🛠️ THE LABOR ISSUE: ATLANTIC CREW STRIKE continues — LA WILDFIRE artist recovery — History of NYC theatrical strikes ⏰
This week, we’re diving into the stagehand strikes at the Atlantic Theater, nationwide labor organizers’ perspectives on their strengths and challenges under the Trump administration, and more.
Thank you so much for joining us for our very first issue of the Stage Left Report! We’re here to keep you informed on workers’ rights, equity, and arts activism in the theatre industry.
We are calling this THE LABOR ISSUE since there has been so much news on Off-Broadway organizing efforts in the last couple of weeks. Let’s dive in:
🛠️ IATSE: Atlantic Theater Crew Strikes Following Management’s Failure to Negotiate in Good Faith http://bit.ly/3PLbWF4
“Despite months of efforts and good-faith proposals from the union, management has consistently stalled progress and made unilateral demands on working conditions. The union has filed unfair labor practice charges against Atlantic Theater surrounding many matters that have arisen during that time. … The union continues to await a counter-proposal from the Atlantic.”
🛠️ THE CHIEF: Atlantic Theater production workers authorize strike https://bit.ly/3PN2u4d
“Employees at the theater voted 129-1 to unionize with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees last February … theater management has been slow to bargain and has hired “union busting lawyers,” the union’s international president, Matthew Loeb, said.”
🛠️ NYC CLC: Hundreds Rally in New York to Support the Atlantic Theater Company's Crew https://bit.ly/4hpjpW9
“IATSE has been forced to pursue unfair labor practice claims surrounding the underhanded tactics advanced by the Atlantic’s leadership, including an attempt to starve out the crew through the postponement of a major production that would have opened the season in autumn 2024.”
🛠️ THE WRAP: Atlantic Theater Company Postpones 2 Off-Broadway Productions as IATSE Stagehands Go on Strike https://www.thewrap.com/atlantic...
“IATSE noted that Atlantic received over $4.3 million from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) … “These funds were intended to support arts institutions and their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Yet, Atlantic Theater has used these resources without extending the same respect and support to the workers who keep their venues running,” IATSE said.
🚩 🚩 🚩 THE MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE 🚩 🚩 🚩
NOTE: These articles are included with editorial commentary from The Stage Report, due to managerial misrepresentation. Pay attention to the framing and compare it with the articles above.
🚩 NY TIMES: Stagehands Walk Off the Job at Atlantic Theater Company https://bit.ly/4h1xA3T
STAGE LEFT REPORT NOTE: Notice how the title frames the issue as the stagehands ‘walking off,’ assigning blame to the workers rather than examining management’s role. Throughout the article, the Atlantic Theatre is referred to as “prestigious” and the author chooses to focus on the accounting problems of this $16 million organization. “The strike comes at a time when many nonprofit theaters around the country are running deficits and facing serious financial challenges,” and “The theater issued its own statement, describing itself as “pro-union” and saying it had made generous offers, but warning that the union’s demands could weaken Off-Broadway institutions.” Again this analysis centers the nonprofit entity of the Atlantic Theatre, as opposed to the low-wage stagehands asking for health insurance.
🤿🤿🤿 DIVE DEEPER:
🌊 LABOR NOTES: 2024 In Review: Strikes and Organizing Score Gains, but Storm Clouds Loom https://labornotes.org/2024...
🌊 MORE PREDICTIONS: The Labor Movement Won Big Victories in 2024. Now It Must Fend Off Trump. https://truthout.org/articles...
🌊 AMERICAN THEATRE: Off-Broadway Stagehands’ Union Organizing Gains Steam https://www.americantheatre.org/2024...
🌊 WATCH: Interview with the Teamsters President: “What is the biggest hurdle to overcome in terms of increasing labor union participation?” https://www.youtube.com/watch...
⏰⏰⏰ FLASHBACK: 2003 BROADWAY THEATRE WALKOUT
NYTIMES: THE THEATER WALKOUT: OVERVIEW; MUSICIANS' STRIKE DIMS THE LIGHTS ALONG BROADWAY https://www.nytimes.com/2003...
In 2003, IATSE Local One and Actor’s Equity Association refused to cross the picket line when Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians’ walked out on Broadway. The musician walkout was in response to producers walking out on contract negotiations the previous night. This was the first labor strike on Broadway in over thirty years.
“Last night, the producers left talks with the musicians, their offers far apart, and it was unclear when negotiations might resume. The producers had hoped to present their musicals last night with computer-generated sound -- so-called virtual orchestras.
But the producers apparently did not expect the actors and stagehands to respect the musicians' picket lines, and decided to close the shows.”
While there is some important coverage in this article, notice how the framing in the following mirrors the NYTimes Atlantic coverage in 2025, focusing on the impact on the theatre owners and theatre customers:
“In the confusion last night, managers of musicals scrambled to accommodate disappointed theatergoers, some of whom encountered picket lines on their way to ask how to get their tickets refunded or exchanged.”
🏠🌇🌹LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES
🌇BROADWAY CARES / EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS: $500,000 in Emergency Grants Sent to Help California Wildfire Recovery Efforts https://broadwaycares.org/500000...
🌇HYPERALLERGIC: The Unfathomable Loss of Artistic Heritage in Altadena https://hyperallergic.com/983707...
🌇AMERICAN THEATRE: The Fires This Time https://www.americantheatre.org/2025...
If you have been affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires, the Entertainment Community Fund is offering Emergency Financial Assistance here ➡️➡️➡️
https://entertainmentcommunity.org/am-i-eligible-help
MORE TO READ:
🍉 PALESTINE:
When Will We Tell the Stories of Palestine? An Open Letter to Theatre Leaders in the United States https://howlround.com/when...
Queer, HIV-Positive, and Running Out of Medication in Gaza https://theintercept.com/2025...
🎨 ARTS ACTIVISM:
‘Sing Sing’ Cast Reuniting to Perform the Play From the Movie Live in New York City https://variety.com/2025...
‘Sing Sing’ Set to Be First Film Released in Theaters and Prisons Simultaneously https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies...
🔮 THEATRE FUTURES:
Company Care as a Business Model https://www.americantheatre.org/2025...
Signature Auditor raises ‘Substantial Doubt’ about Nonprofit’s Survival https://broadwayjournal.com/signature...
National Theatre study: non-profit business models are no longer working https://www.whatsonstage.com/news...
Seaview Productions, led by Greg Nobile, taking over Off-Broadway's Tony Kiser Theater https://www.nytimes.com/2025...
💐 IN MEMORIAM:
Gavin Creel Filmed a Documentary Before His Death—And Now It's Being Released https://playbill.com/article...
‘I’m doing something with my misery’: a Parkland parent takes his grief to the stage https://www.theguardian.com/stage...
💬 REVIEWS:
Between Lessons on Solidarity and Fascism, “Wicked” Is a Movie for These Times https://truthout.org/articles...
How casting makes this 'Gypsy' hit different https://www.npr.org/2024...
🫂 GET INVOLVED: 🫂
Follow updates on the IATSE Atlantic Picket at @unionizetheatlantic.
You can also sign up for a 2-hour volunteer shift on the picket line for next week on their Google form here.
Download a Defend & Recruit Workbook here to help prepare for ICE raids in your community.
Join the @theaterworkersforaceasefire PACBI Working Group Special Meeting & Teach-In zoom on Sunday, January 26th @ 7:30pm. Register here.
Hope you enjoyed this issue of the Stage Left Report— See you next on Friday, February 7th!
Don’t forget: The Stage Left Report is free until March! After that, you can continue supporting us for just $5/month.
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