Alan Eisenberg, who for a quarter century has served as executive director of Actors' Equity Association, has announced his retirement. Word came from Equity at press time Tuesday that Eisenberg—who has directed Equity's staff and guided its elected leaders since 1981—would not seek another term when his contract expires in October 2006, his 25th year at the union's helm.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the council and American stage actors and stage managers," Eisenberg told Equity's national council at its regular monthly meeting this week. "I have always tried to carry out this responsibility with dedication to, and pride in, the membership. I have always been and continue to be committed to helping all our actors."
Equity has seen a rise in membership and in earnings during Eisenberg's tenure. At the end of the 1979–80 theatre season, just before Eisenberg took over as executive director, Equity counted 26,217 members in good standing. By the 2003–04 season, the union's membership had grown to 39,544. Equity states that its current membership stands at more than 45,000 actors and stage managers. The number of working members grew from 12,591 in 1979–80 to 17,582 last season. Total annual workweeks also grew, from 215,110 in 1979–80 to 288,282 last season.
Income for Equity actors and stage managers has increased consistently under Eisenberg, who also serves as the union's chief contract negotiator. Annual earnings during the 1979–80 season came to $84.2 million. By 2003–04, that number had more than tripled to $290.3 million. During his term, members' median earnings rose from $3,238 to $6,638. Under the Production contract, Equity's most lucrative agreement, income has more than tripled under Eisenberg, moving from $46.3 million in 1979–80 to $154.5 million last season. Also during Eisenberg's term, Equity's investments have increased in value from $1.7 million to more than $22 million.
With 20 months remaining in his contract, Eisenberg said he plans to complete several projects, including affordable housing for actors, an invigorated Actors' Equity Foundation, and an expanded communication/education campaign.
"During his tenure, Alan has led Equity to significant achievements," said Actors' Equity President Patrick Quinn in a press release issued Tuesday. "His most recent accomplishment was the newly created Experimental Touring Program in the Production contract. His dedication to Equity and his clear vision for our union have benefited our members immeasurably. Alan's service to our union has been historic."
Eisenberg and Equity's leaders have met three major obstacles head-on during the new century. The first was the Broadway musicians' strike in March 2003. Although it was the musicians' union—Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians—that struck, it was Equity's actors and stage managers, along with stagehands, who ensured that Broadway would shut down when they joined the music makers on the picket line. Eisenberg was a major player, not only guiding Equity in its walkout but also setting the stage by helping to lead in the formation of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG), an alliance of the Great White Way's major labor organizations. COBUG was formed late in 2002 and was in place to vote to support the musicians the following spring.
Eisenberg and Quinn also had to take on the tough issue of nonunion touring. Going into talks on a new Production pact last year, the union cited the fact that Equity actors worked 44,000 weeks on tour five years ago but just 21,000 weeks last year, reflecting the growth in non-Equity tours. The union leadership seems to have quelled members' dissatisfaction by negotiating the three-year Experimental Touring Program. Under the program, if producers can provide verifiable data to prove fiscal duress, Equity will offer financial breaks to make the producers' shows more competitive, with the union monitoring each show's progress.
The third highly sensitive issue was the Equity-producers health plan. Quinn announced in 2003 that the plan was $16 million in debt. While Eisenberg is not a health plan trustee and therefore not directly responsible for the plan, he led Equity's efforts in recent contract negotiations—particularly the Production pact—in which producers agreed to increase their contributions to the health plan. He also told the Equity council this week, "We are close to stabilizing the health fund. The goal of Equity in its current negotiations with LORT is to achieve a significant increase in contributions to the health fund." LORT is the League of Resident Theatres, which will renew talks with Equity on a new pact on Feb. 28.
The Equity staff chief has also been a supporter of solidarity with other entertainment-industry unions. He has led Equity in galvanizing relationships with the unions for film and television actors—the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists—and has begun efforts at a merger with the American Guild of Musical Artists.
In addition to his executive director post at Equity, Eisenberg also serves as vice president of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and as a board member for the Actors' Equity Foundation, the Actors' Fund of America, Career Transition for Dancers, and the Non-Traditional Casting Project. He is a member of the Tony Awards administration committee and the co-chair of COBUG, as well as a vice president of the Department for Professional Employees, a division of the AFL-CIO.
Eisenberg has been a visiting professor at the Yale School of Drama since 1981 and is currently a guest lecturer at Brooklyn College of Arts Management. He has lectured at the Columbia School of Arts Management and has served as a panelist at the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the New York University School of Law. He practiced labor law representing trade unions, particularly the newspaper industry, before joining Equity.