Monday, July 18, 2022

Term of the Day: loading in sideways

loading in sideways--when the load-in of a show is already fucked up, with major technical issues and possibly financial ones. Does not bode well for a long run.

Term of the Day: "Do Not Work" list

"Do Not Work" list--Actor's Equity's "Do Not Work" list bans Equity members from working with certain producers nationwide. The corrupt Canadian producer Garth Drabinsky's Broadway comeback musical "Paradise Square" closed on July 17th. A few days before, Equity put Drabinsky on their "Do Not Work" list, effectively destroying any efforts by Drabinsky to come back to Broadway or even to produce in regional theaters. 

Like "Ragtime" in 1999, Drabinsky left financial ruin in his wake with "Paradise Square." Both Equity and  829, the scenic artists' local, are suing Drabinsky and his producers for $350,000 in unpaid benefits.  (This information comes from Playbill.com, July 14, 2022.)

During its brief run, "Paradise Square" was plagued by financial shenanigans. The shops wouldn't send spare parts because of nonpayment. In the Barrymore Theatre, Drabinsky had the unaffectionate nickname, "The Felon on the Square."