Let’s just say it looks, or sounds, like Broadway’s musicians are in the middle of what one might call a “Maybe Happy Ending” – or simply a happy ending.
After coming within hours of a possible strike that could have taken Broadway from the world of “The Great Gatsby” to “The Sound of Silence,” the musicians’ union’s negotiators reached an agreement “Just in Time” (another show title).
Just days after Actors’ Equity Association reached a tentative deal and hours before a musician strike was set, Local 809 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) reached their own tentative deal between Broadway musicians and the Broadway League and Disney Theater Productions.
AFM Local 802, which had said they were prepared to strike as of today, said the “tentative deal” for musicians, working without a contract since August 31, includes wage increases and increased contributions to the health fund.
Actors’ Equity Association had indicated its performers would not cross musician picket lines, which would have shut down 23 Broadway musicals, including top performers such as ‘Wicked’ and ‘Hamilton,’ along with ‘The Lion King’ and new musicals in previews such as ‘Chess’ and ‘Queen of Versailles.’
“United in solidarity, Local 802 Broadway musicians are thrilled to announce that we reached a tentative agreement at 4:30 A.M. with the Broadway League that will avert a strike scheduled to begin later today,” AFM Local 802 President Bob Suttmann said in a written statement.
Suttmann said the three-year agreement provides “meaningful wage and health benefit increases that will preserve crucial access to healthcare for our musicians” as well as “maintaining the strong contract protections that empower musicians to build a steady career on Broadway.”
Local 802 plans to bring the tentative agreement to members for a vote even as Equity puts its contract up for a vote.
Broadway League’s President Jason Laks said the League was happy both “parties were able to reach a tentative agreement” and the League is “deeply appreciative of our mediator for helping shepherd these discussions.”
There are nearly 10,000 musical theater performances on Broadway annually with about 1,200 musicians working on these shows. The Broadway musicians’ union last went on strike in 2003, leading to five days of silence on Broadway.
These two deals are an even bigger deal due to Broadway’s role not simply as theater and musical theater but tourism, fueling business for hotels, restaurants and many other businesses.
Millions of audience members travel to New York City as the nation’s, and possibly the world’s, capital of musical theater.
Equity’s council has since approved the agreement for actors and stage managers, which is expected to go out for a vote by members next week.
The Broadway Report indicated the minimum salary for Broadway performers would rise 3% annually for three years. That would immediately increase to about $2717 weekly from $2638, according to that source.
Under the previous Equity contract, which expired Sept. 28, the Broadway minimum increased 5% the first year and 4% for each of the following two years.
The new contract, however, also includes a $25 weekly increased employer contribution per year to the health fund from $150 per week per employee, according to the Broadway Report.
Producers can schedule up to 12 shows in a row without a day off, except four times annually, when the previous 16-show limit without a day off remains, according to the Broadway Report.
The League had proposed using fully digital Playbills at performances, but that was not approved, that source indicated. Equity, however, approved allowing producers to use a QR codes in Playbills to announce cast changes, according to the Broadway Report.
Productions under some conditions will no longer be required to insert paper sheets into Playbills regarding casting changes, that source also reported.
The Broadway box office for 32 productions the week ended Oct. 19 was a little more than $38 million with just under 280,000 attendees and an average ticket price of $137.50, according to Broadwayworld.com.
‘Hamilton’ led the pack with about $3.8 million for the week followed by ‘Wicked’ at nearly $2.3 million and ‘The Lion King’ at about $2. million.
‘Waiting for Godot’ brought in more than $1.8 million for the week followed by ‘ART’ close behind at nearly $1.8 million, while ‘Mamma Mia!’ clocked in at just under $1.7 million.
Many shows had a million-dollar week leading up to the tentative contract deals, showing just how much is at stake for producers, performers and audiences as well as local businesses that depend on Broadway bucks.
‘Death Becomes Her,’ ‘Chess,’ ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ ‘Aladdin,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,’ ‘Maybe Happy Ending,’ ‘MJ,’ ‘Just in Time,’ ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical,’ ‘Oh Mary!,’ ‘Ragtime,’ ‘The Outsiders ‘and ‘The Great Gatsby’ all topped $1 million for the week.
The two tentative deals, between actors (and stage managers) and musicians, were between unions and the Broadway League, founded in 1930 as the trade association for the Broadway industry.
The Broadway League includes more than 700 members, such as theater owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers, as well as some suppliers.
More than 30 million people attend their shows, including New York and tours nationwide, with Broadway as big business in New York City, but also nationwide via touring companies.
The Local 802 Musicians Health Fund was established in 1951 for musicians and their families and is administered by a joint board of employers, a union trustee and plan administrator.
