Theatre Design & Technology - May 1966 - 7

also successfully negotiated a rehearsal pay which
will, by 1967, equal the actor's minimum salary.

ice shows, water shows, rodeos, amusement parks,
industrial shows, as well as what remains of vaudevi lie and presentation-house bookings. AGVA members
include a wide variety of performers, from actors,
singers, dancers, and magicians, to trapeze acts,
clowns, and swimmers.
Many of these performers
also work in television, motion pictures, and other
areas. AGVA is one of the largest performer unions.

The Association offers its members innumerable
services. However, there are nine which most directly affect the actor. First, there is always up-to-date
information about casting in New York theatres. The
Chorus Auditions Department oversees the auditions
for all legitimate musical productions. Members may
also register in this department for stock and Off- Such a membership is difficult to control because of
Broadway calls.
multiplicity of employers and the transient nature of
the membership.
The Association endorses and assists Equity Theatre
projects in three states. These productions serve as The problems of itineracy are illustrated by the way
a showcase for union members and others who work in which the union conducts its annual election of
Forty-five days before the
in them without pay. AEA claims that "over 60% of Convention delegates.
the actors receive direct employment as a result ... "5 March nomination meetings, the National Office must
post a written notice in each Area Office. "FurtherAdvice is available on contracts, claims, agency
more, in view of the fact that the AGVA membership
relations,
unemployment insurance, and related
is transient and may not observe such membership
business matters. Equity also tries to provide innotice,"8 it must also be printed in the Guild's biformation about interim theatrical and non-theatrical
month Iy paper. A spec ia I survey is next prepared to
employment for members "between engagements."
determine the pa id members then in each area. The
There is an Emergency Fund from which members
Constitution entitles an area to send one delegate
can secure small loans for "pressing need." The
for every 200 members, with a minimum of one per
Mail Service and Equity Magazine round aut this abbranch office. Sixty days prior to the Convention,
breviated picture of AEA services.
the delegate nominations are forwarded to the
The union's membership is primarily divided into two National Office. Ballots are then issued to all active
categories: Junior and Senior Resident members. An members of record; this election can be conducted
actor is in the Junior classification when he joins- only by mai I referendum. At the June Convention,
providing he is a citizen of the United States or a delegates nominate a National Board of Directors.
resident or citizen of Canada. He is eligible to be- This election is also conducted by national mail
come a Senior Resident, upon application, after he referen du m.
has worked under a production contract in two proThere are currently 27 Branches of the Guild in the
fessional presentations, or had 24 weeks of employUnited States and Canada. Gui Id members are divided
ment, or attended four membership meetings. Equity
into si x classes: Active Principal and Chorus Memconsiders an actor to be a "professional for life"
bers, Senior Members (members over 62 - womenl or
once he joins. 6
65 =menl, who have been active for a minimum ot ten
Equity has over thirty standing committees which are years, and who are no longer able to perform), Life
authorized by its Counci I to work on various problems. Members (for outstanding meritorious service), NonThe Canadian Executive Committee is particularly Resident Members (active al iens), and Honorary
important, since it has the delegated authority to run Members (persons who are not performers, but who
certain of the Association's affairs in that country. are in sympathy with the purposes of the Guild).
The other principal committees include the MemberAny person who is performing professionally, or who
ship, Education, and Legislative grou!,>s, West Coast
demonstrates that he is qualified to perform, is eligiAdvisory Board, Advisory Committee on Chorus Afbl e for membersh ip.
fairs, and the Stock and Off-Broadway Committee.
AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS (AGMA)
The Department to Extend Professional Theatre is
AGMA was founded on March 11,1936 as an organizaone of the more important activities sponsored by the
tion of solo musical artists.
It was originally an
union. Its program is threefold: to design and inindependent group, but in 1937 it merged with the
itiate proposals which will increase professional
Grand Opera Artists Association and obtained a
Equity activity, to act as a consultant for specific
charter from the Four A's.
AGMA now has jurisprojects, and to aid a nation-wide spread of informadiction over all performers in the opera, ballet,
tion which the Association hopes will lead to prooratorio, concert, and recital fields.
fessional theatre of higher quality throughout the
United States and Canada.?
From the above description, it is easy to imagine
that AGMA might eventually encounter juri sdictional
The Association is not divided into locals. However,
confusion in areas represented by Equity (musicals)
it does maintain branch offices in Chicago, Los
and the AFM.
In June 1939, the musical artists,
Angeles, San Francisco, ond Canoda (Toronto).
Actors Equity, and Chorus Equity entered into an
AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS (AGVA) agreement which gave AGMA control over "opera in
The bulk of AGVA's 14,000 members play one-night English," which is defined as a "dramatico-musico
or weekend engagements. The field they cover is a work along classic lines--following historical musical
vast one, embracing: night clubs, casual club dates, foundations."9 The jurisdictional problem between
burlesque, circuses, fairs, carnivals, sports shows, the Guild and AFM took a year and a half to settle.

May 1966

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - May 1966