| re: The Broadway Alliance? | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 02:58 pm EST 11/30/17 | |
| In reply to: The Broadway Alliance? - seeseveryshow 02:47 pm EST 11/30/17 | |
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| That is exactly what I was thinking of...with your assistance supplying the name, I was able to dig up more information from an article by Bruce Lazarus: " The Broadway Alliance was created in 1990 by the League of American Theatres and Producers; the three major Broadway theatre operators, Shubert, Jujamcyn, and Nederlander Theatres; and the performing and theatrical unions, agreeing to cut salaries and fees to encourage more non-musical play production on Broadway. At that time, Roger explained, plays like Steel Magnolias, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, and Driving Miss Daisy were big hits off Broadway. They began to take on lives of their own that Broadway plays took on in an earlier time, gaining national recognition and being made into feature films with major stars like Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Michelle Pfeiffer, Al Pacino and Morgan Freeman. Suddenly, both movie stars looking for projects and audiences from outside Manhattan were going off the beaten path to see theatre. So, labor, management, and creative theatre artists came together with a creative solution to stimulate the production of non-musical plays on for Broadway, and make tickets more affordable (the equivalent of the top price off Broadway: in 1990, the top ticket price for a Broadway Alliance show was $37.50, but now a top ticket price may be set at up to $50.00). In 1990, 4 New York City theaters - the Belasco, the Nederlander, the Walter Kerr, and the Lyceum - were designated for Broadway Alliance productions. There are now eleven theaters that may house these productions. The additional 7 are the Ambassador, the Brooks Atkinson, the Cort, the Golden, the Longacre, the Eugene O’Neill and the Neil Simon. The Broadway Alliance calls for a limit on the production budget of $850,000. When he or she is drawing up the budgets for a Broadway Alliance production, the general manager has to work within that figure. Even funds set aside specifically as a “reserve” must be included in the $850,000. All of the 14 major theatrical unions, as well as theatre operators, producers and suppliers, agreed to take salary, royalty, or manpower concessions for plays produced under a Broadway Alliance contract, and a general manager must take all of this into consideration as well when developing budgets for a Broadway Alliance production. At this point in time, most union members are paid 75% of union minimum salary (“scale”) on a Broadway Alliance show, although the situation can vary from union to union. An Actor’s Equity member may receive anywhere from 75% of scale to $3,500 a week maximum for a star who receives billing credit above the title. General and company managers, press agents and attorneys are paid less than their usual fees, advertising agencies are paid less than their usual commissions, and even accountants, insurance brokers, casting directors and sign companies take a reduction in their fees. The New York Times will charge a Broadway Alliance production the off-Broadway rate for display advertising, which is approximately 22% lower than the Broadway rate. In exchange for their concessions, all union personnel working at a reduced rate on a Broadway Alliance production share 10% of the weekly operating profits of the show after recoupment (when the investors have been repaid their initial investment). The experiment got off to a slow start but has been a success overall. Two of the most recent Broadway Alliance productions, Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class, won the Tony Awards for Best Play of their season, recouped their investment and had long runs on Broadway. Love! Valour! Compassion! was made into a films. Roger explained that it is relatively simple to submit your production for Broadway Alliance consideration. The producer submits his or her idea to the Broadway Alliance office at the League of American Theatres and Producers, along with a $25.00 fee and 7 copies of the script, production budget and operating budget. Remember that the production budget may not exceed $850,000. Musicals are not accepted, although if your production is a “play with music” rather than a musical, you may have live musicians in your production. Members of the musicians’ union, Local 802, will play in such a Broadway Alliance production at a reduced salary." Interesting that all three plays that Lazarus cites as off-Broadway hits of the time were later revived on Broadway. I wonder if The Broadway Alliance still exists and just hasn't been used lately, or if it's completely gone away. |
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