Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Broadway Strike
Aired March 10, 2003 - 13:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Tempers are rising, losses are mounting. No talks scheduled in the musicians strike that began Friday and shut down 18 of the 19 musicals on Broadway. It is estimated $5 million in box office receipts lost over the weekend.
CNN's Jason Carroll live in New York watching the no business like no business, I guess -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No business like show business. A lot of disappointed people here in Times Square. You know, Miles, when people come to Times Square take a look, they think of what? They think of Broadway, because it's about everywhere you look. You've got huge billboards for "Thoroughly Modern Millie." You've got another one here for "Chicago." They're all over the place. The problem is musicians that make the musicals what they are simply don't want to play right now. What is the reason why? They say the producers are trying to reduce the minimum amount of musicians that play in those live orchestras when you come out to hear and see a musical.
So what happened on Friday? They went out on strike. Now initially, the producers thought the plays and musicals would be able to go on anyway because they would use virtual musicians down there, in other words, they would use digital music to replace the live musicians. But what happened, was the actors went out on strike along with the musicians, you know, for sympathy.
So what you have is you've got audiences that are caught in the middle of all of this, trying to get out there and see a musical, but can't do it right now.
I've got two people joining me who came in from Holland. I've got Karen (ph) and I've got Miriam (ph).
You came in this weekend, wanted to see a musical, disappointed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, very disappointed. We wanted to go and see "42nd Street," but on Friday night, but it was unfortunately canceled, so couldn't go.
CARROLL: Was there a backup plan? Were you able to get your money back? Did you try to see another musical? What did you do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we went to buy tickets at 3:00 at the ticket booth, and afterwards, in the evening, we got our money back. We went and got the money back. So plan b. CARROLL: Plan b. That's got to be a major disappointment. I know a lot of people, wherever they're coming from, come to New York City, want to see a musical.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly.
CARROLL: When did you find out, and how did you find out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told us already when we bought the tickets that it was very likely -- or there was a possibility of it being canceled. So when we got to theater, they told us it was canceled, and we should get a refund for the tickets.
CARROLL: Maybe next time. Any plans to come back to New York City?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely.
CARROLL: And hope that at least you'll maybe see a musical at that point.
All right, Karen, Miriam, thank you for joining us, thanks for coming to the city from Holland. Sorry you were unable to see the show.
Miles, I know you were talking numbers. I want to talk a little bit more about that if I could. I have some new estimates for you. The producers are saying that over the weekend, the city actually lost about $7.2 million because of the strike.
Now, what they're doing is they're including, of course, the loss of ticket sales, but they're also including the businesses that depend on those sales, taxis, hotels, restaurants in the area. They're also predicting that the city could lose anywhere between $50 million to $60 million if this strike should last for a week.
But right now, Miles, I've spoken to representatives from both sides. There are no new talks scheduled on the calendar -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: It's always discouraging when you hear they're not even talking. Any inkling as to when they might get together in the same room to hash this out?
CARROLL: I guess it really depends upon who you talk to. When I spoke to a representative from the union that represents the musicians, they say, look, we hope we can at least get back to the negotiating table. But when you talk to the producers, they say, look, we've made an offer, we say that we want minimum of 15 musicians down there in the orchestra pit, they're not willing to listen, no new talks are scheduled.
O'BRIEN: Tell me one thing, what about the road shows? Does this affect, you know, the shows that are currently in Atlanta, or is that a separate union deal entirely?
CARROLL: Reporter: that's separate. And in terms of what's happening here in New York, if you're willing to go off-Broadway, you can see a play there or a musical there. But it's the major musicals, the ones that people are most people with, like a "Chicago," "A Thoroughly Modern Millie," "The Producers," those are the major shows on Broadway that are really being affected by this.
O'BRIEN: You can tell those two women you just talked to, there a few other things to do in New York, not to worry, right?
CARROLL: Absolutely. You can go to a club, do something else.
O'BRIEN: Jason Carroll, maybe you can show them where to go. We appreciate you joining, so to speak. Anyhow, we appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 10, 2003 - 13:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Tempers are rising, losses are mounting. No talks scheduled in the musicians strike that began Friday and shut down 18 of the 19 musicals on Broadway. It is estimated $5 million in box office receipts lost over the weekend.
CNN's Jason Carroll live in New York watching the no business like no business, I guess -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No business like show business. A lot of disappointed people here in Times Square. You know, Miles, when people come to Times Square take a look, they think of what? They think of Broadway, because it's about everywhere you look. You've got huge billboards for "Thoroughly Modern Millie." You've got another one here for "Chicago." They're all over the place. The problem is musicians that make the musicals what they are simply don't want to play right now. What is the reason why? They say the producers are trying to reduce the minimum amount of musicians that play in those live orchestras when you come out to hear and see a musical.
So what happened on Friday? They went out on strike. Now initially, the producers thought the plays and musicals would be able to go on anyway because they would use virtual musicians down there, in other words, they would use digital music to replace the live musicians. But what happened, was the actors went out on strike along with the musicians, you know, for sympathy.
So what you have is you've got audiences that are caught in the middle of all of this, trying to get out there and see a musical, but can't do it right now.
I've got two people joining me who came in from Holland. I've got Karen (ph) and I've got Miriam (ph).
You came in this weekend, wanted to see a musical, disappointed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, very disappointed. We wanted to go and see "42nd Street," but on Friday night, but it was unfortunately canceled, so couldn't go.
CARROLL: Was there a backup plan? Were you able to get your money back? Did you try to see another musical? What did you do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we went to buy tickets at 3:00 at the ticket booth, and afterwards, in the evening, we got our money back. We went and got the money back. So plan b. CARROLL: Plan b. That's got to be a major disappointment. I know a lot of people, wherever they're coming from, come to New York City, want to see a musical.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly.
CARROLL: When did you find out, and how did you find out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told us already when we bought the tickets that it was very likely -- or there was a possibility of it being canceled. So when we got to theater, they told us it was canceled, and we should get a refund for the tickets.
CARROLL: Maybe next time. Any plans to come back to New York City?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely.
CARROLL: And hope that at least you'll maybe see a musical at that point.
All right, Karen, Miriam, thank you for joining us, thanks for coming to the city from Holland. Sorry you were unable to see the show.
Miles, I know you were talking numbers. I want to talk a little bit more about that if I could. I have some new estimates for you. The producers are saying that over the weekend, the city actually lost about $7.2 million because of the strike.
Now, what they're doing is they're including, of course, the loss of ticket sales, but they're also including the businesses that depend on those sales, taxis, hotels, restaurants in the area. They're also predicting that the city could lose anywhere between $50 million to $60 million if this strike should last for a week.
But right now, Miles, I've spoken to representatives from both sides. There are no new talks scheduled on the calendar -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: It's always discouraging when you hear they're not even talking. Any inkling as to when they might get together in the same room to hash this out?
CARROLL: I guess it really depends upon who you talk to. When I spoke to a representative from the union that represents the musicians, they say, look, we hope we can at least get back to the negotiating table. But when you talk to the producers, they say, look, we've made an offer, we say that we want minimum of 15 musicians down there in the orchestra pit, they're not willing to listen, no new talks are scheduled.
O'BRIEN: Tell me one thing, what about the road shows? Does this affect, you know, the shows that are currently in Atlanta, or is that a separate union deal entirely?
CARROLL: Reporter: that's separate. And in terms of what's happening here in New York, if you're willing to go off-Broadway, you can see a play there or a musical there. But it's the major musicals, the ones that people are most people with, like a "Chicago," "A Thoroughly Modern Millie," "The Producers," those are the major shows on Broadway that are really being affected by this.
O'BRIEN: You can tell those two women you just talked to, there a few other things to do in New York, not to worry, right?
CARROLL: Absolutely. You can go to a club, do something else.
O'BRIEN: Jason Carroll, maybe you can show them where to go. We appreciate you joining, so to speak. Anyhow, we appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
