Equity in the News Stage Directions

The arts, entertainment, and media unions—including IATSE and Actors’ Equity Association—affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) announced their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy agenda during a digital press conference with union leaders, staff, and members. The DEI policy agenda details the legislative action the unions will urge members of Congress to support to help make their industries more representative.

Dr. David Michaels, former head of OSHA during the Obama Administration, is working with Equity to establish safe and sanitary procedures for theatrical work during COVID-19. These guidelines are all built on four core principals required to ensure the health of our members as well as everyone else who works at or attends theatre during this time. In this video from Actors’ Equity, Dr. Michaels explains what each of these principals mean.

Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing professional stage actors and stage managers, has released a public list of resources geared towards producers looking to resume live theatre.

Following the Broadway League’s announcement extending Broadway’s closure through at least January 3, 2021, many other theaters, dance, and opera companies are following suit. Theater workers will most likely be out of work for the rest of the year; at least. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is set to expire on July 25, 2020. Everyone needs to reach out to their Senator to vote on extending the PUA weekly benefits through the end of the year as soon as they return to DC on July 20.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival announced today it will cancel its 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Festival announced a revised season on April 13, there are simply too many obstacles to overcome. The safety and health of the Festival’s staff, artists, audiences and community guided this difficult but necessary decision.