Dark November 12, 2007 ~ 12:38 pm
Posted by Julie in : Rants , trackbackIf I heard Richard Frankel’s quote about stagehands “featherbedding” once this weekend, I heard it 87 times. Rick has a habit of surfing the radio for traffic reports while we’re driving, and the news stations kept looping news of the stagehands’ strike that’s got Broadway dark right now.
Let’s get one thing straight, Mr. Producer, you need those stagehands. I don’t see you out there dirtying your hands, risking injury, making sure heavy and costly set pieces get to the right place at the right time for a play to run smoothly. Stagehands are some of the hardest working people I know, and I know just how hard their jobs are since I have on occasion worked as one off-off-Broadway and on college productions. I have nothing but respect for them. It’s a shame the producers don’t.
Yes, Broadway is dark, and yes, that’s costing the city a lot of tourism dollars, but I know what it’s like to work on after a contract has expired and finally take a lot less as a settlement just because dammit, you need some money, any money to make up for the increase in cost of living that occurred while you were waiting for the other side to get their heads out of their asses. I’m firmly with the stagehands on this one. I hope the issue gets settled soon for everyone’s sake, but mostly for some of the hardest working men and women on Broadway.
Comments
You tell them! Nothing like hitting people in the pocket book to get your point across. I heard about the stike. People like stage hands are always getting screwed. Hope they get what they’re looking for and a fair contract.