They were not exactly calling each other wicked, but labor negotiations between Local One, the stagehand's union, and the League of American Theatres and Producers, broke down, and the stagehands called a strike that began Saturday, November 10, and lasted 19 days. Among the 26 shows shut down were (clockwise from upper right), "Wicked," "Phantom of the Opera," "Chicago," and "Spring Awakening".
Miserable at "Les Miserables"
Broadway stagehands walked a picket line in front of 'Les Miserables' at the Broadhurst Theater. The producers wanted to change the rules so that they do not have to hire workers they don't need. The union says it "is open to exchanges on work rules and other areas," but will refuse any plan that would cut jobs. The Broadway strike came a week after the start of a separate strike by film and TV writers.
"Xanadu" A Go
On the first day of the strike, theatergoers headed for a matinee performance of "Xanadu," one of eight Broadway shows not affected by the strike, either because the shows are by non-profit producers such as Lincoln Center, or because they are under a different contract.
The Monster Stays
"Young Frankenstein," a musical based on Brooks' popular 1974 movie of the same name starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle, opened at Broadway's Hilton Theater just a couple of days before the strike. It is one of the shows that will remain open. Here, Shuler Hensley, left, and Roger Bart perform "Puttin' On the Ritz."
Putting On "The Ritz"
Another show remaining open was the revival of "The Ritz" pictured here, scheduled for a limited run at Studio 54, with Rosie Perez and Kevin Chamberlin on top, Terrence Riordan and Brooks Ashmanskas underneath.
"Pygmalion" Revived
The revival of "Pygmalion," with Jefferson Mays and Claire Danes at the American Airlines Theater was staying put, because that theater is not part of the contract between Local One and the League.
"Mary Poppins" Still A-Poppin
Also still running was "Mary Poppins" at the New Amsterdam, which stars Ashley Brown. Other shows that will still be presenting performances include the the new play "Mauritius" at the Biltmore, "Cymbeline," and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
"The Lion King" Roars No More
But some of the longest-running and most successful shows on Broadway were shut down. "The Lion King", based on the 1994 Oscar-winning animated film, opened as a musical at the newly-renovated New Amsterdam Theater on November 13, 1997, moving to the Minskoff in 2006. A planned 10th-year anniversary gala performance of "The Lion King" was canceled on Sunday, November 11, 2007.
"Phantom of the Opera" Just A Phantom
"Phantom of The Opera" opened on January 26, 1988 at the Majestic Theater. The story of a facially-deformed musical genuis (here played by Howard McGillin) obsessing over a beatiful singer (played by Jennifer Hope Wills) is the longest-running and most financially successful Broadway show in history.
"Grease"-less
"Grease" was shut down as well...
"Chorus"- less
So was the revival of "A Chorus Line"
"Color"-Less
Fantasia did not perform in "The Color Purple" as long as the strike lasts. The last strike, in 2003, of Broadway's musicians, lasted just four days. This time around, it lasted 19.
Scratched For Thanksgiving
The two sides negotiated the weekend before Thanksgiving in the hopes of ending the strike in time for this lucrative holiday, but it came to naught. James Sanna (top), producer of "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!'' argued that his separate agreement with the union should keep that show up. The theater's owners disagreed. On Wednesday, November 21, a judge ordered the theater to reopen.
Off Broadway Is On
The strike did not affect Off-Broadway theaters, and attendance went up at many of some 50 shows that fall into this category, such as (clockwise from upper left) Edward Albee's latest "Peter and Jerry," "The Rise of Dorothy Hale," and "Altar Boyz", a musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy band, all in theaters close to Broadway.
Cheering A Settlement
Cast members from the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" struck a pose from a production number in New York's Times Square Thursday Nov. 29, 2007. A tentative agreement between the League of American Theatres Producers and stagehands union ended a strike that had kept most of Broadway in the dark since Nov. 10.