Equity News Magazine

The Foundation Awards offer something no other awards body does: the opportunity to recognize artists not only for their great performances, but for bodies of work and the humanitarian impact they have had on and through the theatre community.

As one of the biggest and fastest growing U.S. cities, it is only right that Houston has a vibrant live arts scene. While its Equity community has long been established and tight knit, in recent years contract opportunities have picked up with the pace of the growth.

When an actor or stage manager is hired for a show and receives an Equity contract, the rulebook for that contract becomes their bible for the length of the job.

The bargaining cycle is an evolutionary one, with each collective bargaining agreement ideally being an improvement on the last. But how does Equity start from zero, when there is no previous agreement upon which to build?

Union rules and practices come with a lot of terminology. Here is a rundown of some words and phrases that come up a lot when Equity is negotiating for a new agreement.

At this time in the United States, telling human stories onstage may feel extra important, or fraught, or polarizing or heightened in any other number of ways. We spoke to members working on productions around the country about the importance of telling stories, what their show's themes brought up for them and making art in a time of political upheaval.

Equity member Fady Demian recently concluded a run as Omid, a student in an English class in Iran in "English" at Cincinnati Playhouse.

Holt spoke about the ways that d/Deaf performers might navigate their art differently. For example, as a dancer, she found that it took her longer to pick up on the steps because she was not hearing the choreographer explain them concurrently with the demonstration. She emphasized the importance of using different learning styles as an instructor to make sure that everyone in the room can be included.

For the last several years, the city of Detroit has been focused on revitalization, improving or creating housing, businesses and infrastructure. That growth includes the arts, which has a rich history in the city. Detroit Public Theatre is both a symbol of how far city renewal has come, and an institution doing its part to improve the local economy and lives of its neighbors.

With Broadway Serves, Equity members and their colleagues in the industry have the opportunity to project that energy outwards through public service.

Every year, the Actors' Equity Foundation acts on behalf of the Equity community to award grants to theatres across the country.