For over 40 years, Actors' Equity Association's Basic Showcase Code has been a tool for aspiring actors, writers, directors, and producers who want their work seen by the professional theatre community. In that time, the code has experienced changes and occasionally created controversy. Now, the union's website indicates that more changes may be coming.
Posted Thurs., Jan. 20, a message on the website states that in 2004 "over 34 festivals were produced in the five boroughs of New York City" and that most of the festivals' productions "utilized the Basic Showcase Code" and employed Equity members.
"In an effort to prepare for the 2005 festival season," the posting states, "Equity is soliciting suggestions for improving or revising the Code, from those actors that had the opportunity to participate in last year's festivals." According to a statement from Equity press representative David Lotz, the union is indeed "gathering information and soliciting suggestions for improving the Showcase Code as it relates to many of the festivals produced in NYC." Suggestions, he wrote, "will be received by the appropriate committees and the Eastern Regional Board" and this "fact-finding phase" of the process "should be completed by early spring."
Should Equity elect to ameliorate the code, at least one precedent could be followed: In December 2003, the union and the New York International Fringe Festival inked a "side letter" allowing union actors to participate more fully in promotional efforts relating to the Fringe productions in which they appear.
For example, the Fringe Festival's annual press conference was long a sore spot for union actors because "televising, broadcasting, visual and/or sound recording, cast album recording, motion picture filming, video taping, or other mechanical or electronic reproduction…of any Code production" are prohibited by the Showcase Code. The side letter now allows up to two taped minutes of a Fringe show to be shown. In addition, productions may now extend their runs by up to 11 additional performances (provided they occur within eight weeks of the end of the festival) and may be mounted in venues with more than 99 seats. In return, Showcase Code productions in the festival pay Equity actors a $200 stipend.
In September 2003, Back Stage tackled the pros and cons of changing the Showcase Code, asking a panel of actors, writers, directors, and producers to offer reasons for keeping the status quo or ideas for changes. Fifteen months later, Back Stage has approached several participants from that story to see if their views have changed. Most said that their views had remained the same.
However, in an email, producer-director Ben Hodges said that while he had "no new concerns," those he had before "have exponentially increased"; he warned that "unless something is done to make producing Off-Off-Broadway more commercially viable, new work as we in New York have come to expect and experience it here in the past 40 years will cease to exist. I have done enough research and had enough experience to truly believe that to be the case."
Specifically, Hodges advocates an increase in ticket prices "in light of higher insurance and rental costs for producers," a lengthening of runs, and "a new contract in between the Code and the Mini [contract]…like the model of similar ones being used in Chicago and Los Angeles. This contract would commit the actors (perhaps three months, option to continue), and in return they could have guaranteed employment in the show if it moves forward, and even a possible share of future proceeds."
Feedback on the current Showcase Code may be sent to Equity's showcase business representative, Deana Marie Kirsch, via (info@actorsequity.org), first-class mail (165 West 46th St., 15th floor, New York, NY 10036), or fax (212-719-9815).