There is no whistle blowers act for theatre. Few people will speak up when they are ill-treated, or taken advantage of, or a company has some improprieties. Apparently, artists are easily replaceable. If someone speaks up they won't be rehired, so few do. But this allows companies who take advantage of those who actually do the work to continue what they are doing. The Bailiwick is not alone in this.
So companies still will try to pay their TD with weed instead of what can pay their rent (it's called money); companies will still force designers to pay for the supplies and not reimburse them; companies will still never again hire actors who dare to talk about money; companies will still scam young artists in the name of exposure. In the absence of people speaking up, it becomes habitual. There is no rebuke for those who do it. No one talks about it. Should I honor the wishes of people who don't want it to be talked about in public? Now granted, there is a difference between one unhappy artist, and a systematic taking advantage of artists.
I've been fairly fortunate. I've managed to avoid most of the scams like "Directors Festivals," "reading fees" and I simply won't pay for design budgets out of my own pocket (any more)--of course this is made easier because I can't afford to front more than one company.
I've only had three companies skip out on paying/reimbursing me. Well one, Defiant, wrote me a check to cover the supplies, but their check bounced. After about nine months I did get another check. Chicago Jewish Theatre paid me in installments after they went bankrupt and after a few months it was straight. It took along time, but they finally did make it right.
Then another failed to pay me for a show I TD'd, she simply refused to answer her phone, or return emails. I later found out that most of the people who worked on that show (every one I talked to) didn't get paid, and the company changed their name to Premiere Theatre. Patrizia if you're out there, I'm still waiting on that second check for $400 from Iphigenia in Kingman. Even if your phone and/or email doesn't seem to work.
Should people speak up? Or is that simply naive . . . Is there room in-between a blacklist and silence for institutional accountability?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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7 comments:
I think it's good for theatre companies to be upfront with their collaborators and I think it's appropriate for their collaborators to be able to ask questions if they're not getting the answers from the company. Above all else, people should stand to their word and be ethical.
Your stories really shocked me ... we can't afford to pay much, but we are at the point where we can pay our actors and designers. And we've never asked our designers to spend anything out of their own pocket. Even if an actor picks up a random prop that only costs a couple of bucks, we tell them that we'll pay them back and we do so immediately. Regardless, everything's up front and we stand by our word and are accountable.
It's probably good to let others know what theatre companies to stay away from, if need be, but I would be uncomfortable listing people on a blog where it could be seen for all time as some people may have changed their tune, or they're working with another company, etc., etc and you don't want to open yourself up to any slander issues. It might be better to open yourself up on a private/one-on-one basis with designers wondering about a company. On the other hand, I also believe in free speech, but ... it seems like certain people in our fair city can grab a hold of what you write and, if they don't like it, they can make your life quite miserable ...
I don't know. Do what you think is the right thing to do, but think about "business" as well.
I'm curious to read others thoughts about this because I definitely feel conflicted about this one.
RZ
FYI - Patrizia is currently directing the next Silk Road piece - you should at least be able to weasel some comps out of her.
Hey! The Wife here... I usually don’t comment on these, but this time I thought I had something to add…
I think it is crucial to hold companies accountable for how they treat artists. This is true in terms of money and also in terms of time and respect (as so much theatre in this city is “free.”) I actually had a conversation about this a few years back with a fellow artist... When I directed Girl Gone, there was an actor who gave me a LOT of trouble... always late to rehearsals, when he did show up he made me feel like I should be grateful because he almost lost his job (Every Time? Really? With a 2 month schedule ahead of time? Really?)...Then there was an issue of certain misconduct during a rehearsal (feeling safe is pretty important in a rehearsal process for a show about strippers where all the women take their clothes off). THEN, during the final performance, he decided to sit in his costume in the front row of the audience with a sprite to watch the last 1/2 hour (a VERY intense 2 person scene in the basement of the Chopin). "Because he'd never seen it." In my opinion, he had broken his contract. When I got pissed (and I’ll admit, I got visually pissed) and didn't want to pay him, I was chastised by other members of the company, saying that my behavior was less then professional. We ended up paying him; to avoid a scene, I guess.
Anyway, the colleague I was talking to about this ended up working with the same actor a year or so later, and got screwed in a particular fashion because there is no system of checks and balances...it's a predicament that doesn't seem to have an answer... the line between an honest "problem-artist" and "slander" seems easy to blur...I add to your final question: Is there room in-between a blacklist and silence for accountability for everyone, group or individual?
Hi, Wife! =)
We have kicked actors and designers out of shows and have had our share of people we'll never work with again, but (this is my HR/staffing experience talking) ... when you look at a show as you would a job, there's really only two courses of action the company can take without dipping into that "slander/libel" pool - you can refuse to hire them again and state your reasons to them in a professional manner, or, when someone calls for a reference (or in the case of theatre - talks to you privately, off the record about someone), you can let them know your thoughts. I know that a couple of theatre companies have asked my opinions on certain actors that I didn't enjoy working with ... I told them the truth and probably prevented them from getting a possible job with another theatre company.
RZ
Hey there Jay -
I'm happy to talk accountability in public with you. So you are telling me that in all this time, you couldn't find a phone number or email address that worked? I go to the link you posted for my website and got to the contact site, and there it is. In fact, I didn't hire you. I hired a set designer who hired you (without my knowledge or consent) and then expected me to pay for it. But you'd know that if you actually tried to contact me and resolve it. Yes, we ahold all be accountable for what we write.
Actually I have your number. I did call and email you. Weekly. For Months. You didn't return a single call or email. I finally gave up.
About a year or so after, I was talking to the assistant director for Iphegenia who you also had not paid, or returned any of his calls. Did you pay him yet? Or was he hired by someone else also?
Yes, the set designer called me, but I spoke to you a couple of times--including about a fee--before I began any work. And you called me, not him, when there were changes or when the fans weren't working during the run. So please spare me your claim to a lack of knowledge or consent.
In fact if you had bothered to return just one of my calls, I might have felt differently.
I have to add my 2-cents to this... In addition to the numerous voicemails I heard Tony leave, I was with Tony MANY times when he called and actually managed to get you on the phone, and your response was always either "we mailed it yesterday" or "huh... let me talk to ______ to find out what's happening" and also saw several of the emails.
I also WENT to the space several times when he had been called in during performances to fix the fan and other set pieces that the actors had broken, after you called him about it while he and I were together. Plans were rearranged more then once to accommodate you on this, Patrizia.
When a designer or technician works overhire, he or she is depending on the integrity of the company he/she is working for. He/she is also usually REALLY depending on the money to get him through to the next job... companies have an obligation to honor their contracts (verbal or written)...even if the show does horribly. If you are the manager of the company, you find a way to pay...even if it is out of your own pocket (which Tony and I have had to do).
It's not just liquor or cigarettes that are at stake here. How much rent has been late, bills not paid, and credit scores damaged because that obligation is not felt by the people who, as the managers of the company, are ultimately responsible???
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