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Stagehand Strike Devastates Broadway
10-Nov-2007
Written by: Stacey Eisenberg
Second Entertainment Strike This Week
A new walkout in the entertainment industry is taking the attention away from the writer’s strike. According to the New York Times, 27 Broadway shows were shuttered as stagehands went on strike today.
Audiences were turned away from performances of “Wicked,” “Jersey Boys,” and “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical.” Only eight shows remained open, as those theaters have separate contracts with the stagehand union. These include “Mary Poppins,” “The Ritz,” and “Young Frankenstein.”
The strike has been brought on by months of negotiations over new work rules imposed by producers. Not only will this strike affect the over $900 million industry, but it will also ravage the entire surrounding area of Midtown Manhattan, including restaurants, bars, hotels, and souvenir stores.
This is the second strike on Broadway in less than five years, following the four-day musicians’ walkout in 2003. The League of American Theaters and Producers have offered refunds for tickets to shows that have been called off. No one knows how long the strike will last, but just a few weeks will devastate shows that have stars on short contracts or few advance sales.
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