New York -- Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, celebrates its ninth annual Swing Day tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, 2024, honoring the hard-working performers who go on stage, sometimes at a moment’s notice, to cover multiple chorus roles.
A swing is a member of the ensemble who learns multiple parts, or tracks, and is on standby to cover for multiple members of the chorus. Depending on the needs of a production, a swing could go on for any number of tracks, including those written for other genders, ages or even more than one track at once. A swing may only learn they are going on moments before a performance begins, or even in the middle of a show.
“With each passing year it becomes more and more clear how invaluable swings are to our industry,” said Al Bundonis, Actors' Equity Association's second vice president (representing the chorus) and chair of the Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA). “Swings exemplify the best of the chorus and have kept the curtain up time and time again. We are excited to spend the day celebrating and uplifting swings by acknowledging all the incredible work you do.”
Equity will be amplifying the voices of swings across the country tomorrow, including releasing a new video roundtable discussion featuring four swings in conversation about the unique role they play in the theatre industry at 10:30 a.m. ET on Equity’s YouTube page. Equity also invites anyone who has worked as a swing to chime in on social media about their experiences using the hashtags #EquityTeamSwing or #SwingDay2024.
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
January 16, 2024
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