Actors’ Equity adjusts rules to further empower NYC Member-Creators
The agreement, which is not technically an Equity contract, but is “promulgated by Actors’ Equity Association to allow its members to participate in productions in small theaters without the benefit of an Equity Contract.”
Members receive no salary or benefits and the performance and rehearsal schedules are limited in number. The terms of the code, created by and for the members, are designed to protect both the Equity actors and the interests of those theatres in New York City that operate under an Equity contract.
Approximately 1000 productions went on in NYC last year under this agreement, which does not forbid producers and actors coming to a sub-Equity standard agreement on pay. This code can only be used by Equity actors working in theatres with less than 99 seats in two types of situations:
A) The Basic Showcase Code for use on independent one-time productions.
B) The Festival Showcase Code that allows actors to work for not-for profit producers who create a season of work.
B) The Festival Showcase Code that allows actors to work for not-for profit producers who create a season of work.
Some of the recent changes include:
- Maximum ticket prices have been increased from $20 to $25.
- Maximum rehearsal time has been increased from four to five weeks.
- Maximum budget to fall under the basic code is increased from $20,000 to $35,000.
- Performances may now be held over a six-week period.
These changes were the result of the Off-Off Broadway Committee, which is made up of members of Equity who have worked under the code and producers who have produced under the code.
Will this significant shift by AEA towards allowing its membership greater ability to leverage their labour to kick-start careers and productions have an impact in Canada?
The 2009 CAEA AGM held on February 24th in Toronto saw a massive turnout to support a Member Resolution calling for Equity to provide a Showcase-type agreement for use by its membership. The final vote in support of this motion was 96-1. The issue brought out so many members, that the minutes to several previous AGMs were passed by an assembly that had finally achieved quorum. Clearly CAEA has a mandate to come up with a new system that supports members that want to hustle to get something off the ground, but no one knows what will be proposed.
What do you think? Should CAEA adopt a Showcase-type code? Should the rules in the U.S. have anything to do with Canadian rules? Are these agreements “the thin end of the wedge” that will spell the end of reasonable protections for performers? Has that been the case in New York? Is this a good way to facilitate artists creating their own work?
Here’s the actual language of the Showcase Agreement for those of you that like to get into the nitty gritty details:
An “Equity-Approved Basic Showcase” is a New York City mounted production in which AEA members may participate, without the benefits of a contract, for the purpose of presenting plays and/or scenes in limited performances, under the terms and conditions set herein. Productions may be mounted by individuals, groups of individuals, and/or not-for-profit institutional theatres who have not been prohibited from doing so by contract or prior agreement. No Producer on Equity’s Defaulting Employers List shall be accorded the use of the Showcase Code. Actors’ Equity Association (hereinafter referred to as “AEA” or “Equity”) shall have the sole and full authority to determine whether, and to whom, the Basic Showcase Code shall be issued. Equity offers this code to enable its members to showcase themselves for industry professionals and to provide a set of rules under which Equity members may participate in the arena generally known as “Off Off Broadway.”
I think this will have two effects (1) the most inventive will have more time and resources to find an audience for their work — this is a good thing, and (2) small producers will be able to use AEA members for free on a consistent basis. This is likely to mean that no small theatres in New York City will have any incentive to pay actors, or perhaps even, to grow. Since the bulk of paying theatres are regional (i.e., outside NYC), AEA should work with funders to help those theatres build companies that offer steady employment.