Press Releases

Kate Shindle, President of Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, released the following statement in reaction to President Trump’s proposed budget. The new budget plan again proposes to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts.

Actors’ Equity Association has announced that Lynn Rhinehart has been named Special Counsel, effective immediately.

Representatives from Actors’ Equity Association joined the 32nd Annual Arts Advocacy Day meeting in Washington, D.C. to protect the bipartisan National Endowment for the Arts. The meetings were part of a multi-day national arts action summit meeting that united arts advocates from across the country. 

Actors’ Equity Association issued the following statement regarding media reports about the cancellation of performances of the musical inspired by the life of Michael Jackson scheduled for late October.

The National Council of Actors’ Equity Association has approved the terms of a new contract with the Broadway League to replace the Lab Agreement, ending Equity’s first strike in nearly 50 years. 

It is estimated that every NEA dollar generates 10 dollars in arts funding. However, due to the partial government shutdown that began December 22, the NEA has been closed.

Swings play a crucial role in the daily life of a show. They are the company members who cover the parts played by other chorus members and know every detail of every “track”  – the dialogue, the blocking, the harmonies, even what side of the stage enter and exit from.

The International Federation of Actors (FIA) stands in solidarity and supports Equity's campaign for decent pay for development work on Broadway musicals.

Following the announcement this week that Equity’s National Council has authorized a strike against the Broadway League for all Development work, Actors’ Equity Association is advising all non-union actors and stage managers that they will be prohibited from joining the union in the future if they agree to take work that is subject to Equity’s strike

Following the launch of a strike yesterday, members of Actors’ Equity Association have hit the streets, asking audiences to join Equity's fight for a stronger Lab Agreement with the Broadway League. Today Equity members greeted ticket buyers outside the Broadway TKTS location and asked them to join the #NotALabRat campaign. Audience members who supported the campaign were given one of Equity’s #NotALabRat buttons to wear into their shows.