Gordon's union, which represents professional dancers, recently wrested jurisdiction from Equity over the dance-heavy, Twyla Tharp–choreographed Broadway production "Come Fly Away." Gordon told Variety that he wants AGMA to represent dancers in more Broadway shows and that "down the road it's better for dancers appearing in anything, including Broadway shows, to be represented by AGMA."
In response, Somma highlighted Equity's 55 years of representing Broadway hoofers and said the union "has always, and will always, diligently serve all its members with knowledge, experience, and professionalism and with the full backing of Equity's resources."
Several weeks ago, the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, an AFL-CIO governing body to which both unions belong, ordered that jurisdiction over "Come Fly Away" shift from Equity to AGMA after a 4As panel concluded that "judged solely on its content, 'Come Fly Away' is an 'evening of dance.' " AGMA requested that Equity be booted from the AFL-CIO, claiming that the actors' union had refused to work out transfer terms, and threatened to file federal labor charges against Equity. An Equity representative said that no charges were filed.
In her statement, Somma enumerated Equity's actions during the transition. She said that, after the 4As ruling, "Equity offered to meet with AGMA to work out a way for the show to remain on Equity's Production Contract. AGMA refused to do so, resulting in the 4As determination that Equity must turn over the administration of the show and allow AGMA to put into place its own contract. For that to occur, Equity had to disclaim interest so the performers would not be under Equity's contract, thus providing AGMA the ability to sign a contract with the producers."
Somma added that "at this time, and despite Mr. Gordon's claim, the performers are not working under Equity's Production Contract. It is Equity's understanding that AGMA intends to offer the producers essentially the same terms and conditions found in Equity's Production Contract. However, it will be an AGMA contract specific to 'Come Fly Away' and not the Equity Production Contract as asserted by Mr. Gordon in media reports."
AGMA filed its initial claim against Equity with the 4As in January, after the actors' union contracted with producers to represent performers in the show's Broadway incarnation. When it premiered as "Come Fly With Me" in Atlanta, the show's dancers were represented by AGMA.