Equity News July / August 2012
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JULY/ AUGUST “What happens 2012 on tour, Volume 97 stays on tour.” Number 6 EQUITYNEWS — Dame SybilThorndike 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 Membership Meetings Set Equity Receives aTony for 2012-2013 Season eceiving a Tony dress the The following dates have been set for Equity “ Award® is a dream actors, to light Membership Meetings in 2012-2013: Rcome true, “ said the stage, to President Nick Wyman play the music, Eastern Region Friday, October 12, 2012 – 2 pm accepting a 2012 Special Tony to enable us to Friday, January 11, 2013 – 2 pm Award in recognition of Equity’s be heard over 100th Anniversary. the music—we Central Region “I share it with the 49,000 are all in this Monday, October 8, 2012 – Time TBA current members and tens of together. This is Monday, January 14, 2013 – Time TBA thousands of earlier members. ashared Western Region All of Equity—past and dream—this is Monday, October 8, 2012 – Time TBA present—thanks the Tony the dream we Monday, January 14, 2013 – Time TBA Administration Committee, the all had as kids, All Regions Broadway League and the a dream we get The Annual Membership Meeting is Friday, April 12, 2013 at American Theatre Wing. ‘We to live eight 2 pm Eastern Time, 1 pm Central time and 11 am Pacific Time. are such stuff as dreams are times a week. The Regions will be connected by telephonic hook-up in order made on.’ Thank you for making On behalf of my that members in all Regions may hear the statements of our dreams a reality.” 49,000 fellow candidates running for election. President Nick Wyman and Executive Director Mr. Wyman, who attended Mary McColl at the Tony Awards. dreamers, I say, the June 10 presentation ‘I being poor ceremony with Executive Without us there’s no show!’ have only my Director Mary McColl, went on Well, we all need one dreams; I have spread my Broadway Gypsies on to say: “Actors—particularly another—to write the show, to dreams under your feet; Tread during negotiations—like to talk raise the money, to sell the softly because you tread on my CBS, Playbill.com tough and say, ‘They need us! tickets, to move the scenery, to dreams.’ Thank you.” n Sunday, June 10, interviews with David the day of the Tony Westphal, AEA’s National OAward presentation Chorus Business and telecast, CBS Sunday Representative (as well as a How theTony Awards Became Morning aired “The Lives of Chorus Actor for 25 years) and Broadway Gypsies,” a behind- Florence Baum (Gentlemen Controversial and What AEA the-scenes look at the joys and Prefer Blondes), who loaned accomplishments of some of her dressing gown to Bill Broadway’s best-known Chorus Bradley, who then passed it to Did About It Actors at various stages in a friend in Call Me Madam, By Mary McColl, Union’s Centennial; President Then, a week before the their careers. Featured in the which started the tradition of Executive Director Nick Wyman and I would be on broadcast, the Tony Awards story were: Adrian Bailey, the Gypsy Robe in 1950. hand to accept the award and Organization issued a press Jessica Bishop, Jennie Ford, For the Gypsy Robe his year’s Tony Awards® videos recognizing Equity’s 100 release and we found out two Jean Michelle Grier, JoAnn recipients of the 2011-2012 held the promise of great years were created for airing disturbing pieces of information. Hunter, Richard Korthaze, season, see page 6 in this excitement. The day T during the presentation and One of the presenters would be Brian O’Brien, Chita Rivera, issue. would start with a CBS Sunday during commercial breaks. Our entertainment mogul and multi- Judine Somerville and Tad To see the CBS telecast, Morning segment celebrating members would be performing hyphenate Tyler Perry, who Wilson. Playbill.com partnered visit www.cbsnews.com/ the Broadway Chorus, and the scenes and musical numbers produces non-Equity stage with CBS in this tribute to sunday-morning/arts. Gypsy Robe Ceremony. At the from their shows as part of the productions, and there would be Broadway’s Gypsies for To read the interviews with awards ceremony, Actors’ Equity telecast and it would be a aliveperformanceofanon- extended interviews with these Chorus Members, visit Association would receive a celebratory night in our history. Chorus Members, plus www.playbill.com. Special Tony in honor of the (continued on page 4) generous gift, the program VITA Kicks Off Capital Campaign needs only $7,604 to complete the purchase. Equity’s IT With 10K Donation in Honor of department will install the units and the expectation is that this Co-Founder Conard Fowkes new equipment should serve VITA for several years. ust when the volunteers an Actor in New York. Ms. Ms. Karas expressed VITA’s thought they had everything Karas said there was a J deep gratitude to Delroy Lindo, under control at VITA (the project coming up that without whose help this project Volunteer Income Tax Assis- would benefit greatly from might not have been realized, tance program) this year, their his help and Mr. Lindo and pledged to continue to printers started to act up and, as pledged $10,000 to support provide the VITA services as a result, VITA was down one the volunteer tax program long as possible to union desk all season. A second sta- and the memory of his members, especially those who tion is now also out of commis- friend Conard Fowkes, who need some extra help or are sion and, without new had prepared his taxes for struggling to make ends meet. equipment, the 2013 season so many years. would probably not be able to The project includes the Index open on time—or with any hope purchase of computers, of providing the usual free serv- printers and upgraded Equity receives a Tony..............1 ice to members of AEA and software for the entire VITA From the President..................3 NEWS SAG-AFTRA. office. Every station will Theatre Spotlight ....................5 Enter Delroy Lindo, who have new, updated Gypsy Robe: sought out Sandra Karas, Sandra Karas with Delroy Lindo. equipment, making the tax 2011-2012 season...................6 Equity’s Secretary-Treasurer preparation easier and UITY Celebrate 100 years of Equity .....7 and Director of the NY VITA give back to the program that more efficient for volunteers and National News .......................8 Q had helped him “back in the day” members alike. The total cost is 165 West 46th Street New York, NY 10036 Address Service Requested Second Class Postage Paid in New York, NY program, to see if there was E Letters ...............................12 some way in which he could when he was making inroads as $17,603.99. With Mr. Lindo’s 2 / EQUITY news JULY/AUGUST 2012 Area Liaison AEA/Eisenberg Scholarship Hotline system Goes to Michigan Senior Call 877-AEA-1913 am Lips, University of who could sing, act and dance Michigan Class of 2012, so I moved more in the direction Equity has a National toll-free has received this year’s of musical theatre from then on.” hotline system for members who S AEA/Alan Eisenberg Award Sam learned he was the 2012 live in Area Liaison and office Scholarship. He is the sixth grad- recipient of the Eisenberg Award cities. The number is 877-AEA- uating student to receive the after coming home from a very 1913 (honoring the year of Eq- award, which was created by for- frustrating rehearsal. “It was to- uity’s founding). Each Area mer AEA Executive Director Alan ward the end of the school year Liaison city has its own exten- Eisenberg, an alumnus of the and I had so much on my mind sion, where members can ac- school. The award, in the amount that I was planning on just going cess news and information in Dr. Barry Kohn (l) gives a flu shot to Harvey Evans as Chita of $5,000, is given to a graduat- to bed. Lying in bed, I checked Rivera awaits her turn. their region. ing senior in the University’s Mu- my email and I had a message (1) Dial 877-AEA-1913 sical Theatre Program. from the chair of our department (2) Dial your city extension: Sam grew up in Denver, Col- at Michigan titled ‘Some Exciting News.’The message told me that Free Flu Shot Program 811 Atlanta the faculty had selected me to 812 Austin/San Antonio receive this award based on the to Begin in September 813 Boston work I had done during my four oonitwillbefallinNew year’s new vaccine. 814 Buffalo/Rochester years at Michigan. After that I York, with winter and the Dr. Barry Kohn, Medical Di- 815 Chicago couldn’t fall asleep. I was in total 2012-13 flu season follow- rector of Physician Volunteers for shock. I never thought that I S 816 Cincinnati/Louisville ingsoonafter. the Arts, and other volunteer 817 Cleveland would be the one that they would About to begin its 15th year, doctors, will make “house calls” 818 Dallas/Fort Worth pick for this award. the Annual Broadway and Off- throughout the fall to Broadway 819 Denver “Ultimately, this award serves Broadway Free Flu Shot Pro- and Off-Broadway shows, not- 820 Detroit as a constant reminder to keep gram is brought to you by for-profit theatre companies and improving and keep growing as a 821 Florida – Central Physician Volunteers for the Arts, many of the theatrical union of- performer.