Theatre Design & Technology - May 1966 - 11

production, but who work professionclly in areas such ture Art Directors. The New York and Chicago osas Off-Broadway, university campuses, community sociations are autonomaus.
theatres, dance groups, stock and related categories.
It is clear that union attitudes vary from conservaAn Associate must be sponsored by a Senior Member
tive to liberal, from static to progressive. These
to obtain membership.
differences, together with innumerable variations in
In addition to the standard contract services, job operating procedure, make for a complex system afIt is a wonder that so many
placement has been a concern of SSDC. It has also fecting theatre art.
founded a non-profit Workshop Foundation Corporation interests, temperaments, and backgrounds have ever
devoted to the craft growth of its members. Included worked toward a cohesive theatrical moment. That
in the Workshop program are a round table, an open they have indeed is to their collective credit.
rehearsal program for members (who can observe
Broadway shows in productionL and a membership
consultation service.
Contemplated jurisdictions include regional and
repertory theatre, industrials, ballet companies, and
the like. SSDC is also pursuing fuller reapprochement between New York-based professionals and
university, regional, and community theatres.

FOOTNOTES
UNITED SCENIC ARTISTS (USA) Union designers,
as we know them today, did not always exist. Of
course, there were people doing scenic work in the
theatre before the USA. However, they were artists
working in scenic studiosuin other words, those who
did the painting or made scenic models.
Since theatre was the only entertainment form of its
kind, employment opportunities were excellent.
In
fact, painters tended to specialize: one would be a
foliage man, another a wood-grain expert, and so
forth.
Road show painters were particularly well
paid, even by today's salary standards. However, at
about the time the AAAA was organizing, designers
were in sufficient quantity and felt the need for a
union structure.
Since 1918, the United Scenic Artists has been the
association wh ich supplied the entertainment and
exhibition fields with personnel required for designing, lighting, and costuming productions.
The
union's members are employed by musical and dramatic theatre, opera, ballet, circus, television, motion
picture, and industrial productions.

1. Associotion of Press Agents ond Managers, Hondbook, (New
York, 1956), p. 21.
2.

Associated

Actors

and

Artistes

Americo,

Constitution

(New York, 1965), p. 1.
3.

Actors'

Equity

Association, "About Actors' EquitYl

(New

York, c. 1964), p. 2.
4.
5.

Ibid. pp. 2-3.
Actors'

Equity Association, "You Are

Member of Equity,"

(New York, 1962), p. 3.
6.

Ibid., p. 1.

United States Institute for Theotre Technology, "Administration Supplement to the USI TT News leller," (New York,
Jonuory 1966), pp. 2-4 (mimeogroph).

8. American Guild of Variety Artists, Constitution and By-Laws
(New York, 1963), p. 12.
9. American Guild of Musical Artists, Its Beginnings And Now
(New York, c. 1964), p. 2.
10.
11.

Ibid.
American Guild of Musical Artists, Agreement, Constitution,

and By-Laws (New York, August 1964), p. 5.
12. Ibid., p. 5.

The membership, composed of more than 800 artists,
consists of Full Members and Associates.
Full
Members may participate in every area of design,
while Associates specialize in a branch of the scenic
art.
The latter group is divided into four craft
divisions:
Diorama and Display, Mural Artists,
Costume Associates (including Stylists who are employed in filmed television commercialsL and Lighting Associates.
Applications for membership are accepted once each
year, and qualifying examinations are usually given
during the months of Mayor June. Prerequisites for
fu II me mbersh ip inc lude exten s ive knowledge of the
art, architectural, costume, and decoration styles,
as well as the ability to organize ond execute the
projects of every craft division. Applicants must
have had practical experience in mounting productions for the stage.

13.

United States Deportment of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Report Series (Reprint from Bulletin No. 1375-36, "Perform.
ing Arts:

14.

Ibid.

15.

American Federation of Mus icio.,s of the United States and

Canada, Constitution (New Yar~. 1964), p. 7.
16.

Ibid., p. 80. Section

17. Ibid., p. 74.
18. Ibid., p. 67.
19.

Ibid., p. 68, section B-1.

20.

Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, Hand·

book, (New York, 1956), p. i "Jurisdiction"
21.

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and
Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and
Canada, Introduction to The IATSE, Newark, New Jersey,
p.

The union operates from offices in New York and
Chicago, and it has a reciprocal agreement with Los
Angeles IATSE #816 and the Society of Motion Pic-

May 1966

Musicians, Singers, Actors, Actresses, Doncers, tJ

Washington D.C., 1963), p. 3.

22.

Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., By-Laws
(as amended on March 16, 1964) (New York 1964), p. 1
"Credo·'.

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