Theater and Equity

Before we begin, some exciting news--

I have found Charlie.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you want to go to http://thiscantbebroccoli.blogspot.com/2020/09/theater-and-pigpen-problem.html and start at the list of links that opens that interview.

If you want to read the interview with Charlie, you'll want to sign up for the Epic Theatre Company (my home away from home) Patreon by going to www.Patreon.com/EpicTheatreCo . By donating $5 a month or more (that'll come right out of your bank account, just like Netflix, Hulu, or Cheese of the Month Club), you'll help support a wonderful organization, annnnnd you get tons of great bonus content, including the five-part Charlie interview that kicks off next month.

Now for the business at hand.

It's always excited when someone reaches out to ask if they can speak with me about something mysterious.

Equity has always been something I've looked at from a distance. I, myself, am not an equity actor, but I have many friends who are, and when this person, who was employed with Actors Equity for sometime, wanted to speak about their experience, I got them on the phone immediately.

Here's the interview:

ME:  I'm currently furiously texting all my actor friends to see what questions they might have for you.

THEM:  (Laughs.) So you're going to be on your phone this whole interview?

ME:  No, I'm only giving them a five-minute window.

THEM:  Good.

ME:  How long did you work for Actors' Equity?

THEM:  Years.

ME:  You don't want to say specifically how long?

THEM:  I'd rather not.

ME:  Okay.

THEM:  Sorry, I know I was the one who contacted you.

ME:  That's okay. We can work around you. I'm grateful to speak with you.

THEM:  Thank you.

ME:  My big question is--What do you think the future of equity is in regards to theaters that are equity theaters?

THEM:  Can you--I'm not sure what you mean?

ME:  So, right now, technically, I could open my theater, which is non-equity, and not have to ask anyone or check with anyone or get guidelines or do anything like that. An equity theater wouldn't be allowed to do that. Do you think there will come a point where theaters, some of which are going to be staring down the barrel of a financial shotgun, are going to opt out of equity so that they don't have to worry about any sort of restraints placed on them?

THEM:  I think the bigger question you're asking is will the pandemic be the death of equity.

ME:  I guess, to some extent, yeah.

THEM:  I think equity as it is now can't continue. I don't think it's effective, and, to your point, you're better off at this moment, and for many moments after this, months after this, if you don't have a relationship with equity. We had already gotten to a point where equity was only working for working actors. You saw less and less people getting work, because the industry was trending in a direction where people want to use the same actors all the time. I think that means you have a lot of people who feel that equity is not looking out for them, and that's not--I don't think that was an unfair way of thinking about it.

ME:  You don't think equity is looking out for its members?

THEM:  I think how you look out for your members is by making sure you stay strong. We're talking about a union. A union is muscle. If you don't have any muscle--

ME:  --Or influence.

THEM:  --Or influence, then...How do you stop a tour from going non-equity, for example? How do you stop theaters from opting--It's complicated, but yes, I could see theaters deciding that--We can pay people a good wage, but we're going to use non-union actors or get waivers when we need to, but we will not be an equity theater, because by being an equity theater, we're preventing there being any theater at all.

ME:  I've heard from some places that have gotten permission to do in-person productions and some places that haven't. Do you have any sense of why some get rejected and some--

THEM:  From what I understand from friends who are part of making those decisions, it's not as organized as it should be.

ME:  So is it fair?

THEM:  The disorganization would be getting in the way of the fairness, I would think.

ME:  Do you think when equity is saying that it's safe for some of these theaters to perform that it really is safe?

THEM:  I read your interview about the outbreak that happened at a smaller, non-union theater (http://thiscantbebroccoli.blogspot.com/2020/08/theater-and-outbreak.html) and I liked the point being made about safe versus safer. If you follow what equity is asking you to do, you'll be safer.

ME:  But it doesn't make it safe in the way we think about safe.

THEM:  That there's no risk. Yes. But also, equity isn't saying there's no risk.

ME:  It's interesting though that they would determine that certain groups can't perform their shows with those guidelines in mind.

THEM:  It's going to breed more resentment at a time when there's already way too much resentment.

ME:  You talked about the strength of equity. When do you think the strength and influence started to erode?

THEM:  Some of it has nothing to do with equity. A union has to have a majority of its members, or most of its members, as many as possible, happy with what they're getting out of being a part of the union and--You're asking for dues. You're asking for people to give you money with an understanding of protection. That there are benefits for those dues. The problem is that there are people who began to see equity as 'I'm equity now. That will help me get jobs and get better jobs.' That was never the focus of equity.

ME:  But there are certain jobs you can't get unless you're equity.

THEM:  Yes, but now you're seeing some of those jobs go non-union, and I think you're going to see that more and more the longer this goes on.

ME:  The pandemic?

THEM:  Yes.

ME:  One friend just texted me to ask how equity's relationships with producers might compromise its effectiveness?

THEM:  I think we've gotten to a place where they're both too worried about them and not realizing that no matter how much they worry, there is never going to be a positive relationship there where the union can work with producers, who more and more are worried about the bottom line, in a way that isn't combative. But I think we have to just accept that it's going to be combative and we can't put the work on audiences when it comes to pressuring producers.

ME:  You're talking about campaigns like 'Ask If It's Equity?'

THEM:  Which was--(Exhales.)

ME:  I think the exhale says it all.

THEM:  I don't know why somebody in Des Moines cares if the show they're seeing at the arts center is equity even when you explain it to them, and they really don't care if you tell them that by demanding an equity tour instead of the tour they're seeing, the ticket prices are going to double, but they should be happy about it, because they might be seeing a better show.

ME:  Obviously you're not advocating for equity to disappear.

THEM:  No, but the form in which it exists now is not helping enough people for it to go on.

ME:  But isn't so much of that--to play devil's advocate--isn't so much of that like--Like you said, you can't force casting agents or theaters or producers to stop wanting to use the same people again and again, and--

THEM:  I think we need to stop telling ourselves there are things we can't do if what we need to do is expand our abilities, because otherwise--you're choosing to disappear. That's the choice you're making. Don't say 'We've never been able to do anything about that.' Find the possibilities that are available to you if the alternative is that you don't exist.

ME:  Can I come back to you with questions friends might have outside of this five-minute window that's expired?

THEM:  Yes.

ME:  Great, let's talk again.

THEM:  Sounds good.

Them was employed by Actors Equity for years and is now working as a freelancer.