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What We Do—Working in the Theatre Covering the Scope of Work in the Professional Theatre and How It All Interrelates in the Production of a Broadway Show

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What We Do—Working in the Theatre Covering the Scope of Work in the Professional Theatre and How It All Interrelates in the Production of a Broadway Show Behind the Lion’s Roar A Broadway Stagehand’s Journal Chronicling 2 years of unethical, unprofessional and unprovoked behavior at The New Amsterdam Theater by Bo Metzler (I.A. Local One) ii Behind the Lion’s Roar Copyright © 2010 by Bo Metzler All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, photographic including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author. Behind the Lion’s Roar iii This book is dedicated to all the loyal, professional, talented, hard-working, rank-and-file Broadway stagehands who may have been subjected to the misguided authority and callous will of the fortuitous few who are in complete control of the jobs and that have abused their power and privilege while being protected by the Union system. iv Behind the Lion’s Roar Behind the Lion’s Roar v TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ……………………………..……….……….... 1 * Why I wrote this book * How I got here (career history) JOURNAL FRONTPIECE…………..……………….…17 CHAPTER ONE ……………………………………. …. 19 The Beginning of the End (April 2004 — 5/08/04) * Timmy’s patronizing * My 2-week notice * Timmy’s Big Blow-up * I chat with Victor * I chat with Jimmy about what I should do * Boomer & Kevin talk to Victor * My phone call to Boomer * A Reprieve * Feeling like an outsider CHAPTER TWO ………………………………………. 42 The Retaliation Begins (5/09/04 — 7/12/04) * Boomer does the ABC Rollout * Missed cues * My extra duties * Boomer does Hedley Concert Behind the Lion’s Roar vii * My posters start disappearing * I am not invited to special work calls (Victor crosses departmental lines) * Some people can be late * My bowling team photo is vandalized * I am “alienating” * Marshal becomes prop sub * Crossing departmental lines for a work call * Slander moves to other theatres * Marshal does call – against procedure CHAPTER THREE …………………………………..….. 55 Is Help on the Way? (7/13/04 — 9/18/04) * First call to the Union B.A. * Ray busts balls * Timmy flaunts work I am not called in for * Edict for Victor * I play phone tag with the B.A. * Talked to Pat about State Theatre * Fight on the fly floor * Taccone owns the place * Rehearsals & Cues and who should do them * I talked to Drew about my son subbing; Timmy snipping * The question of sexual harassment * Bumped on Elephant rehearsal * Finally talked to Kevin (B.A.) * Telling Hammer my side of the story CHAPTER FOUR ………………………………………...75 “Loyalty Has Nothing To Do With It” (9/19/04 — 10/29/04) * Second talk with Victor viii Behind the Lion’s Roar * Chat with Asst. Company Manager * Hair aftermath * Breaking conditions * Timmy late and filled with pettiness * Ticket order form vandalized * The Great Chair Mystery * Timmy is grandstanding * The Great Habitat Flyers Mystery * I’m the only one who works * The Great Gizmo Mystery * The Great Habitat Flyer Mystery * “Later, you two” * I try to give up Wednesday work calls * Calling the B.A. * Timmy caught in the act! * Bringing Ray up to speed * “Ay, there's the rub” (Comment) * “No one dictates . their employment” * Flyers going up and Flyers coming down * Ray, Victor & I talk * Troublemaker (NOTE) * Dealing with the harassment * Calling the B.A. * Timmy and the chairs * Talked to Kevin (the B.A.) * Inebriation CHAPTER FIVE …………………………………….….104 Bigger Fish (11/01/04 — 12/31/04) * E-mail to Kevin * Typical Wednesday work call * I called a lawyer * Hammer & Ray breaking conditions * Timmy doubling? * Flyer vandalism again Behind the Lion’s Roar ix * I call Kevin * A “feeling” * The plot thickens * I go build a house for Habitat * Frost will meet * Chris learns shows * Leap frog * Meeting with Frost at Disney * “We will turn back the clock” * “What does he want?” * Kevin calls me * Victor bad mouthing me on the phone; I talk to Frost; I talk to Tony * THOUGHTS * Carl learns my show * I receive the letter from Frost * I talked to Kevin – rehash * I met with the lawyer * A day of conversations * Jay is hot; talk about Shop Steward * Christmas Eve * THOUGHTS * Timmy returns * Payday * Happy New Year 2005 CHAPTER SIX: ………………………………………… 150 A New Year, Mr. President (1/02/05 — 2/26/05) * COMMENT * Visit Joe H. at the Ford Center * Interesting day * THOUGHTS * Hammer does rehearsal * Shop Steward talk x Behind the Lion’s Roar * THOUGHTS * The negotiating team * More on Steward Elections * Ray finally talks to Kevin * A call from President Claffey and Kevin * COMMENTS * Shop Steward Elections * Work call; Victor’s excuse; negotiations * “Extra” work; Negotiations; Possible work on Chitty * COMMENT * First rehearsal in a long time; Doing things for others * Seems quiet * Why I want to give up work calls * John is oblivious * Timmy grandstanding again * Contract meeting * Claffey phone call * Just Cause * E-mail to Claffey / Kevin about Just Cause * Covering * Dissention in the ranks * COMMENTS * Things interrelate * Rehearsal without me – breaking down conditions * Cop out * Games * I get a work call * Things are calm CHAPTER SEVEN ………………………………….. 191 Winds of Change (3/01/05 — 12/07/05) * Work call Behind the Lion’s Roar xi * What Bivone doesn’t do * Stirring it up * Ignoring the directive * Sondheim Event * Forgetful crew * COMMENT * Repairing the Elephant * Timmy doubling; others take it easy * Easter Bonnet Show * Tony stops talking to me * Phantom in Vegas * Back from trip to Philippines * Incessant lateness * Comment * Second trip to Philippines * How little for how much? * Moving the show * Tarzan Presentation * The Great Bird Kite Controversy * Another Special Event without me * Prop room key * Trying to contact Claffey * Job security * I talk to Claffey & Victor about future work * I met with Frank L. at the Minskoff * Claffey & I play phone tag * Chat with Claffey * The big formal move announcement * Supercilious * Is this guy twelve? * Who’s job is it? * Finally talked to Claffey * COMMENTS * Talk to Jim & Drew about future work * They’re being super nice xii Behind the Lion’s Roar * Taccone needs help * Timmy “helping” * The great and wonderful Bivone CHAPTER EIGHT ………………………………...…239 Breaking Conditions (12/08/05 — 2/28/06) * Dumping the cue and splitting * How others see them * Laying some foundation * Visual evidence; Bivone “forgets” cue * Using sick days for vacation; Bivone puts broken prop in the show * Vacation * A New Year; Jim won’t use me in electrics * Meeting at the Union Hall * THOUGHTS * Bivone works his magic * Bivone disappears * Working non-stop * THOUGHTS * Why can’t anyone be upstanding about mirrors and last cue? * Breaking Conditions * “Don’t you fuckin’ question me” * Breaking conditions * COMMENTS * Inalienable right to hire * Crossing departmental lines * Incompetence * COMMENTS * What does the Union stand for? * Second meeting with President Claffey * The Bottom Line CHAPTER NINE ……………………………………. 270 Bigger Picture (2/29/06 — 4/23/06) Behind the Lion’s Roar xiii * Work * Behavior * No Timmy * COMMENTS * I get an Elephant rehearsal * COMMENT * A view from the hair room; A chat with Jimmy * THOUGHTS * Nowhere without Timmy * Grandstanding * COMMENTS * Mixed up ethics * Elephant rehearsal without me * Drama with Jimmy * Got Married * John opens his heart to me * Rehearsal * “There is no God” * Timmy gone to Las Vegas * Rehearsal * Easter Bonnet Event CHAPTER TEN ………………………………..……….. 285 Bullshit (4/25/06 — 6/17/06) * The move to the Minskoff has begun * Elephant rehearsal * 5 weeks till * The move * The great Bivone * Mirrors * Taccone is un-liked * Elephant rehearsal – Tony is assistant! * Exchange e-mails with Claffey xiv Behind the Lion’s Roar * I injure myself * E-mails to Victor & Claffey * Claffey responds * The final exchange of e-mails with Victor EPILOGUE — Follow up details ….………………..…. 296 SUMMARY — Let me make things perfectly clear …...309 APPENDIX ……………………………….. ……………..330 * Local One work rules ……………………………331 * Local One By-Laws……………………...………333 * Local One hiring practices……………………….334 * Thought provoking Adages…………………...…337 * Definitions of character & behavioral terms…….339 * Quotes from apropos movies…………………….345 Behind the Lion’s Roar xv PREFACE Why I Wrote This Book On May 25, 2006, I was injured in an accident at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York. At that moment, at age 55, my career as a Local One Broadway stagehand ended. I was carrying one end of a small sofa up a half flight of steps toward an elevator. It was part of a pre-move of some non-essential dressing room items that were being trucked to the Minskoff Theatre, which was to become the new home for Disney’s The Lion King. I lost my footing, fell backwards and landed with my neck hitting the handrail (ouch!). In a flash I saw myself in a wheelchair just like Christopher Reeve—who I had helped up a ramp into the theatre when he visited for a symposium a couple of years earlier. I tried to continue my work, but I was in a lot of pain. Within days, after visits to the doctor and an MRI, it was determined that the neck trauma had blown a disk and that I was pretty lucky to be walking. As a result of the accident, my life has changed completely. Since I couldn’t work anymore, my healthy paychecks ceased to exist. This was tough, not to mention sad. I had been doing theatre, in one capacity or another, for some 40 years—ever since High School. I had been working as a Broadway stagehand for 18 years (since 1988) and, on The 2 Behind the Lion’s Roar Lion King, off and on, since 1997 (going full time from 2002- 2006). I loved the theatre. It was all I ever did. It was all I ever wanted to do—except for being an astronaut (wasn’t), a dad (was), a contestant on Survivor (not) and building houses for Habitat for Humanity (several times).
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