What Can or Should Equity be doing about all this???

What Can or Should Equity be doing about all this???

Pete Keal, 5 October 2012

Dramatis personnae(!): Pete, Siobhan, Audrey, Lucy, Pete K (convener)

Pete and Siobhan were thinking about joining Equity and came with specific questions:

Pete: Two Equity members can't have same professional name and an existing Equity member has the same prof. name as his. Gave Pete contact details for Regional Organiser for advice on this.

Siobhan is a Sign Language interpreter who frequently works in theatre said many Interpreters are not familiar with theatre language; interpreters needs to be involved with rehearsals as an integral part of the process rather than as an add-on ; interpretation can even be a barrier to deaf people attending theatre if it is not of a good standard.

Audrey and Pete encouraged Siobhan to join Equity and to push these matters as a policy issue through her Equity Branch in the North West.

Discussion on revival of Yorkshire Ridings General Branch; formal proceedings at meetings can be off-putting; Branch meetings and activities need to be made attractive to members e.g. guest speakers and workshops; Equity could do more to help young actors take their first steps into the industry; Lucy offered to talk to people on university drama courses; Pete K will send links to equity branch facebook pages as requested;.

Audrey would like to strengthen possible links with WYP via James Brining for local actors to be made welcome here for Equity meetings.

Wider theatre issues: Support Actors had been hired by WYP for Cat On a Hot Tin Roof and Equity members were told they wouldn't be considered; plan to invite new WYP Artistic Director to speak to Equity meeting ... maybe at WYP at less than commercial room hire rate; Need Regional auditioning at WYP; should be an Equity database of Yorkshire based actors at WYP; info about Yorshire castings needs to be sent to Equity branch; would be good to have an Equity venue at the On The Edge festival in Leeds.

Tags:

James Brining, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Equity, WYP, union, unions, Yorkshire