The Vision of City Equity Theatre
Founders Gardner and Fuller envision CITY EQUITY as a theatre where members of EQUITY (living in or moving to Birmingham) can work.
Hopefully (3 years after the theatre company operates under a full contract) City Equity Theatre will become THE place in Birmingham where non-union actors could earn points toward membership in Actor's Equity Association.
Actors Equity (Equity) is the union for professional stage actors and stage-managers.
Visit http://www.actorsequity.org/home.html for more information about the union.
Actors become members of Equity for many reasons but ultimately it comes down to being able to compete in large metropolitan areas for professional employment as an actor;
with predetermined rules, regulations, work hours, and benefits such as health insurance and a pension.
In cities like Los Angeles and New York, Equity members are allowed to perform at theatres which sign on to either the 99 seat Waiver plan (LA )or the Showcase Code (in New York) these allow actors to work in spaces under 99 seats, in order to be able to continue to "work on their craft," and showcase their work. But in smaller metropolitan areas like Birmingham members are extended this opportunity by using the Member’s Project Code.
AMERICAN BUFFALO and SOMEONE WHO'LL WATCH OVER ME were produced under this agreement, as will be the upcoming productions of...
THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAN and FAITH HEALER for 2007.
For its population and growth, Birmingham (the "magic" city) is one of the few cities left in the South without an equity company. Memphis has 2 equity theatres which occasionally use the Special Appearance Agreement, and 2 which use the Guest Artist agreements. Atlanta has many: 9 operating under union contracts and 9 using the occasional Guest Artist of Special Appearance agreement. Nashville has 4 equity theatre and Montgomery has 1 (very big) one! Maybe you've heard of it?
Equity members living in Birmingham however have virtually no options for continuing to work in a legitimate "work on their craft."
These options include:
(1) Producing their own shows and hiring themselves to perform (not realistic for most.)
(2) Finding theatre willing to offer them "guest artist" or "special appearance" contracts.
(3) Going "inactive" from Equity. This is done through the form of a temporary withdrawal and does not grant them the right to perform in non-union houses.
(4) Resigning their membership, offering them the option of working (with or without pay) whereever they want, but also offers no guarantee of later membership reactivation.
But mostly (in Birmingham) there is just a great deal of misunderstanding about what it means to be an "equity" member at all. If you asked most people what equity was, they would probably answer "it's money in your house!"
And that's what City Equity founders hope to change. That and (as founding member Dennis McLernon says) "just get the chance to DO THE ART!"
Ironically (speaking to those individuals that think Actors Equity is only about "to be...paid or not to be...paid"), for its first two seaons CITY EQUITY will operate The Member’s Project Code which REQUIRES That NO ADMISSION be charged for performances.
INSTEAD Equity asks that patrons pay a "suggested donation."
So...that's what we will do...until we can afford to do more. These "donations" will be used to "pay off" all production expenses first and then compensate the members for their work in the production, etc., if there is anything left over.
Next summer (2008) Fuller and Gardner will produce 3 shows under
their first full Actors Equity Association contract! More to come!
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| Alan Gardner, Co-Artistic Director |
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| Jonathan Fuller, Co-Artistic Director |
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