The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society has reached an agreement with the Broadway League on a new four-year contract that covers associate directors and choreographers for the first time.
The contract applies to directors and choreographers working on Broadway and on Broadway League tours in North America and the British Isles. Sdc had been working to bring associate directors and choreographers, who had been one of the rare non-unionized groups on Broadway, under their umbrella for several years.
The League granted voluntary union recognition of the associate directors and choreographers, whose duties can include leading rehearsals for understudies and swings, taking over long-running shows and helping launch other productions. In February 2022, the two parties were working to finalize an interim agreement to cover the associates, ahead of negotiating the longer-term agreement.
The new agreement includes health and pension benefit contributions for the associates, as well as increases in compensation and benefits for directors and choreographers.
The contract applies to directors and choreographers working on Broadway and on Broadway League tours in North America and the British Isles. Sdc had been working to bring associate directors and choreographers, who had been one of the rare non-unionized groups on Broadway, under their umbrella for several years.
The League granted voluntary union recognition of the associate directors and choreographers, whose duties can include leading rehearsals for understudies and swings, taking over long-running shows and helping launch other productions. In February 2022, the two parties were working to finalize an interim agreement to cover the associates, ahead of negotiating the longer-term agreement.
The new agreement includes health and pension benefit contributions for the associates, as well as increases in compensation and benefits for directors and choreographers.
- 1/3/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The national union of stage directors and choreographers has reached an agreement with producers on a new four-year pact being called a landmark for some theater workers, the groups announced today.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and The Broadway League, the national trade association for producers in the Broadway and touring industry, said in their announcement that the agreement, which covers directors and choreographers on Broadway and League productions in North America and the British Isles, now includes associate directors and choreographers.
Considered a major agreement for its coverage of associates working on Broadway and companies across North America, the pact provides union protections including health and pension benefit contributions for the associate directors and choreographers.
Additionally, the agreement includes increases in compensation and benefits for covered directors and choreographers; new compensation structures for co-directors and co-choreographers; modified terms for recognized activity in the British Isles; and language codifying...
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and The Broadway League, the national trade association for producers in the Broadway and touring industry, said in their announcement that the agreement, which covers directors and choreographers on Broadway and League productions in North America and the British Isles, now includes associate directors and choreographers.
Considered a major agreement for its coverage of associates working on Broadway and companies across North America, the pact provides union protections including health and pension benefit contributions for the associate directors and choreographers.
Additionally, the agreement includes increases in compensation and benefits for covered directors and choreographers; new compensation structures for co-directors and co-choreographers; modified terms for recognized activity in the British Isles; and language codifying...
- 1/3/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
This is Day 96 of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange joined a SAG-AFTRA picket Tuesday in New York City as members of their union paid tribute to the strike captains who have run the picket lines at multiple locations in Manhattan during the past 96 days, including the week since talks between striking actors and the studios collapsed.
With them at the morning rally in front of NBCUniversal headquarters at Rockefeller Plaza was another union crew: members and staff of Broadway’s theatrical Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (Sdc).
“What you are fighting for — fair wages, participation in success and the stewarding of your craft — are all things the members of Sdc understand,” the union’s executive director, Laura Penn, told picketers.
Related: “It’s Preposterous!” SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland On Ted Sarandos’ Claim Of Union Seeking “Levy On Subscribers”; Praises Taylor Swift
The 3,275-member...
Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange joined a SAG-AFTRA picket Tuesday in New York City as members of their union paid tribute to the strike captains who have run the picket lines at multiple locations in Manhattan during the past 96 days, including the week since talks between striking actors and the studios collapsed.
With them at the morning rally in front of NBCUniversal headquarters at Rockefeller Plaza was another union crew: members and staff of Broadway’s theatrical Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (Sdc).
“What you are fighting for — fair wages, participation in success and the stewarding of your craft — are all things the members of Sdc understand,” the union’s executive director, Laura Penn, told picketers.
Related: “It’s Preposterous!” SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland On Ted Sarandos’ Claim Of Union Seeking “Levy On Subscribers”; Praises Taylor Swift
The 3,275-member...
- 10/17/2023
- by Sean Piccoli
- Deadline Film + TV
Lady Gaga and producer Bruce Cohen (American Beauty, Silver Linings Playbook) on Thursday were appointed co-chairs of President Joe Biden’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a board featuring top names across the arts tasked with advising the president on cultural issues.
The committee is making its return after a five-year hiatus, when the board disbanded under the Trump administration in protest of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, in which Trump had said there were “very fine people on both sides” of the clash that left one dead. At the time, the 17-member committee sent a letter to then President Trump to decry his “hateful rhetoric” and denounced his efforts to eliminate or severely reduce budgets dedicated to the arts and humanities.
“We cannot sit idly by, the way that your West Wing advisors have, without speaking out against your words and actions,” the letter said,...
The committee is making its return after a five-year hiatus, when the board disbanded under the Trump administration in protest of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, in which Trump had said there were “very fine people on both sides” of the clash that left one dead. At the time, the 17-member committee sent a letter to then President Trump to decry his “hateful rhetoric” and denounced his efforts to eliminate or severely reduce budgets dedicated to the arts and humanities.
“We cannot sit idly by, the way that your West Wing advisors have, without speaking out against your words and actions,” the letter said,...
- 4/13/2023
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
President Joe Biden plans to appoint producer Bruce Cohen and Lady Gaga as the co-chairs of the revived President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
Also on the list for the committee are musician Jon Batiste; Constance M. Carroll, president of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Association; actor George Clooney; Harvard professor Philip J. Deloria; M. Angélica Garcia, president of Berkeley City College; actress Jennifer Garner, art historian, museum director and curator Nora Halpern; bookstore owner and former congressman Steve Israel; producer-writer Marta Kauffman; producer Ricky Kirshner; actor Troy Kotsur; Bad Robot Prods. co-ceo Katie McGrath; Laura Penn, executive director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; artist and educator Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya; author and Stanford Professor Emeritus Arnold Rampersad; producer and author Shonda Rhimes; retired attorney and Cpa Kimberly Richter Shirley; educator and journalist Horacio Sierra; writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith; singer-songwriter Joe Walsh; actress, director and producer Kerry Washington; and Pauline Yu,...
Also on the list for the committee are musician Jon Batiste; Constance M. Carroll, president of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Association; actor George Clooney; Harvard professor Philip J. Deloria; M. Angélica Garcia, president of Berkeley City College; actress Jennifer Garner, art historian, museum director and curator Nora Halpern; bookstore owner and former congressman Steve Israel; producer-writer Marta Kauffman; producer Ricky Kirshner; actor Troy Kotsur; Bad Robot Prods. co-ceo Katie McGrath; Laura Penn, executive director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; artist and educator Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya; author and Stanford Professor Emeritus Arnold Rampersad; producer and author Shonda Rhimes; retired attorney and Cpa Kimberly Richter Shirley; educator and journalist Horacio Sierra; writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith; singer-songwriter Joe Walsh; actress, director and producer Kerry Washington; and Pauline Yu,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Broadway musical Paradise Square is facing another legal complaint, this time from the union representing the directors and choreographers who worked on the show.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is seeking to enforce payment of owed royalties, fees and pension and health contributions to the musical’s director, Moisés Kaufman, choreographer Bill T. Jones, and three specialty choreographers who worked on the production. As of May 15, these payments totaled more than 140,000.
According to the complaint, filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York on July 22, the union and producer Bernard Abrams, head of the production’s limited liability company, both signed a joint stipulation in May, agreeing on the amount owed. However, payment is still outstanding, according to Sdc, which is bringing Paradise Square to court to enforce the award.
This follows similar actions taken by Actors’ Equity and United Scenic Artists,...
Broadway musical Paradise Square is facing another legal complaint, this time from the union representing the directors and choreographers who worked on the show.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is seeking to enforce payment of owed royalties, fees and pension and health contributions to the musical’s director, Moisés Kaufman, choreographer Bill T. Jones, and three specialty choreographers who worked on the production. As of May 15, these payments totaled more than 140,000.
According to the complaint, filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York on July 22, the union and producer Bernard Abrams, head of the production’s limited liability company, both signed a joint stipulation in May, agreeing on the amount owed. However, payment is still outstanding, according to Sdc, which is bringing Paradise Square to court to enforce the award.
This follows similar actions taken by Actors’ Equity and United Scenic Artists,...
- 8/1/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Coalition of Broadway Unions & Guilds is calling for health care relief in the upcoming New York State budget, specifically urging for the updating and renewal of the state’s Cobra subsidy program.
“Securing health care relief is a top priority for the Broadway Unions and Guilds,” said Cobug Co-Chairs Joe Hartnett, Co-Director, Stagecraft Department, IATSE and Laura Penn, Executive Director, Sdc. “Theatre workers are suffering. Almost all lost their jobs last spring, which means they’ve also lost health care for themselves and their families. Health care relief must be included in the upcoming New York State budget.”
Cobug is made up of 18 unions representing workers both on and off stage in and outside New York State. “We must proactively support arts and entertainment workers with Cobra subsidies in order to make certain that these workers are here, and healthy, when our industry is ready to re-open,” Hartnett and Penn continued.
“Securing health care relief is a top priority for the Broadway Unions and Guilds,” said Cobug Co-Chairs Joe Hartnett, Co-Director, Stagecraft Department, IATSE and Laura Penn, Executive Director, Sdc. “Theatre workers are suffering. Almost all lost their jobs last spring, which means they’ve also lost health care for themselves and their families. Health care relief must be included in the upcoming New York State budget.”
Cobug is made up of 18 unions representing workers both on and off stage in and outside New York State. “We must proactively support arts and entertainment workers with Cobra subsidies in order to make certain that these workers are here, and healthy, when our industry is ready to re-open,” Hartnett and Penn continued.
- 2/24/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Leaders of the Hollywood’s unions today outlined their legislative agenda to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts, entertainment and media industries, including a call on Congress to pass a flurry of legislation to increase federal arts funding; establish diversity objectives for grant recipients; to leverage federal tax incentives to encourage diverse hiring, and to protect the rights of unions to organize nonunion workers.
“As unions, we hold a fundamental belief that diversity is a strength,” the leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, IATSE, Actors’ Equity, the WGA East and several other union leaders said in a joint statement. “We work inside and outside the traditional collective bargaining process to create more and better opportunities for underrepresented people. Smart policy solutions aimed at creating diverse talent pipelines, incentivizing diversity in hiring, and supporting collective bargaining will help our workplaces and our industries move forward.”
Those taking part in a press conference,...
“As unions, we hold a fundamental belief that diversity is a strength,” the leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, IATSE, Actors’ Equity, the WGA East and several other union leaders said in a joint statement. “We work inside and outside the traditional collective bargaining process to create more and better opportunities for underrepresented people. Smart policy solutions aimed at creating diverse talent pipelines, incentivizing diversity in hiring, and supporting collective bargaining will help our workplaces and our industries move forward.”
Those taking part in a press conference,...
- 2/11/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
An all-star lineup of entertainment industry union leaders will discuss their diversity, equity and inclusion policy agenda next week during a press conference hosted by the AFL-CIO’s Department of Professional Employees.
The policy agenda focuses on legislative action that furthers the work the unions and guilds already are doing to improve diversity, expand career opportunities for underrepresented people and encourage employers to pursue more diverse recruitment, hiring and promotion practices.
Department For Professional Employees Calls On Federal Government To Protect Entertainment Industry Workers
Those scheduled to take part in the February 11 event include:
• David White, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA
• Russell Hollander, national executive director of the DGA
• Matthew Loeb, international president of IATSE
• Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity
• Lowell Peterson, executive director of the WGA East
• Raymond Menard, president of the American Guild of Musical Artists
• Laura Penn, executive director of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (Sdc)
• Alfonso Pollard,...
The policy agenda focuses on legislative action that furthers the work the unions and guilds already are doing to improve diversity, expand career opportunities for underrepresented people and encourage employers to pursue more diverse recruitment, hiring and promotion practices.
Department For Professional Employees Calls On Federal Government To Protect Entertainment Industry Workers
Those scheduled to take part in the February 11 event include:
• David White, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA
• Russell Hollander, national executive director of the DGA
• Matthew Loeb, international president of IATSE
• Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity
• Lowell Peterson, executive director of the WGA East
• Raymond Menard, president of the American Guild of Musical Artists
• Laura Penn, executive director of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (Sdc)
• Alfonso Pollard,...
- 2/4/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Guild of Musical Artists and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society on Wednesday issued a detailed “playbook” for the safe return to work for opera and choral singers, ballet and modern dancers, choreographers, stage directors and theater staff.
In a joint statement, the unions said their playbook (read it here) “presents a step-by-step approach to reopening built on five levels linked to the prevalence of Covid-19 in the community and allows for increasing activities based on clear criteria. The key is ensuring proper space and ventilation for the activity involved, augmented by a foundation of consistent and thorough hygiene practices and regular testing.”
The unions developed the playbook in collaboration with medical experts Dr. Mark Cunningham-Hill, Dr. Steven J. Anderson, and Dr. Laura S. Welch. Covid-19, Dr. Cunningham-Hill said, “poses particular risks for the performing arts and a science and data driven approach is required to bring performances...
In a joint statement, the unions said their playbook (read it here) “presents a step-by-step approach to reopening built on five levels linked to the prevalence of Covid-19 in the community and allows for increasing activities based on clear criteria. The key is ensuring proper space and ventilation for the activity involved, augmented by a foundation of consistent and thorough hygiene practices and regular testing.”
The unions developed the playbook in collaboration with medical experts Dr. Mark Cunningham-Hill, Dr. Steven J. Anderson, and Dr. Laura S. Welch. Covid-19, Dr. Cunningham-Hill said, “poses particular risks for the performing arts and a science and data driven approach is required to bring performances...
- 8/26/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
An all-star lineup of entertainment industry union leaders will take part in a press conference Wednesday to discuss how they are dealing with the industry’s coronavirus shutdown. The teleconference will be hosted by Lis Shuler, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, beginning at 8 a.m. Pt.
“From Broadway to Hollywood–and everywhere in between–Covid-19 has paused, postponed and cancelled productions, performances and events leaving most of the country’s four million creative professionals out of work,” the AFL-CIO said in a statement announcing the news conference. “Arts, entertainment and media professionals and their unions have united to ensure all workers in the industry can access economic relief. With the expectation that arts and entertainment professionals will be some of the last workers able to return safely to their jobs, creative professionals and their unions continue to advocate for government-provided economic support.”
Those slated to take part in the presser include:
• Thomas Schlamme,...
“From Broadway to Hollywood–and everywhere in between–Covid-19 has paused, postponed and cancelled productions, performances and events leaving most of the country’s four million creative professionals out of work,” the AFL-CIO said in a statement announcing the news conference. “Arts, entertainment and media professionals and their unions have united to ensure all workers in the industry can access economic relief. With the expectation that arts and entertainment professionals will be some of the last workers able to return safely to their jobs, creative professionals and their unions continue to advocate for government-provided economic support.”
Those slated to take part in the presser include:
• Thomas Schlamme,...
- 5/4/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
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