|
Broadway back in business after strike
Broadway back in business after strike
Friday November 30, 2007
The curtain went up across Broadway for the first time in almost three weeks on Thursday, ending a strike that had shut down most of New York's theater district and cost the city millions of dollars.
Musicals such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Chicago," closed since stagehands walked out over stalled contract negotiations on November 10, were among the hit shows reopening their doors.
"We had hoped the strike would end before we leave on Saturday morning. We came up with the expectation of seeing some shows and by golly, it happened, said Andy Porter, 59, a tourist from Mexico City buying tickets to "Phantom."
"Don't you love New York?" he said.
Lisa Robins, who bought her tickets to "Phantom" a month ago, before the strike started, said she was thrilled by the surprise news that theaters were to reopen, giving her the chance to see Broadway's longest running musical.
"It's wonderful because we came from Arkansas and we were afraid we weren't going to see it. We woke up this morning and we turned on the TV and we said oh, yeah, we can go!" she said.
Producers and stagehands emerged after more than four days of marathon talks late Wednesday to say they had reached a deal.
"The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theater-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world," said James Claffey, the head of the stagehands' union.
The full details of Wednesday's deal were not made public, but Charlotte St. Martin, head of the League of American Theatres and Producers, suggested both sides had made concessions to end the dispute.
"The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry. What is most important is that Broadway's lights will once again shine brightly," she said.
The strike brought the lights down at some 27 theaters on New York's "Great White Way," and left disappointed ticket holders arriving at theaters to find doors locked and picket lines outside.
Tracy Letts, writer of the drama "August: Osage County," whose scheduled opening was delayed by the strike, said he was delighted the stoppage was over.
"I'm ecstatic. I'm greatly relieved. It's been frustrating, it's been depressing. But I suppose years from now I'll look back and say '19 days, that's nothing,'" he said.
Jeff Perry, a principal actor in the show, agreed. "The thought of being shut down for good, because our producers would have run out of money, was really a depressing notion. But it's over, it's good. We're back."
Box office workers at several shows said they were doing brisk business Thursday, but declined to reveal any figures.
It was not only the theaters who were glad to see the end of the strike. Ivan Lesica, Maitre D' at Sardi's, a favorite among Broadway theatergoers, said the restaurant's business had been down 20 to 30 percent during the strike.
"I'm glad it's over. It did take three weeks, which I think is a long, long time to settle, but I'm glad it's over," he said, adding that he expected business to be back to normal by the weekend.
The dispute dates back to July, when producers sought to reduce production costs and complained they were forced to hire an unnecessarily large number of stagehands. Unions countered that the theaters just wanted to make cutbacks.
It was the third time industrial action shut down Broadway in 30 years. The last stoppage, a strike by musicians in 2003, lasted four days.
This year's strike was thought to have cost the city at least 38 million dollars and likely more since it closed down some of Broadway's most profitable shows over the lucrative Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.
However, for shows not run by league members, such as the hit musical "Mary Poppins," the stoppage helped ensure sell-out performances, while off-Broadway productions also enjoyed a good run at the box office.
Fijilive
|
