The Boy from Oz Strikes Deal with Equity

Even if Equity decides to strike, Hugh Jackman will still be shaking his money maker onstage at the Imperial Theater. The Boy from Oz's producers, Ben Gannon and Robert Fox, have broken ranks with the League of American Theatres and Producers to sign an interim agreement sent by Actors' Equity Association on Saturday night. The agreement features many of the components of the rejected "final offer" Equity representatives issued to the League at 12:30am on July 10.

When negotiations broke down early Saturday morning, the League issued a statement saying the sides had "reached tentative agreement on virtually every issue on the table with the exception of salary and per diem for certain categories of touring productions." Although none of the exact offers being bandied about have ever been officially released, both sides have been working to create a tier system of salaries. In the old Production Contract, actors on an unsuccessful, small-scale tour have the same minimum salary as actors on a huge hit tour. The tier system would allow touring salaries to be determined partially on the success of the show. While Equity has agreed to such a proposal, the impasse is over the degree of the sliding scale.

The Boy from Oz producers have now agreed to a road salary proposal similar to the one Equity placed on the negotiation table with The League. While this would seem like a blow to the League, The Boy from Oz is in a unique position. Producers of the musical have never announced plans to tour their show, so road salaries would be of little consequence to them. Additionally, the show has been selling out in the last few months but is still scheduled to close when Jackman departs on September 12, meaning a strike of any length could take a significant chunk out of the only money the production may ever make.

The League of American Theatres and Producers has been bargaining with Equity as a collective unit. League president Jed Bernstein has often used this point to represent solidarity and strength of conviction. According to an Equity representative, the union received word yesterday that producers of other shows were considering signing the interim agreement. However a League spokesperson said this was not the case and the Oz producers would stand alone. "Last evening [representatives of] every show on Broadway with the exception of The Boy from Oz and on the road signed a letter to Alan Eisenberg reaffirming that they are going to continue negotiating as a group and rejecting any deals made with individual shows," she said.

Equity Council, the governing body of Actors' Equity, is meeting today to decide the union's next move. Whether that involves a return the bargaining table or a strike remains to be seen.