Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2022 - 26

departments to ensure they don't find
themselves working around the clock to
be both in the rehearsal and at the notes
call, and this is still not ideal. Changing
the culture overall from the executive
team of a theatre might also help to instill
a prioritization of well-being before all
else.
Regional theatres are clearly leading
this sea-change. However, a quick survey
in the Facebook group UNOFFICIAL
AEA Stage Managers reveals that a few
commercial Broadway productions have
also eliminated 10 out of 12s in their
post-pandemic technical processes. Led
by high-profile theatre artists Bartlett
Sher and Clint Ramos, neither reopening
of To Kill a Mockingbird or Slave Play,
respectively, utilized 10 out of 12 rehearsals
(Tran, 2021). Christin Essin outlined
the specific detriment of the long technical
process days to Broadway workers,
which became more apparent during the
shutdown as " technicians admitted the
relief, even elation, they felt when first
hearing the news of the shutdown " (Essin
2021). Make-up artist Elizabeth Cohen
has been with The Lion King since its
opening in 1997. " I literally jumped for
joy, " she said, then quickly qualified " not
for the situation that caused this, it's horrible "
... The down time helped her gain
perspective on her intense work schedule:
" It's really inhumane, " she says. " It's
a great, fascinating, fun way to make a
living, but it's not healthy " (Essin 2021).
Because of the competitive nature of
Broadway careers, these changes will
come more slowly to this part of the industry,
but it's promising that workers
are becoming more aware of the issue
and are discovering new opportunities
to advocate for themselves and their colleagues
(Essin 2021).
Given the traditions and history in
the theatre industry, it may seem trivial
to try to adjust hours for a few days of
a production. However, there is a movement
right now to reconsider the industry
practices of long hours and overwork
in response to how theatre is reopening
as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. The
pandemic provided space to analyze and
evaluate, and many organizations have
taken this challenge seriously.
In a recent follow-up conversation
with Loar, he indicated that some of the
producers he is working with on new
performing arts spaces are aware of the
issues around excessive work hours, and
they are trying to establish reasonable
project turnaround times in their normal
operating procedures from the opening
of their new spaces and organizations.
Though Loar admits, " it is easier with a
new venue to set up good working practices
and schedules from the beginning
than it is to convince an organization
that is already operating in what may be
excessive hours/days labor models to adjust "
(2022).
Merold, who has since moved from
USF to Arizona Theatre Company, has
led her new organization away from the
10 out of 12 schedule, ensuring a " better
work/life balance for all involved. "
Eliminating the 12-hour span of day allows
for more flexibility within the technical
schedule, while still adhering to AEA
workday rules, and " make[s] for a better
and more productive tech process for the
whole team " (2022).
This is good news for the theatre industry.
Presuming that repeatedly long
work hours are detrimental to the health
and well-being of theatre workers, this
movement has to change industry attitudes
across the country. LORT theatres
are leading the way and beginning to create
a new culture where theatre workers
feel valued and have increased longevity.
As professionals have these experiences
in the regional houses, optimistically we
will see a broader push for changes in
commercial Broadway theatre, where
there are substantially more union rules
and more money at stake, which makes
cultural working changes considerably
more difficult.
" Making change will involve a lot
of people, and will change a lot of how
we work, but we clearly can't go on like
this. ...We need to consider how to set
boundaries so that everyone who works
for a living makes a living wage and has
the right to a life outside of their job. We
need to consider how to build an industry
where we don't constantly lose valuable
contributions to our culture because
people ... are burned out and can't keep
making work. We need to consider what
it means to be human and a performing
arts professional at the same time " (Loar
2020).
It is possible, and more than that, it
is necessary for the vitality of professional
theatre, that the industry makes
this move to protect the well-being of its
26 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | SUMMER 2022
workers. LORT theatres are taking the
opportunity to change the standard, and
be the leaders, by shortening the longest
workdays and moving to a five-day week.
The next step should be Equity changing
its workday rules to mandate these
changes. It could be a brave new theatre
world out there for everyone.
Kathleen Holland is a multihyphenate
theatre
professional. Her specialties
include production and
general management, stage
management, directing, and acting. Career
highlights include: Is This a Room
(Vineyard Theatre), Desperate Measures
(New World Stages), Detroit '67 (Baltimore
Center Stage), John and Jen (Siren and
Sailor). Holland is currently a staff member
at The Juilliard School, working with the
Professional Apprentice Program, and has
held positions at The Shed, Baltimore Center
Stage, ATG's Hudson Theatre, and the DeVos
Institute of Arts Management. A current
Ph.D. student in the University of Kentucky's
Arts Administration program, her research
area is sustainable work practices in the
theatre. Holland has also been a regular
guest host on the Podcast " Killing Your
Darlings " and has performed the National
Anthem at a handful of ballparks and the
Star-Spangled Banner Flag House in
Baltimore. AEA member since 2008. MA
NYU/Steinhardt (Musical Theatre). MS
Shenandoah Conservatory (Performing Arts
Leadership).
Works Cited
Actor's Equity Association. May 31 2018. 2017-22
LORT AEA Agreement. New York: Actors' Equity
Association. http://actorsequity.org/
Alley Theatre. September 25 2020. " Actions
Speak Louder Than Words. " https://www.
alleytheatre.org/ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords
Aratani, Lauren. May 29 2020. " George Floyd
killing: What sparked the protests - and what
has been the response? " The Guardian https://
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/
george-floyd-killing-protests-police-brutality
Bray, J., Smallwood, B., Van Hove, A. March
3-4, 2022. TD Burnout, Parts 1 & 2 [Conference
Presentation]. USITT Conference and Stage
Expo, Baltimore, MD.
Center Stage. August 4, 2020. " Social
http://www.actorsequity.org/ http://www.alleytheatre.org/ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords http://www.alleytheatre.org/ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/george-floyd-killing-protests-police-brutality https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/george-floyd-killing-protests-police-brutality https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/george-floyd-killing-protests-police-brutality
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