| (AFX UK Focus) 2007-11-14 21:07 GMT: In Focus: Broadway strike hits chains
NEW YORK (AP) - The Broadway stagehands' strike may seem like an issue only for local business, but its impact could extend far beyond the Great White Way, as declining foot traffic reduces the number of visitors to the outlets of national chain stores, restaurants and hotels. The walkout, which has closed more than two dozen Broadway theaters, entered its fifth day Wednesday with no negotiations planned. The impasse has left tourists adrift and turned the normally crowded Times Square into a comparative ghost town. During a typical year, visitors spend about $5 billion on entertainment, including Broadway shows and other activities, according to NYC & Co., the city's official marketing and tourism organization. City Comptroller William Thompson estimated the economic impact of the strike at $2 million a day, including total spending on tickets, dining, shopping and other activities.
In Focus: Broadway strike hits chains
NEW YORK (AP) - The Broadway stagehands' strike may seem like an issue only for local business, but its impact could extend far beyond the Great White Way, as declining foot traffic reduces the number of visitors to the outlets of national chain stores, restaurants and hotels. The walkout, which has closed more than two dozen Broadway theaters, entered its fifth day Wednesday with no negotiations planned. The impasse has left tourists adrift and turned the normally crowded Times Square into a comparative ghost town. During a typical year, visitors spend about $5 billion on entertainment, including Broadway shows and other activities, according to NYC & Co., the city's official marketing and tourism organization. City Comptroller William Thompson estimated the economic impact of the strike at $2 million a day, including total spending on tickets, dining, shopping and other activities.
Broadway Talks Stalled
Most of the Great White Way will remain dark, at least through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. WNYC's Jaime Bedrin reports. After a weekend of intense meetings, Broadway producers say talks have broken down with striking stagehands. And they're canceling performances through November 25th. Before Saturday, the 2 sides hadn't talked since November 8th. The strike began November 10th. But pressure has been mounting for a solution to the work stoppage, especially since the Thanksgiving holiday week is usually one of Broadway's most lucrative. The stagehands have been working without a contract since the end of July. Negotiations have focused on work rules - how many stagehands are required to open a Broadway show and keep it running. Some of the shows affected by the strike include some of Broadway's biggest hits like "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," and "Mamma Mia!" For WNYC, I'm Jaime Bedrin.
(AFX UK Focus) 2007-11-14 20:38 GMT: In Focus: Broadway strike hits chains
NEW YORK (AP) - The Broadway stagehands' strike may seem like an issue only for local business, but its impact could extend far beyond the Great White Way, as declining foot traffic reduces the number of visitors to the outlets of national chain stores, restaurants and hotels. The walkout, which has closed more than two dozen Broadway theaters, entered its fifth day Wednesday with no negotiations planned. The impasse has left tourists adrift and turned the normally crowded Times Square into a comparative ghost town. During a typical year, visitors spend about $5 billion on entertainment, including Broadway shows and other activities, according to NYC & Co., the city's official marketing and tourism organization. City Comptroller William Thompson estimated the economic impact of the strike at $2 million a day, including total spending on tickets, dining, shopping and other activities.
A pair of 'Underpants'
Something saucy and silly. That's all Dan Anderson wanted for the opening show of the season that will start to wrap up his 30-year career leading Clark College's drama department. He wasn't expecting controversy - or direct competition with the metropolitan area's largest professional theater company. He ended up with a bit of both when he picked Steve Martin's adaptation of "The Underpants." The Clark College version opens Friday night and continues through Nov. 17. Portland Center Stage is in the middle of its run of the same play in downtown Portland's swanky Pearl District, with those performances continuing until Dec. 2. Anderson learned of Portland Center Stage's parallel effort just a few weeks after Clark College announced its season.
Spirit of Broadway Theater announces 2008 season
What Spirit of Broadway Theater founder and CEO Brett Bernardini avoids for his Norwich theater are what he dubs the "oompha" musicals, or the ones that mulishly drag the audience through predictable, yet illogical plots: boy meets girl, they dance and someone dies. Every year, Bernardini looks through about 200 scripts, winnowing them down to 20, and then further examining how they complement each other, and serve his criteria. "Are they new, fresh, innovative? Does it stretch the envelope, and, quite frankly, do I care about it?" Bernardini said, ticking off some of the qualities he searches for. "I'm looking for pieces that approach subject matter in a new way. Musical theater is strictly an American invention, opera is European. And frankly, no one does it better than America, but one of the problems is we've fallen into a rut." Audiences, Bernardini said, are looking for other options, and he said the theater has developed a loyal following, with people traveling from New York, Boston and Long Island to attend shows; although he also recognizes audience members who only want to see musicals they are familiar with.
Saturday's Week 12 Section V Recap
Geneva and Chenango Forks played for the second straight year in the Class B state semifinals. Down 7-0 The Panthers' Tyler Travis took the inside hand-off up the middle to tie the game. It stayed tied until the third quarter when Aston took the hand off and went right for the score. He ran for 109 yards. Geneva then answered as quarterback Bobby Martin kept the ball on the option for a 10-yard touchdown, but they missed the extra point. Geneva had the ball in the red zone at the end of the game as Martin rolled to his right and then kept it, but Shane Baron made the game winning tackle. Geneva's two-year domination ends in the semis. CLASS C SEMIFINALS: BISHOP LUDDEN VS. LEROY (34-33 BISHOP-LUDDEN) Section V's number one Class C team, the unbeaten LeRoy hosted Bishop Ludden of Syracuse in the state semifinals.
'9 to 5' sets its world stage premiere
Dolly Parton's stage version of "9 to 5," the 1980 film in which she starred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, has found a home. The show, which has a score by Parton and a book by Patricia Resnick, will have its world premiere in September at the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. It opens Sept. 21, 2008, according to CTG's artistic director Michael Ritchie. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano, file) . .
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