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Broadway Update 3/6/03

Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-03-06 14:19

A letter to all from Jim Roe, a musician at "AIDA"

"Hello friends:

We are now at the final hour for live musicians on Broadway. If the League of American Theaters and Producers has its way, tomorrow night will be the last night with live pit orchestras in Broadway theaters.

Hundreds of jobs and an indigenous American art form are on the line, and over what? Corporate greed. All the live music on Broadway is paid for by less than $3 per ticket. (By contrast, the advertising budget takes nearly $12 per ticket,) Yet, the League proposes to 1) reduce the size of orchestras from 26 live musicians to 7, 2) reject a 5% raise over the next 5 years, 3) reduce our pension, and 4) take away our job security. I think they would propose dancing on our graves it they could get the language into the contract.

If you have any interest in this issue, there is still something simple you can do. The hundreds of musicians who make their living in Broadway theaters hope it'll help. At the end of this letter are the phone numbers for New York City's major Theatrical Production companies. Please call them (You'll only speak with a secretary. Don't worry, you won't have to argue with a "real live" producer.) and tell them that you won't buy tickets to Broadway if they kill the music. That's all you have to say. Though you can say more is you'd like.

I offer my sincere thanks. The only thing that can save us now is a public outcry strong enough to reach the ears of the corporate production companies listed below. Please pass this along to any friends, if you think they'd like to help."

Jim Roe
Broadway Oboist
NYC

League of American Theaters and Producers (212) 764-1122
Shuberts (212) 944-3700
Nederlanders (212) 840-5577
Jujamcyn (212) 840-8181
Disney (212) 827-5442
Alan Wasser Associates (212) 307-0800
Dodgers (212) 565-9710

JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist

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