| Local actors are urging theatregoers to boycott productions of the musical Miss Saigon at the Jubilee Auditorium because it features actors who aren’t members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA).
Association spokesperson Valerie Pearson accuses the production, staged by New-York based Big League Theatricals, of exploiting its actors.
"This is an American company… using non-professional actors," Pearson says. "The producers are underpaying the actors quite badly. They basically undercut all our performers by doing that."
A spokesperson from Big League Theatricals was out of town and couldn’t be reached for comment.
The company has faced protests at productions of Miss Saigon and other musicals in cities throughout North America by both the CAEA and its American counterpart. The company has defended its right to use non-Equity actors throughout North America.
Pearson says most productions in Calgary feature Equity actors, but the association – she notes it isn’t a union – speaks out on theatre labour issues in general. She adds that the producers of Miss Saigon have snapped up young actors eager for juicy roles who may not know their rights and may be subjected to improper working conditions, low salaries and a lack of insurance.
Pearson says theatregoers should know that although the ticket price for Miss Saigon is comparable to other big touring musicals, the actors aren’t seeing their fare share.
She acknowledges that her association’s desire for a boycott will likely have little effect on ticket sales –"people will go anyway," she says – but she thinks people should know where their money is going.
"I think there’s probably a lot of Calgarians who couldn’t care less if it’s Equity or not," Pearson says. "But they should know their entertainment dollar is going to the producers and not the actors." |
Copyright ©2003 FFWD. All rights reserved.