Lights Out On Broadway As Stagehands Strike

Broadway has been thrown into turmoil with more than 20 hit plays and musicals
including THE LION KING and MAMMA MIA forced to close because of strikes by
disgruntled stagehands.

The protestors, who are responsible for moving scenery and equipment, set up
picket-lines in front of theatres in New York on Saturday (10Nov07).

The strike comes after three months of negotiations between producers and a
union about pay and working conditions failed to produce an agreement. No new
talks are scheduled and it is unclear how long the strike will last. All but
eight Broadway shows have been shut down and producers say they plan to pay
refunds to people who have bought tickets for canceled shows. It comes at a
time that is traditionally one of Broadway’s busiest of the year.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg warned on the economic consequences of the
action. He says, “While this is a private labour matter, the economic impact is
very public and will be felt far beyond the theatres closed today.”

The Broadway strike comes in the wake of a separate screenwriters’ strike
which began in Hollywood last week (ends09Nov07), prompted by a disagreement
over royalty payments.

(CG/WNWCCB)

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Full list of canceled Broadway shows:

A Bronx Tale
A Chorus Line
August: Osage County
Avenue Q
Chicago
The Color Purple
Curtains
Cyrano de Bergerac
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Drowsy Chaperone
Duran Duran: Red Carpet Massacre
The Farnsworth Invention
Grease
Hairspray
Is He Dead?
Jersey Boys
Legally Blonde
Les Miserables
The Lion King
The Little Mermaid
Mamma Mia!
The Phantom of the Opera
Rent
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Spamalot
Spring Awakening
The Seafarer
Wicked