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Actors’ Equity Association has reached a deal with the Broadway League on a new five-year Development Agreement, resolving an eight-month strike prohibiting Equity members’ participation in early stages of development work.

The National Council of Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, announced today that it had voted to ratify a new five-year Development Agreement, concluding an eight-month strike against The Broadway League, the trade organization representing theater producers and owners.

The new agreement is effective immediately and extends to February 11, 2029.

The Development Agreement is used for the development of new works by Broadway League producers, usually prior to an intended Production Contract engagement. The new agreement guarantees a cumulative pay increase of over 8% for Equity members, achieving the union’s top goal for this collective bargaining agreement. Gains also include increased pre-production time for stage managers and the establishment...

Cynthia Erivo will host the 78th annual Tony Awards this June.

This marks the first time hosting the ceremony for Erivo, who is a Tony Award winner for her starring role in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple, which also led to Emmy and Grammy Awards. Erivo is nominated for an Academy Award at this year’s Oscars ceremony for her role as Elphaba in Wicked.

“I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honor,” Erivo said. “I am looking forward to ushering the theatre community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.”

The Tony Awards will be held on Sun. June 8 at Radio City Music Hall and broadcast live to both coasts on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Erivo rose to fame playing Celie in...

No stranger to Broadway’s Tony Awards, Cynthia Erivo has been announced as the host of this year’s 78th Annual Tony Awards, broadcasting live on CBS from Radio City Music Hall Sunday, June 8.

The announcement was made today by The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. The 78th Tonys will honor productions from the 2024-2025 Broadway season.

“I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honor,” said Wicked‘s Erivo, who won the Tony for Best Leading Actress/Musical for 2016’s The Color Purple. “I am looking forward to ushering the theatre community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.”

In a joint statement, Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theater Wing and Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League, said, “Through performances on both stage and screen,...

Jason Laks, who has been serving as The Broadway League’s Interim President since Charlotte St. Martin retired from the organization last February, has been appointed the organization’s new president.

The League, the national trade association for theater owners, producers, presenters and general managers, has announced the appointment of Laks as its new President following what the organization described as an extensive national search.

In a statement, Kristin Caskey, Chair of The Broadway League’s Board of Governors, said, “Over the past 10 months, we have embarked on a thoughtful and thorough process around this very important decision. After a national search and extensive interview process, we believe Jason is the right leader for the League at this critical time in our industry. Jason’s detailed knowledge of the industry, rich relationships with membership, and steadfast commitment to the health of Broadway – both in New York and on the road – make him an ideal choice.

Jason Laks has been named president of The Broadway League, the trade association of theater owners, producers, presenters at regional theaters across the country and general managers.

Laks was officially named to the role Monday, after operating in the position on an interim basis since February 2024, when Charlotte St. Martin left the position after an 18-year tenure. Laks originally joined the Broadway League in 2012 and returned in 2021 as general counsel and executive vice president of labor relations.

Before joining the League, Laks was senior vice president at NBCUniversal, where he oversaw labor relations for broadcast and cable television and sports and owned station operations. Laks, who is 52, graduated from the University of Connecticut and Cornell Law School.

He officially takes over the position as Broadway continues to seek a comeback from the pandemic. While the industry trajectory has been improving since theaters reopened in 2021, the industry is also grappling with higher costs to produce shows,...

The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Board of Trustees has added eight new board members including actor Jonathan Groff, newly elected Actors’ Equity Association president Brooke Shields, Broadway League interim president Jason Laks, and Black Theatre Coalition co-founder T. Oliver Reid.

The newcomers fill seats made vacant by the departures of, among others, former Equity president Kate Shindle and former League president Charlotte St. Martin, both of whom retired from their positions this year. Also stepping off the board after years of service are publicist Chris Boneau, Linda Duncombe, Adam Krauthamer and Stephen Lewin.

Two seats were left vacant by the deaths of Broadway performers Chita Rivera and Gavin Creel.

Other newcomers to the board are: Kristin Caskey, executive vice president, content and creative at Ambassador Theatre Group; production stage manager Julie DeVore; production stage manager Johnny Milani; and Erik Piecuch, senior vice president, entertainment banking at City National Bank.

Select Broadway theaters will dim their lights for the late Gavin Creel at a date and time being coordinated with his family, the Broadway League said today.

Creel’s death from a rare and aggressive cancer at age 48 on September 30 has prompted a massive and continuing outpouring on social media of love and heartbreak from the Broadway community. The death of the immensely popular musical theater actor caught many colleagues and fans by surprise, and has left the industry reeling.

Within hours of the League’s announcement, distraught fans weighed in on social media demanding a full, rather than partial, dimming of lights. A Change.org petition started by Time Out New York theater critic Adam Feldman was gaining momentum with thousands of signees just a few hours after its posting.

Once a date for the light-dimming has been determined, one theater from every theater owner on Broadway will participate in the traditional tribute,...

The Broadway League is facing immense backlash on social media after announcing plans to give late actor Gavin Creel just a partial Broadway lights dimming.

For those who aren’t aware, Broadway theaters will dim their lights at the same time to pay respects to influential members of the community who have passed away. Sometimes, the Broadway League chooses to dim the lights at just “select” theaters and reserves a full dimming for only the most beloved people.

Gavin died earlier this week at the age of 48 following a brief battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

It was announced on Friday (October 4) that the Broadway League will only dim the lights of 11 out of 41 theaters in Gavin’s honor, one theater from every theater owner on Broadway.

“It is hard to fathom the loss of Gavin Creel,” said Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League. “Not...

Broadway will honor the late actor Adrian Bailey, who died September 22 at the age of 67 following an at-home fall, by dimming the marquee lights of one theater from every theater owner on October 17.

“Over the years, Mr. Bailey has served as an inspiration not only due to his talented performances on Broadway and Touring Broadway stages, but also through his perseverance, positive attitude, and indomitable spirit,” said Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League. “The outpouring of love from our community is a testament to that spirit. In losing Adrian Bailey, we have truly lost a bright light both on and off Broadway, and our thoughts are with his family, friends, former colleagues, and all who loved him best.”

Bailey appeared in 15 Broadway productions, including his heralded 1976 debut in Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, before a tragic onstage accident in 2008 ended his performing career. Appearing in...

On September 26th, Broadway will honor the late actor James Earl Jones by dimming its marquee lights for one minute a traditional ceremony that began in the 1950s to pay homage to deceased performers who significantly impacted the world of theater. Previous recipients include legendary composer Stephen Sondheim and original West Side Story actress Chita Rivera, and Jones will join their ranks with two Tony awards and countless unforgettable performances.

Jones has been a valuable member of the Broadway community ever since his 1957 debut as an understudy for The Egghead, a legacy that will now be officially commemorated with Broadway's iconic lights-dimming ceremony this Thursday at 6:45 p.m/Et. The gesture recognizes Jones's artistry and impact across numerous genres and mediums including what is perhaps his most well-known role, the voice of Darth Vader but seeks to specifically highlight Jones's expansive legacy on the Broadway stage, for which he...

Broadway theaters will dim their lights on Sept. 26 in memory of James Earl Jones.

Jones, who died Sept. 9 at the age of 93, was a two-time Tony Award winner as well as a recipient of the 2017 special Tony Award for lifetime achievement. The Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in September 2022.

Broadway theaters will dim their lights at 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 26 in his honor. The dimming of lights has been a tradition on Broadway for notable members of the community who have died, but must be approved by the theater owners.

Jones made his Broadway in 1957 as an understudy in The Egghead. He received his first Tony Award in 1969 for his role in The Great White Hope and won another Tony in 1987 for his role in Fences. He also appeared in The Iceman Cometh, Of Mice and Men, Othello, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Driving Miss Daisy,...

Broadway will dim its lights for the late James Earl Jones this Thursday, September 26, at at 6:45 pm/Et , the Broadway League announced today.

The traditional honor, in which the marquee lights of Broadway venues go dark for one minute, will pay tribute to the two-time Tony-winning actor who died September 9 at the age of 93. Jones was the recipient of the 2017 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.

“James Earl Jones was a true pillar of the Broadway industry,” said Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League, “providing unforgettable experiences to multiple generations of theatregoers – all while accumulating many well-deserved honors, awards, and achievements for his iconic performances in other entertainment fields. While we acknowledge and celebrate Mr. Jones’ significant legacy across multiple mediums, we are particularly proud of his legacy on Broadway, and are grateful for the many memorable performances with which he graced our stages.”

Jones’ Broadway career...

Update: Skylar Astin, who made his Broadway debut in 2006’s Spring Awakening, will host the American Express Broadway Fanfare simulcast event this Sunday in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The event will kick off at 6:30 pm Et, with the pre-Tony show beginning at 7:30 pm; the Tony simulcast will begin at 8pm.

“As someone who has a special place in their heart for theater and the arts – with my roots as a Broadway performer – the opportunity to host the American Express simulcast is truly meaningful,” said Astin in a statement. “Theater has always been about community, and this event will bring people closer to the incredible talent and magic of Broadway for an unforgettable experience.”

Previous, May 8: A Tony Awards simulcast event called Broadway Fanfare will take place outdoors at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park during the awards ceremony on Sunday, June 16.

Sponsored by American Express,...

Attendance for Broadway’s just-ended 2023-2024 season held roughly steady with last year even as it remains nearly 17% below pre-pandemic levels, according to box office figures released today by the Broadway League.

The year-end stats indicate that the 71 Broadway productions on the boards from May 22, 2023, to May 19, 2024, grossed a combined $1.54 billion – $1,539,278,706, to be exact- with total attendance at about 12.3 million.

The dollar figure represents a very small slip in box office tallies from last season – about 2% from the $1,577,586,897 in 2022-2023. Total attendance was up less than a percentage point from last season.

This year’s total attendance indicates that about 90% of all available seats were filled, compared to last year’s 88%. Average ticket price for the season just ended was $125.27, about 2% lower that last season’s $128.43.

While roughly even with post-pandemic figures, the numbers continue to indicate that Broadway has yet to make a full recovery from the 18-month Covid shutdown.

The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia will be the recipient of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award, an annual honor recognizing a regional theatre company that has displayed “a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theatre nationally.”

The award is accompanied by a grant of $25,000.

“We are delighted to announce The Wilma Theater as the recipient of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award,” said Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Jason Laks, interim president of the Broadway League. “The Wilma has made outstanding contributions to the world of theatre over the course of 45 years, maintaining an unwavering dedication to contemporary theatre and a commitment to the arts that began with its visionary introduction of avant-garde theatre to Philadelphia in 1979.”

Established in 1973 as The Wilma Project, the Wilma challenged the Philadelphia cultural community to create theatrical productions of original material and to develop local artists.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that Billy Porter will receive the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities, including his work with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (Etaf) and the Entertainment Community Fund, among other organizations.

The Isabelle Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.

“Billy Porter has made extraordinary contributions as an activist for the LGBTQ+ community and we are truly honored to present him with this year’s Isabelle Stevenson Award,” said Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “He has lent tremendous time, effort and support to a variety of organizations...

Directors Jack O’Brien and George C. Wolfe will each receive a 2024 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Wolfe is a five-time Tony-Award winning director, helming shows including Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, and has worked as a writer, a producer and artistic director of The Public Theater from 1993 to 2005. O’Brien is a three-time Tony Award-winning director for Hairspray, Henry IV and The Coast of Utopia, among many other credits on Broadway, including last season’s Shucked, All My Sons, Carousel, The Front Page, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Porgy and Bess. He led the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego from 1981 to 2007 and has also directed projects in London and Off-Broadway.

In addition to his work in the theater, which includes writing the score to and directing the musical Jelly’s Last Jam and directing...

Tony-winning directors George C. Wolfe and Jack O’Brien will each receive the 2024 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre next month, Tony administrators announced today.

“Honoring these two gentlemen for their outstanding achievements and contributions to theatre is not only a recognition of their innate talent and dedication but to a lifetime of brilliant work,” said Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League.

“With credits such as Hairspray and The Invention of Love, Jack O’Brien has showcased astounding diversity, skill and passion throughout his esteemed career,” Laks said “In his role as Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theatre for 25 years, he also leaves a lasting legacy of strengthening the relationship between the commercial and nonprofit worlds.”

Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, said Wolfe’s “stellar contributions as a playwright, director, producer and artistic director, including his unforgettable direction in...

Billy Porter will receive the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for his dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities.

The honor, announced Tuesday, includes the Pose star’s work with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and the Entertainment Community Fund, among other organizations. The Tony is given each year to a member of the theater community who “made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.”

Porter is an ambassador of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, as well as a member of the board of trustees for the Entertainment Community Fund, who he has worked with for several decades. Additionally, Porter works with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Hrc (Human Rights Campaign), GLAAD and Planned Parenthood

In addition to his onscreen work, which includes roles in the films 80 for Brady and Our Son, Porter...

Alex Edelman is among the honorees being presented a special Tony Award for his comedy show, Just for Us, which debuted on Broadway in June 2023.

Edelman’s one-man show, which ran through August at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre, saw the comic, who is Jewish, recounting a night attending a white supremacist meeting. In addition to Edelman, special Tony recipients include Abe Jacob, a sound designer who has worked on dozens of Broadway shows including the original production of Hair, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Who’s Tommy, and mentored the next generation. Nikiya Mathis, a hair and wig designer fighting back against hair discrimination for Black actors and who worked on shows such as JaJa’s African Hair Braiding, Top Dog/Underdog, Death of a Salesman and more.

Special Tony Awards are given to productions, artists and organizations that do not fall into any of the competitive categories.

“We are...

Alex Edelman, the comedian, actor and writer who made his Broadway debut last year in his solo show Just For Us, will receive a Special 2024 Tony Award for the production, the Tony Administration Committee announced today.

The committee revealed today that Edelman will be one of three Special Tony recipients this June, along with longtime sound designer Abe Jacob and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding hair and wig designer Nikiya Mathis.

Special Tony Awards are presented to outstanding productions, artists and organizations who do not fall into any of the competitive categories.

In addition to the Special Tonys, five recipients of this year’s Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were named: Projection designer Wendall K. Harrington; arts leader Colleen Jennings-Roggensack; retiring Playwrights Horizons board chair Judith O. Rubin; the Dramatists Guild Foundation; and the Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.

Regarding the Special Tony recipients,...

Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle has announced that she will not seek re-election when her nine-year tenure ends May 23.

Shindle, who revealed the news in an interview with The New York Times, said she will remain active in the labor movement but intends to focus on resuming her acting career. She told The Times that her position as Equity president – an unpaid volunteer position – left her with so little time for her acting career that she hasn’t been able to clock enough professional hours to quality for Equity health insurance.

In a statement posted on her Instagram account, Shindle said, “It’s been one of my greatest honors to serve as the top officer of our union since 2015, and it sure has been a hell of a ride. Since March 2020, the vast majority of my creative energy has gone into solving our collective problems – sometimes successfully, sometimes making frustratingly incremental gains.

Ariana DeBose made a striking hosting debut at the Tony Awards in 2022. When she returned in 2023, it was an unscripted, off-the-cuff evening in the midst of the writers strike. Now, the actress and singer is planning for her third consecutive year of hosting the show celebrating Broadway.

“I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time at Lincoln Center,” DeBose shared in a statement. “I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for...

Oscar winner Ariana DeBose will return to host the 77th Annual Tony Awards, marking her third consecutive year as host. Last year’s Tonys took place during the WGA strike and were carried out without a script. DeBose was more than up to that challenge, so handling the 2024 show should be much less stressful.

In addition to hosting, DeBose will choreograph the awards show’s opening number and serve as producer.

“I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time at Lincoln Center. I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for our community and for everyone at home,” said DeBose.

The 2024 Tony Awards nominees will be revealed on Tuesday, April 30.

“We are incredibly honored to welcome Tony Award-nominated actress Ariana DeBose as this year’s host for Broadway’s biggest night, taking...

Ariana DeBose will return as host of this year’s Tony Awards, marking her third consecutive year fronting Broadway’s biggest night.

The 77th Annual Tony Awards airs live nationwide (8 pm Et/5 pm Pt) on Sunday, June 16, on CBS, streaming on Paramount+. As previously announced, the ceremony will take place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

DeBose, an Oscar winner (West Side Story) and previous Tony nominee (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), will serve as a Tony producer and will choreograph the opening number for this year’s show.

“I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time, at Lincoln Center,” DeBose said in a statement. “I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for our community and for everyone at home.

Ariana DeBose will return as the host of the 77th Annual Tony Awards in June.

This marks the third time The West Side Story star has hosted the awards show, which will take place on June 16 at the David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center. DeBose will also choreograph the opening number for the show and serve as a producer.

“I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time at Lincoln Center. I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for our community and for everyone at home,” DeBose said.

The broadcast will yet again be split into two parts, with a pre-show, entitled The Tony Awards: Act One, to air on Paramount’s free streaming service PlutoTV and feature select awards presentations. The host for the pre-show has not yet been named.

Broadway will honor the late actor, dancer and singer Hinton Battle with the traditional dimming of marquee lights on March 12.

The lights will dim at Broadway’s Shubert, Marquis, St. James, New Amsterdam, Samuel J. Friedman, Circle in the Square, Hayes, Vivian Beaumont and Todd Haimes theaters for the traditional one minute at exactly 6:45 p.m./Et.

“The passing of Hinton Battle has had a profound impact within the Broadway community as we mourn the loss of a true theatrical legend,” said Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League, adding that Battle’s family had been consulted about the tribute venues. “Hinton Battle will be remembered for his incredible array of roles on Broadway. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans.”

Battle died January 30,at the age of 67. A trained ballet dancer who studied at the renowned Jones-Haywood School of Ballet in Washington, D.C. and...

Actors’ Equity will hand out leaflets outside a workshop of the Broadway-bound Smash musical this week, “warning of the possibility of a strike” in light of ongoing negotiations with the Broadway League regarding compensation for work on shows in development.

Equity President Kate Shindle is expected to be in attendance when the union leaflets the Smash developmental workshop Thursday morning and Friday afternoon outside the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The union’s Development Agreement with Broadway League producers covers the development of new works, usually prior to an intended Broadway engagement. Equity and the Broadway League have been in negotiations since January 22, 2024. The current agreement expired on Sunday, February 11.

Last week, the union, which represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theater, voted to authorize a strike against The Broadway League if ongoing negotiations fail. Equity is currently in the...

Actors’ Equity Association has voted to authorize a strike against the Broadway League amid negotiations over developmental work.

The strike authorization vote, which was agreed to unanimously by the union’s 83-member national council, does not mean the union will go on strike, but rather that Equity can call a strike if deemed necessary. The union went on a 33-day strike in 2019 over this contract, which pertains to workshops and readings of shows held before potential full productions on Broadway or elsewhere.

At the end of the 2019 strike, which saw stage managers and actors refuse to take part in developmental work, union members who take part in the development of a production gained a share in 1 percent of the show’s profits, once the show goes on to a full production and recoups, as well as a salary increase.

This round of negotiations began on Jan. 22, and the contract, which...

Update, with League statement: The labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre has voted to authorize a strike against The Broadway League, the trade association for Broadway.

The National Council of Actors’ Equity Association’s unanimous vote does not begin a strike. But it is a saber rattle that business as usual could be disrupted if they can’t reach consensus on the Development Agreement, which supports the creation of new works by Broadway League producers.

The current agreement has been under discussion since last month. It expires on Sunday.

“We know that show development is work,” said Equity Executive Director and Lead Negotiator Al Vincent, Jr. “This development work hopefully leads to successful shows, some of which have long lives with many iterations, that can make a lot of money for producers. We know there is no revenue from the development sessions themselves,...

After nearly two decades leading the Broadway League, Charlotte St. Martin is stepping down.

The League announced her Feb. 16 retirement on Tuesday, along with the news that Jason Laks, the League’s executive vice president and general counsel, will serve as acting president as the Board conducts its search for a leader.

St. Martin helmed the national trade organization representing theaters and producers for 18 years. Following her retirement, she is expected to continue on in an advisory capacity for special events through the 2024 Tony Awards.

“While there is never a good moment for an executive who has spent a great deal of time in their role to resign, it is the appropriate time for me. It is truly the most difficult decision as I love the League, the staff, and of course, the industry that we have supported,” St. Martin said in a statement. “I am very proud of our...