2008 Woodie Awards
Broadway and TV on the verge of striking out
Jessica Rodriguez
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: A & E
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The World Series may be over, but we're still hearing "Strike!"
Within the last four weeks The Writer's Guild of America, East and West, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have all gone on strike.
According to Michael Riedel's article in the New York Post, producers and stagehands are battling for the right to determine the number of stagehands hired.
The stagehands are responsible for the transition of scenes to include lighting, set design, set changes, props, etc. Under the current contract, the Alliance controls the number of stagehands a producer must hire during the play's run in that particular theater.
The producers are demanding the right to hire the number of stagehands needed, when needed.
Despite high hopes, 26 theaters have closed their curtains. Having an impact on hotels, restaurants, bars, small businesses, and various tourist attractions, crippling Manhattan. The economy as a whole is losing between $3 million and $5 million a day, according to the New York Post.
"This strike is affecting so many people, including my own family," said junior Andre Isla. "I bought my mother and sister tickets to see Brian McKnight in Chicago and now they can't go."
Riedel states that producers and stagehands were set to resume talks over this past weekend. Both sides were optimistic that the curtains may rise again any day now.
Not too far uptown, about 75 picketers including screenwriter Tina Fey, and the rest of The Writer's Guild of America East are continuing with their own strike.
According to the New York Times, the writer's want a cut of the profits from DVD sales as well as internet downloads. They feel it's unjust that the actors and producers receive a percentage of that profit aside from the money they make off the networks.
For example, when an original Friends episode is written and filmed, NBC would purchase it. The writers, actors, and producers get paid from that purchase. When NBC decides to release it on DVD, the actors and producers receive a percentage of the DVD sales while the writers, in turn, get nothing.
Within the last four weeks The Writer's Guild of America, East and West, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have all gone on strike.
According to Michael Riedel's article in the New York Post, producers and stagehands are battling for the right to determine the number of stagehands hired.
The stagehands are responsible for the transition of scenes to include lighting, set design, set changes, props, etc. Under the current contract, the Alliance controls the number of stagehands a producer must hire during the play's run in that particular theater.
The producers are demanding the right to hire the number of stagehands needed, when needed.
Despite high hopes, 26 theaters have closed their curtains. Having an impact on hotels, restaurants, bars, small businesses, and various tourist attractions, crippling Manhattan. The economy as a whole is losing between $3 million and $5 million a day, according to the New York Post.
"This strike is affecting so many people, including my own family," said junior Andre Isla. "I bought my mother and sister tickets to see Brian McKnight in Chicago and now they can't go."
Riedel states that producers and stagehands were set to resume talks over this past weekend. Both sides were optimistic that the curtains may rise again any day now.
Not too far uptown, about 75 picketers including screenwriter Tina Fey, and the rest of The Writer's Guild of America East are continuing with their own strike.
According to the New York Times, the writer's want a cut of the profits from DVD sales as well as internet downloads. They feel it's unjust that the actors and producers receive a percentage of that profit aside from the money they make off the networks.
For example, when an original Friends episode is written and filmed, NBC would purchase it. The writers, actors, and producers get paid from that purchase. When NBC decides to release it on DVD, the actors and producers receive a percentage of the DVD sales while the writers, in turn, get nothing.
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