THEATRE PROFESSIONAL • • Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and Additional Mailing Offices
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MAY “Go into the arts. 2012 They are a very human Volume 97 way of making life Number 4 more bearable.” EQUITYNEWS — KurtVonnegut A Publication of Actors’ Equity Association • NEWS FOR THE THEATRE PROFESSIONAL • www.actorsequity.org • Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and Additional Mailing Offices Vote in AEA’s Rick Berg, Eastern Regional 2012 Election Director, Retires In May Ballots for Equity’s 2012 https://www.esc-vote.com/ ick Berg, Equity’s Nickelby, the Off Broadway and election of Officers and ae2012. Enter your unique Assistant Executive LORT tour of From the Councillors were distributed internet log-in number (from RDirector/Eastern Mississippi Delta and several on Monday, April 16, 2012. your paper ballot) and your Regional Director, will retire on seasons at Northlight Theater You may vote by paper ballot, Member ID# (printed on the May 25, 2012. and Cleveland Playhouse, remembering if you vote by front of your membership The decision, due to family among others. He joined the mail, you must tear off the card, minus the leading health issues, “was a difficult staff in 1992 as a Business Rep top portion of the ballot; by zeroes) and follow online one,” said Mr. Berg. “While I for Developing Theatre, email, which will come from voting instructions. regret the necessity for having Production, Special Tour actorsequityhelp@election Deadline for receipt of bal- to leave Equity and New York Agreements and Theatre for servicescorp.com ; or you lots is Wednesday, May 23, City, I believe that I am retiring Young Audiences. Mr. Berg was may vote online. Even if you 2012. All ballots must be at a time when Equity’s named Senior Business Rep in did not pre-register for E- received by the balloting leadership is strong and stable. I Rick Berg. 1999, supervising more than a Voting, you can still vote company by 5 PM (Eastern- am deeply thankful for the dozen staff, as well as the online. When you receive Time), 4 PM (Central) and 2 defined benefit retirement plan the Equity staff and the negotiation and supervision of a your paper ballot, go to PM (Pacific). that Equity provides its Executive team, in particular. He dozen contracts. employees. It is this retirement has contributed valuable insight, In 2009, Mr. Berg was plan that allows me to take this and been a strong leader. We promoted to Assistant Executive necessary step in my life,” he are sad to see him leave us and Director/Eastern Regional Equity Representatives explained. “The theatre, and we wish him a wonderful Director. During his tenure he especially Equity, has been one retirement.” oversaw the Union’s Eastern in DC Help Spread the of the most important parts of Mr Berg has been a long- Region operations, collective my life. It has been challenging time member of the Equity bargaining and led a staff of WordThat Arts Make andrewardingtobeapartof family, first as an Equity Stage more than 50 in the New York the theatrical community and to Manager and later as a member and Orlando offices. Mr. Berg a Difference be part of the work the Union of the staff. In his early career, was also an important part of quity had a strong that are important to Equity, does on behalf of its members.” he toured as a Stage Manager the Executive team, which is presence at the 25th including arts funding, arts Mary McColl, Equity’s with such shows as the first responsible for the overall EAnnual Arts Advocacy education, and the Qualified Executive Director, said, “Rick national tour of The Life and direction and strategic planning Day 2012, presented by Performing Artist designation has been an important part of Adventures of Nicholas for Equity. Americans For the Arts. The (QPA), a tax deduction that event, held in Washington DC allows actors to deduct job- every April, brings together a seeking expenses above the broad cross-section of line. The delegates, each of Equity to Get SpecialTony America’s cultural and civic whom was assigned to be part organizations, and grassroots of state delegations, were: he Tony Awards Admin- Tony Ceremony on June 10, tural fabric of America and we advocates to lobby for Marjorie Horne, Councillor, Co- istration Committee an- 2012,” said President Nick are proud to be at the forefront increased public funding for chair of the National Public Tnounced on April 30, Wyman and Executive Director of making plays and musicals the arts, arts education and Policy Committee (NPPC), who 2012 that a Special Tony Mary McColl upon receiving come alive for audiences other arts-related issues. represented Equity with the Award would be presented to the news. “This award recog- across the nation. Once again Equity was a Florida Delegation; Richard Actors’ Equity on the occasion nizes the innumerable contri- “On behalf of our Officers, co-sponsor of the event, and, Shavzin, Non-Councillor of its 100th Anniversary. butions our members have Councillors, Members and for the first time, brought six member of the Central “Actors’ Equity Association made to the theatre and the Staff, we would like to thank delegates to speak to Regional Board and a member is honored to receive a Special theatre has made to our coun- the Tony Administration Com- members of Congress or their of the NPPC, Illinois Tony recognizing our Centen- try these 100 years. Theatre is mittee for this honor.” representatives about issues Delegation; Clarinda Ross, nial Celebration at this year’s a tremendous asset to the cul- Councillor and NPPC member, the California Delegation; local live performances. Councillor Jess W. Speaker III, Even more is on tap for the a member of the NPPC and a upcoming year, including a part of the Virginia Delegation; coffee table book chronicling Eastern Regional AEA’s 100 years that’s due out in Director/Assistant Executive September, a series of Director Rick Berg represented educational forums, and a Equity in the New York crowning Centennial Celebration Delegation; and Spokesperson Event in April 2013 that will be Maria Somma, who supervises nationally broadcast. the Union’s Public Policy Celebrate! Join in the Pride To join in the June 5 efforts, was a member of the celebration launch and learn Minnesota Delegation. of the AEA Centennial more about Centennial events, A two-day event, Arts he year-long series of salute to the extraordinary role of like our page at Advocacy Day began with a AEA’s 100th Anniversary live theater in the fabric of www.facebook.com/aea100, day of legislative training celebration events gets American life and culture. or, if you’re not online, call sessions at which the T underway Tuesday morning, Also at the event, we’ll be 212.966.3759 x 100. delegates learned more about June 5, 2012 at 7 AM, and we’re taking the wraps off an exhibit the current arts issues Index calling all members to join in this that will visit more than a dozen circulating on Capitol Hill, and once-in-a-lifetime occasion. cities across the U.S. This Rick Berg retires.....................1 how to be effective advocates Where better than Times “Behind the Curtain” Mobile Equity to get Special Tony..........1 for the issues that had been Exhibit is literally a traveling Philadelphia’s InterAct Theatre NEWS Square—the crossroads of developed into briefing papers America and crucible of live museum loaded with interactive Company receives Rosetta by the Americans for the Arts LeNoire Award .......................2 American theater—to host an programming and educational legislative committee (in which event that lets the public in on displays about the history of live Are you a “Favored Nation” .......3 UITY Equity participated). These our festivities, as well? There will theater in America. Incorporating To work or not to work issues ranged widely from the Q (without an AEA contract) ..........4 be live performances, interviews, a working stage, it also will 165 West 46th Street New York, NY 10036 Address Service Requested Second Class Postage Paid in New York, NY E National news........................7 (continued on page 2) and other entertainment in a provide a platform for special 2 / EQUITY news MAY 2012 Arts Make a Difference Messrs Baldwin and Folds, on the Hill. Often, it was the for QPA tax reform. Area Liaison Actors Hill Harper, Melina Equity delegate who could Although Arts Advocacy Hotline system continued from page 1 Kanakaredes, Omar Benson speak passionately and with Day is a once-a-year event, FCC White Space issue (the Miller, Tiffani Thiessen, first-hand experience on the Americans for the Arts sale of bandwidth normally Johnathon Schaech, American positive impact arts funding continues its work on arts Call 877-AEA-1913 used for wireless Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe has on artists, communities funding, arts education and all Equity has a National toll-free microphones), to tax reform and Robert L. Lynch, President and the nation, and was able the issues throughout the year. hotline system for members who encouraging charitable gifts, to and CEO of Americans for the to make the case most Actors’ Equity Association live in Area Liaison and office strengthening our nation’s Arts, among many others. effectively in the meetings. works closely with Americans cities. The number is 877-AEA- health through the arts. Throughout the two-days, the Equity’s delegates were also for the Arts on issues and 1913 (honoring the year of Eq- On the eve of Arts message was clear: arts make armed with a one-page leave- topics important to our uity’s founding). Each Area Advocacy Day, the delegates a great difference in people’s behind about the Qualified members.