MARCH “Imagination is the beginning 2011 of creation.You imagine what Volume 96 you desire, you will what Number 2 you imagine and at last you create what you will.” EQUITYNEWS — George Bernard Shaw 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 Annual Membership Meeting is Mary McColl, New Executive Director, Friday, April 8, 2011 Hits the Ground Running at Equity The Eastern, Central and Western Regions will be connected by telephonic hookup for the Meeting in order that members in all ary McColl joined Ac - an arts administrator. I don’t see Regions may be able to hear statements of candidates running tors’ Equity Associa - the work I’ll take on in leading for election to Council. Mtion on Tuesday, this Union as all that different January 18, 2011. Her first day from what I have done in the The statements will begin at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) was a Council meeting where past. The reality is I know there 1:30 p.m. (Central Time) and 11:30 a.m. (Western Time) she had the opportunity to ob - are business challenges for The meeting in the EASTERN REGION will convene at 2 p.m. serve Equity’s democratic Equity similar to challenges in the Council Room on the 14th Floor of the Equity Building, process at work. In her first offi - faced by other performing arts 165 West 46th Street, New York, NY cial interview as the new Execu - businesses. There are artistic The agenda will also include the following: tive Director, Mary sat with and work related challenges for • Presentation of the Rosetta LeNoire Award Equity News to share some of both the membership and the • Membership Discussion Period in accordance with the By-Laws her views. Here is the interview: staff. My background gives me a A Sign Interpreter will be present on request. Equity’s TDD 1) You began your career unique perspective on how to telephone number—Telecommunications Device for the Deaf— as a dancer. How does that work to meet those challenges is (212) 302-4306. experience influence your and make it better for our The meeting in the CENTRAL REGION will convene at 1 p.m. new role as Executive membership. We’re in show in the Member Center on the 1st Floor of the Equity Building, Director? Being a dancer, I business and I believe that the 557 West Randolph, Chicago, IL always envisioned I would come “show” part should always be to New York and work on joyful. The agenda will also include the following: Broadway. Here I am! Not 3) You joined the staff in • Report of the Central Regional Vice President exactly dancing in a big musical, January and have really “hit • Report of the Central Regional Director but that experience – that desire the ground running.” In these • Membership Discussion Period in accordance with the By-Laws - has informed all of the work I few short weeks, what The meeting in the WESTERN REGION will convene at 11 a.m. have done in my career. It challenges do you see facing in the Bellamy Board Room on the 5th Floor of the Equity Office, certainly informs my position as Equity? The change in the 6755 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA the Executive Director. My love economy and how it impacts us The agenda will also include: of performing is what has led - the Association, the life and me to work in arts work of the membership, our • Report of the Western Regional Vice President Mary McColl. • Report of the Western Regional Director administration because I bargaining partners in their • Membership Discussion Period in accordance with the By-Laws understand what it’s like to train, ability to employ us – is a very to be driven. That kind of union. After I realized dance big challenge. We are looking at training - that mindset - has would not be my career, I job opportunities, funding Your IncomeTax been what has inspired me to worked in a variety of positions challenges for our bargaining work to ensure the best possible that actually taught me what it partners and how that impacts DoYou Dabble? environment for performers. takes for a performing arts our members. The Production 2) You have a strong organization to be successful. I and LORT contracts – two very By Sandra Karas revenue, has been reviewing the background in arts learned from the ground up. important job generators – are VITA Site Coordinator forests of small businesses and administration. Tell us a little Those learning experiences going to be negotiated in the independent contractors to see s it rears its ugly head about that and how it allowed me to know every next twelve to fourteen months. how much extra tax it can shake every so often, the Hob - translates to being the aspect of a production. So as I Smaller contracts will be from the trees. So, woodland by Loss Rule – as it is Executive Director of a come on board as the Executive A friends, let us review the Code (continued on page 2) usually characterized – Section national performing arts Director, I still consider myself and see who qualifies. 183 of the Internal Revenue Internal Revenue Code §183 Code, has resurfaced in earnest lays out several tests to of late. The IRS, an agency that delineate between ongoing, for- regularly has to reinvent itself, or Council Approves Changes to Small profit business people and at least its methods of collecting dabblers or hobbyists. Both ProfessionalTheatre Contract must report income from their ventures, less ordinary and necessary expenses. The chief Members Surveyed to Determine Concerns difference is that the individuals t its meeting of January termination of a theatre’s catego - establish terms based on the and businesses that spend 18, 2011, Council ap - ry were added, reorganized or Rulebook. more than they bring in are Aproved the joint recom - clarified to make the Rulebook a A survey was conducted in restricted from doing so more mendation of the Eastern, more accessible document. December 2009 in order to than two years out of five. Those Central and Western Developing There are some expanded pa - determine the needs of the that report repeated losses are Theatre Committees for changes rameters in the area of media, membership working on this subject not only to this Code to the Small Professional Theatre too, including an increase in contract. More than 4,700 provision, but to strict penalties Agreement (SPT) that will run website footage from three min - members were emailed, and if they overstate expenses. If through June 7, 2015. Highlights utes to five minutes and the al - 1,202 responded. “The large you don’t know where you stand of the contract include a 3% in - lowance of footage on number of responses to the in this “business or hobby” crease in salaries in each year of Equity-approved non-embedda - (continued on page 2) minefield, here are the the agreement; improvements in ble third-party hosting sites. questions the IRS asks you to housing, including high speed in - Health payments increase slight - Index answer in making a ternet access and more required ly in the first two years of the determination. The parenthetical information about the contents of agreement, with payments in the Mary McColl: An interview ......... 1 S questions are mine: the housing; a 1/6 tech week following three years to be deter - Your income tax ..................... 1 • Does the time and effort salary bump for Stage Man - mined. W d AEA members rally for E e put into the activity indicate agers; a minimum number of The Small Professional t t s workers’ rights ....................... 2 e e 6 N e an intention to make a profit? u e 3 Chorus contracts in musicals; Theatre Agreement is a g r q 0 Y t a e t 0 History is made at N S Y (Are you actively pursuing this in s R updates to the overtime rates; promulgated contract that is 1 , o k h e r Geva Theatre Center ................ 3 P t Y T c i o a professional manner?) 6 and a minimum guarantee of re - utilized by theatres seating 349 s v N Y I r s 4 , e a w t l k • Do you depend on income Final Curtain ......................... 7 e S hearsal for replacement Actors. or fewer that are not in office r s C U N e s o d s Y n n from the activity? (Are you i W Additionally, provisions relating to cities. Each Producer on an SPT e National News ....................... 8 r o w Q d 5 d c i e d e 6 a earning your living – at least in rehearsals, performances, con - negotiates individually with a 1 A S P N E Letters ............................... 12 (continued on page 6) secutive productions, and the de - Business Representative to 2 / EQUITY news SPT Agreement AEA Members Rally for Workers’ Rights Continued from page 1 In Madison, survey was gratifying,” said Wisconsin (photo, Central Regional Director r) and New York City Kathryn V. Lamkey. “From the results we now have a better (l), AEA members picture of our members’ current demonstrate their concerns and the areas in which support for the they wish to see improvements.” collective bargaining The largest number of rights of public responses to the survey sector workers in indicated that salary increases Wisconsin and their were important, but respondents legal right to be also recognized the recent represented by a economic downturn and didn’t Union in that want to see the theatres “hurt.” bargaining.