[Dixielandjazz] Lights out on Broadway

[Rob McCallum]

Hello all,

Though I certainly hate to see that theatre goers on Broadway have their
evening spoiled, I think we should give thanks to the actor's union for
siding with the musician's union last night.  The strike is over limiting
orchestra sizes for live Broadway productions, in an obvious attempt by
theatre management to begin forcing live music off Broadway to cut costs.
After the musicians went on strike, theatres decided to go ahead with the
musicals with recorded music, in what seemed to me an attempt to show that
live musicians were no longer necessary on Broadway.  The actor's union
refused to cross the musician's picket lines and all Broadway shows for this
weekend have been cancelled.  It's important to understand that this strike
is not over salary, but job security.  Broadway theatre is one of the last
strongholds that musicians have and the fight is over the musical quality in
the shows.  Can you imagine going to a Broadway show and hearing prerecorded
synthesizers?  Anyway, thanks again to the actor's union.  The full story is
at www.nytimes.com

All the best,
Rob McCallum
www.solarjazz.com