NEW YORK CITY: This afternoon in Times Square, Broadway actors and stage managers will gather to rally under the cause of what organizers are calling “a fair deal.” Their union, Actors’ Equity Association, has been at the bargaining table with the Broadway League since September over union’s biggest contract, which governs shows on Broadway, as well as Broadway League-produced sit-down shows in other parts of the country. Equity members are specifically looking for changes to rules related to coverage (i.e., understudies, swings, and additional stage managers) as well as scheduling and safe workplaces.

The rally will be held at in the theatre district on the pedestrian plaza between Broadway and 7th Ave., between 45th and 46th Streets, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Expected speakers in attendance include Gavin Creel (Into the Woods), NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, Equity 3rd vice president Erin Maureen Koster, and several others.

Founded in 1913, AEA is the U.S. labor union for more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions, and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension.