Vereen
Broadway publicizes its shows, charities and discount tickets. But never before has it placed ads to focus public attention on union contract negotiations.
Last week, Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians began running ads on radio station WINS featuring the voices of Ben Vereen and Tom Wopat.
"The combination of great theater with great musicians is what makes Broadway special," Vereen tells listeners in one spot. "Our musicians are key to creating the human element that makes each performance unique."
The star of "Pippin" and Fosse" then implores, "Support Broadway and support Broadway musicians."
It's a soft sell for the musicians' union, whose current contract with the League of American Theaters & Producers runs out in early March.
Local 802 is saving its tougher pitch for early February, when negotiations over the new contract begin.
Patty Duke, current star of "Oklahoma!" and a former Screen Actors Guild president, puts it more bluntly in a second radio ad. After a short intro, she cuts to the chase:
"Lately, I've been hearing the phrase 'virtual orchestra' circling around Broadway," Duke says. "It refers to a machine that would replace a live orchestra in a Broadway show. You know, it was never part of my dream to sing and dance along to a synthesizer. In fact, I don't think a Broadway audience would want us to perform without world-class musicians. Eliminate a live orchestra, and you eliminate the heart of the Broadway musical."
William Moriarity, president of Local 802, said the union had sent Duke a prepared speech. "But she made it hard-hitting and more militant," he added. "We're saving her (ad) for February."
Advertisements for Playbill have also been readied, and the union is in discussions with other actors to record similar radio spots.
"There is some reluctance," Moriarity said. "Actors who do these (ads) are a little courageous, because they also depend on producers for work."
Moriarity put the ad budget at about $250,000, with another $45,000 potentially to be spent.
As for a possible musicians' strike come March 2, Moriarity said, "We're not talking about a strike. We're talking about negotiating and getting a contract."
But the threat of the so-called "virtual orchestra" looms large.
Producers 'ready' for strike
Rocco Landesman, president of Jujamcyn Theaters, threw down the gauntlet last November when he told the New York Times, "We are very well prepared for alternatives. If there is a strike, we'll be ready."
His statement was read as a call for producers to use the technology known as the "virtual orchestra" in case of a strike.
Since then, the unions have been busy: In January, 13 Broadway unions and guilds formed the Coalition for Broadway Unions & Guilds (Cobug) "to address issues of common interest" among the new org's collective membership of 75,000, while Local 802 kicked off its radio spots.
As of Tuesday, Moriarity had completed his round of talks with all the other unions' various executive bodies to "make them aware" of Local 802's case.
Issues at stake in the league's negotiations with Local 802 have to do with the elimination of musician staffing minimums at Broadway theaters and the possible exclusion of music copyists from the union's ranks.
The league would not specify the issues under contention. "We are prepared to negotiate in good faith," said a rep.
We have the technology
If producers look to virtual orchestras to replace live musicians in the event of a strike, Jeff Lazarus of RealTime Music Solutions claims the technology is ready.
His company's trademark names for that service include Sinfonia, already in use for the current road tours of "The Music Man" and "Miss Saigon," among others, and OrchEstra, which is employed for smaller regional productions.
Lazarus said he had been in communication with Broadway producers for more than a year regarding Sinfonia. Whether any of them had contracted for his service, Lazarus said, "I cannot comment."
To cross or not to cross the picket line: In the end, the outcome may depend less on Local 802 and Sinfonia than on what action the other unions decide to take.
Contact Robert Hofler at
bob.hofler@variety.com