Term of the Day: "no church"

"no church"--this project is not fine carpentry, just put up something that works. "When I told the tech I was going to hire Bill, a cabinetmaker, to fix up the dressing rooms, the tech narrowed his eyes and said, "Tell Bill, 'no church,'"meaning that he was not building fine cabinetry for a church, just shelves for a dressing room.

Expression of the Day: to-go bottle

to-go bottle--cheap bottle of liquor, often made of plastic, drunk by Bowery bums and hardcore rummies. "On opening night, the ingenue gave me a cheap plastic bottle of vodka as a gift, a seven-dollar bottle of Polish vodka. What was I supposed to do with a to-go bottle? Drink it on the subway going home?"

Expression of the Day: to go local

to go local--to go on the Local or House payroll. "After years on being on contract on a long-running Broadway show,  the electrician got her Local #1 card and went local. She got a House job on the same Broadway show as a front light op." Contract salaries have not kept up with Local #1 pay raises over the last 25 years.

Stagehand Dialogue #30: "I'm still not gonna put you on my loadout"

Enthusiastic Stagehand: "Hi, how are you? I haven't seen you in a while. How's your family?"

Broadway Head: "Everyone's great. Thanks for asking. I am still not gonna put you on my loadout." 

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."

Term of the Day: the teams have been picked

the teams have been picked--when your show closes after new productions have already assembled their crews. "The producers closed my show in August, right the before the fall load in season started. The techs and the GMs had hired their crews. All the teams had been picked. I was SOL."

Term of the Day: the Thief of Broadway

the Thief of Broadway--head known for sticky fingers during load outs.