artists in ALL unions and Non Unions Artist dropping down the swords and come to terms with each other. To me it is ridiculous to have to pay 3 Artists unions (SAG-AFTRA-AEA) for the privilage of us practicing our art.
Most artists don't make enough money from their art to pay the dues for one union let alone 3. The unions don't unify us but in fact separate us from our Non-Union Brother and Sister Artists. Shrinking our numbers and overall effectiveness. What are they really doing that wouldn't be cheaper if the unions combined. Some at the top would lose their jobs in the merger but it is a waste anyway for all this duplication and serves no reasonable purpose. Don't get it wrong unions are important to us and we need them, but somewhere along the road they got bigger than those who they represent.
We all started out as Non-Union, were you talent and creativity less valuable then? What i am saying is we need to rethink some of these old ways. Maybe we need to re invent this entire relationship we as Artists have with the Production community. Because when darkness falls on Broadway and Off Broadway nobody will suffer more than us.
Broadway: The Show Won’t Go On if Tax Imposed
By JENNIFER MILLMAN
("Broadway: The Show Won’t Go On if Tax Imposed ", ""The Phantom of the Opera" is one of the most iconic shows on Broadway.
If Broadway tickets are taxed, you can count on some of your favorite shows having early curtain calls.
Thirteen Broadway shows already closed in January because of the bad economy and expensive tickets, according to the Daily News, and more will do the same if Gov. David Paterson’s proposed tax plan takes effect.
Paterson wants a 4 percent sales tax on theater, but Matthew Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, told the Daily News that would mean “lights out” for many shows.
"A show doesn't downsize," Loeb said. "It's dead. That means the lights go off, the workers go home, no more tickets get sold - or taxed - and unemployment claims get filed."
And if the curtain falls, the city may lose out on some money. Broadway pours $5 billion into the economy -- $2 billion in theater tickets and $3 billion in shopping, restaurants, hotels and taxis, according to Rocco Landesman, president of the Jujamcyn Theaters.
Landesman wants to know why the Yankees and Mets get all the goods. How come those sports teams get all this help from government and Broadway has to fend for itself?
"Don’t kill the golden goose," Landesman said. "People do not come into New York to see the Yankees and Mets. They come to see theater."
Emmitt Says...
No Truer words have been spoken. Theater is part of the life blood of NYC. So I am always bewildered when they state these facts and yet the ones who provide the base for these services (shows) Us the Artists, Directors, Stage workers, Designers and Technicians are not proplerly appreciated or compensated for their part. Instead we are prey for the huge giant producers of the Bright Lights and Pomp.
We as Artists need to answer the call and begin taking responsibility for our future out of the hands those who have the least concern for us and our overall success and into the hands of compassionate Artists who understand that change is sorely needed if we and the theaterare to prosper. That takes us becoming more unified. That takes all Artists in ALL unions and Non Unions Artist dropping down the swords and come to terms with each other. To me it is ridiculous to have to pay 3 Artists unions (SAG-AFTRA-AEA) for the privilage of us practicing our art.
Most artists don't make enough money from their art to pay the dues for one union let alone 3. The unions don't unify us but in fact separate us from our Non-Union Brother and Sister Artists. Shrinking our numbers and overall effectiveness. What are they really doing that wouldn't be cheaper if the unions combined. Some at the top would lose their jobs in the merger but it is a waste anyway for all this duplication and serves no reasonable purpose. Don't get it wrong unions are important to us and we need them, but somewhere along the road they got bigger than those who they represent.
We all started out as Non-Union, were you talent and creativity less valuable then? What i am saying is we need to rethink some of these old ways. Maybe we need to re invent this entire relationship we as Artists have with the Production community. Because when darkness falls on Broadway and Off Broadway nobody will suffer more than us.
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