In New York, the legendary "Great White Way" has been anything but, of late. This, as a strike enters its fourth day, a strike by Broadway musicians, against the League of American Theatres and Producers.
The walkout began last Thursday, at midnight, New York Time, after the owners announced they want to cut the number of musicians in pit orchestras. The musicians balked at that, and walked out, with The League preparing to replace "live" music with the recorded, computer-generated variety. That's when stagehands, and more than 650 unionized actors decided to support the musicians, and the theatres went "dark.”
ACTOR TODD LATTIMORE
"This is Broadway. Can you imagine Broadway without live music?”
Actor Todd Lattimore is with the hit musical "42nd Street.”
ACTOR TODD LATTIMORE
"This is the best of the best. People are paying a hundred dollars a ticket to come to see the best of the best. On stage, in the pits, costumes, sets. So, we are lining together to show the world that we want to keep it intact.”
Olivia Lawrence was hoping to be a member of the audience Sunday night.
OLIVIA LAWRENCE
"It is my sister's 40th birthday and we chartered a plane from Nantucket to come to New York to see 'Hairspray'. And here we are No show! And I am mad!!".
The strike has shut down 18 Broadway musicals. Only "Cabaret" is still running because it has a separate agreement with the musicians' union. At last report there is no progress toward settling this first Broadway walkout in nearly 30 years.