MAY “I’ve been through 2011 it all, baby; Volume 96 Number 4 I’m Mother Courage.” — ElizabethTaylor EQUITYNEWS 1932-2011 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 2011 A Plenary Panoply Council Election By Nick Wyman s I had threatened in a allots were distributed on Monday, April 11, 2011. Even previous column, the if you did not pre-register for E-Voting, you can still vote Aentire elected leader - Bonline. When you receive your paper ballot, click on ship of Actors’ Equity – Officers, http://www.esc-vote.com/ae2011 . Enter your unique internet Councillors, non-Councillor Cen - log-in number and your Member ID. tral Regional Board members NOTE: The deadline for receipt of ballots in the 2011 and Area Liaisons – met for two National Election is Friday, May 20, 2011. Ballots must be days in New York City in mid- received by the balloting company by 5 p.m. Eastern Time. March. And what did we accom - Ballots will be tabulated on Saturday, May 21. Election results plish? Everything and nothing. will be posted on the website on Monday, May 23 and Everything was put on the table published in the June issue of Equity News. and nothing was resolved – and Twenty-eight Area Liaisons were among those gathered in New this was by design. This Ple - York for the Plenary/National Conference. nary/National Conference was The Shakespeare not intended to be a normal it (and I took 41 pages of notes) Staff was present but limited Council meeting: I did not chair fell into eight categories: Organ - their participation to listening Center of LA Receives the meeting; there was not a se - izing/Developing Theatre; Sup - and taking notes. On the other ries of resolutions to be voted porting the non-office-city actor; end of the spectrum, the up or down. Instead, Council - Communication –with members, Liaisons (who don’t normally 2011 LeNoire Award lors, non-Councillor CRB mem - with the outside world; Use and meet face to face) not only he Shakespeare Center established in 1988, recognizes bers and Liaisons brought up Support of Liaisons; Public Pol - brought up many ideas and of Los Angeles (SCLA) outstanding artistic contributions ideas, suggestions and con - icy; Committees; Gover - suggestions in the main body of Thas received AEA’s 2011 to the universality of the human cerns arranged loosely around nance/Relationship between the meetings, they also had Rosetta LeNoire Award. The experience in American Theatre. several general headings. These Staff, Council and Membership; three separate meetings on their Award was presented in a spe - The Award is given to an ideas and suggestions, as I saw Services/Member Education. (continued on page 2) cial ceremony to SCLA Founder individual, theatre or producing and Artistic Director Ben Donen - organization with an exemplary berg during the Western Mem - record in the hiring or promotion bership Meeting in Los Angeles of ethnic minorities, female on April 8, 2011. actors and actors with disabilities Budget, JobsTop Arts Advocacy Agenda The Rosetta LeNoire Award, through multi-racial and/or non- ational Arts Advocacy there was a White House brief - Ms. Horne joined the California Day was held in Wash - ing for sponsoring organizations delegation, meeting with Sena - Nington, DC, Tuesday, of Americans for the Arts. tor Barbara Boxer and Repre - April 5, 2011 with a possible Attending for Equity were sentatives Barbara Lee and government shutdown looming Councillor Marjorie Horne, Co- Lynn Woolsey. Mr. Berg met with on Friday, April 8. National Arts Chair of the National Public Poli - New York Senator Kirsten Gilli - Advocacy Day is an annual cy Committee, and Maria Som - brand and Representatives Ny - event organized by Americans ma, Equity spokesperson, and dia Velazquez, Carolyn Maloney, for the Arts, of which Equity is a Rick Berg, Eastern Regional Di - Nita Lowey and Jerrold Nadler. sponsoring member. It is actual - rector, both national public poli - During the presentation the ly a two-day event, with the first cy staffers for Equity. The Equity delegations addressed the eco - day consisting of a meeting of representatives split up and nomic impact of the arts on At the presentation of the Rosetta LeNoire Award in Los Angeles the several hundred attendees joined three different state dele - communities large and small in are: (l to r) Western Regional Director Mary Lou Westerfield; Western Business Rep Michael Van Duzer; SCLA Board member Jennifer listening to speakers on the gations from Americans for the each of the states. Part of the Hazel; SCLA Director of Communications Regina Cabrera; SCLA state of the arts and arts fund - Arts. Ms. Somma joined the Illi - discussions addressed the tax Artistic Director Ben Donenberg; Councillor and Western EEO Chair ing nationally, and the second nois delegation, meeting with revenues generated by the arts Barbara Roberts and Executive Director Mary McColl. day consisting of meetings with Illinois Congressional Represen - and each delegation provided Congressional Representatives tatives Senator Dick Durban, information about the number of traditional casting. and their staffs on Capitol Hill. and Representatives Jan jobs generated by the arts. Upon receiving the Award, Mr. Plus, for the first time this year, Schakowsky and Danny Davis. Donenberg said: “To fulfill (continued on page 2) Shakespeare’s vision for his plays, it’s critical for our productions to hold the mirror up to the history, landscape and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts people of Los Angeles. For us to fulfill our mission and provide full to ReceiveTony Honor for Excellence access to these plays, we must lli ance for Inclusion in which we live. We have stayed distinguishes the work of make artistic choices, particularly the Arts and its Execu - true to that mission and artists, producers and all casting choices, that reflect the Ative Director Sharon continue to work toward that theatre professionals essence of our community. It’s an Jensen will receive a 2011 Tony goal with the leadership of committed to the full inclusion amazing honor to receive this Honor for Excellence in The - Sharon and the guiding wisdom of people of color and with recognition from Equity and it’s atre. The award will be pre - of Joanna Merlin, who helped disabilities in our industry.” deeply appreciated.” sented in New York on June 11, found the organization and In 1986, The Shakespeare 2011. continues to serve on its Board. Index Center, operating as “The Board of Directors is This acknowledgement S Shakespeare Festival/LA, grateful to the Tony Awards represents not only the work of From the President .................. 3 presented its first professional, Administration Committee for the Board and staff, but the W Theatre Spotlight .................... 4 d union-contracted festival. E e this incredible award,” said support of theatre professionals t t s e e 6 Throughout its 25-year history, N Yes, you can—book jobs e u Linda Earle, Alliance President. across the country and we e 3 g r q 0 Y t a e t SCLA has created accessible 0 N S Y through EPAs, ECCs ................. 5 s “The organization was founded thank them as well.” R 1 , o k h e r P t Y T theatre that reflects the people, c i o in 1986 by artists whose aim “We are deeply honored by 6 s v N Y I r s National News ....................... 6 4 , e a w history and landscape of Los t l k e was to achieve full inclusion in this prestigious recognition,” S r s C U N e s o d Angeles and follows a casting s Final curtain ........................ 12 Y n n i American arts and adds Ms. Jensen. “By honoring W e r o w Q d 5 d c i policy that reflects the rich e d e 6 a entertainment and thus, the Alliance, the Tony Awards Letters ............................... 12 1 A S P N E (continued on page 2) accurately reflect the society in Administration Committee 2 / EQUITY news MAY 2011 Advocacy Agenda million from the FY 2010 level of Area Liaison The Chalk Project and the $167.5 million, which is signifi - continued from page 1 Hotline system cantly better than the previous Triangle Fire Memorial The White House briefing in - House-approved level of $124.4 cluded remarks by Actors Alec million and somewhat better Call 877-AEA-1913 By Joanne Borts watch. Others asked questions Baldwin and Hill Harper, both than the President’s request of about the project. Most just Equity has a National toll-free ne hundred years ago, Equity members, and Kalpen $146 million for FY 2012. Also stood quietly, wondering who hotline system for members who on March 25, 1911, Modi, an Actor who has joined these young women had been – included in this budget bill is live in Area Liaison and office New Yorkers witnessed the White House staff as Asso - O and who they might have $25.5 million in funding for the cities. The number is 877-AEA- the worst workplace disaster in ciate Director of the White become. As I headed up to the Arts in Education programs at 1913 (honoring the year of Eq - its history before 9/11. A fire House Office of Public Engage - memorial service, I saw where the U.S. Department of Educa - uity’s founding). Each Area broke out on the ment. Other speakers included tion, which had been zeroed-out Liaison city has its own exten - 8th floor of the Tri - administration staffers Rocco in a previous continuing resolu - sion, where members can ac - angle Waist Com - Landesman, the former Broad - tion, and which representatives pany, one block way producer and theatre own - cess news and information in had told us would indeed be ze - east of Washing - er, now Chairman of the Nation - their region.