In case you hadn’t heard, Actors’ Equity Association and Local 802 (Broadway musicians) are in the midst of negotiations for a new contract. For the moment, mediation has ground to a halt. Talks are slated to resume on October 17.

The unions that make Broadway what it is, the ones who make the magic, are also making strike preparations. The unions say they are too far apart from the Broadway League (these are the folks who represent producers and landlords) in the issues of staffing, scheduling, working conditions, and benefits. Plus healthcare. Plus revenue sharing. All these things are expensive. The Broadway League has to face expensive reality, too; insanely high production costs sometimes mean big grosses still result in real-world losses.

If, God forbid, there is a strike, most Broadway shows would go dark, excepting the ones presented by not-for-profit organizations, like Lincoln Center Theater or Manhattan Theatre Club.

Off-Broadway and Off-Off would continue, though. Lots of tasty-good theater to be seen away from the Great White Way. Here’s an Off-Broadway listing from Playbill.com.

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