Last week, we learned Broadway Cares was planning to live stream the November 2019 Celebrating 25 Magical Years of Disney on Broadway concert to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. A few days later, they were forced to cancel the live stream due to demands from the American Federation of Musicians union. Now it appears the show will go on after all.
UPDATE (4/14/2020):
- Shortly after announcing the Disney on Broadway concert was back on, Broadway Cares tweeted the new date for the performance.
- The Celebrating 25 Magical Years of Disney on Broadway concert will livestream on Friday, April 17 at 7pm ET/4pm PT. Fans can view the YouTube livestream via the Broadway Cares website.
- The show will be hosted by Ryan McCartan who plays Hans in Disney’s Frozen.
Previously:
- According to Deadline, Ray Hair, the International President of The American Federation of Musicians, released a statement reversing his decision to withhold union approval of the stream.
- The AFM has agreed to waive fees for the live stream of the concert after musicians and the conductor who performed at the concert formed a petition urging Hair to allow the show.
- The live stream was initially set to happen tonight at 7 PM but according to a spokesperson for the show, that won’t be happening.
- Instead, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is working to reschedule the stream.
- After the initial objection from Hair, Broadway Cares attempted to appease AFM with a $25,000 donation to a musician’s emergency fund, but their offer was declined.
- Two other labor unions, Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, gave no objection to the fund-raising event.
- The original concert was also a fund-raising event that raked in $570,426 for Broadway Cares and cost Disney $200,000 to produce, during which all performers were paid for their work.
- The concert was filmed on November 4th, 2019, at the Disney’s New Amsterdam Theater.
What they’re saying:
- Ray Hair, International President of the AFM of the United States and Canada: “We stand in solidarity with our fellow entertainment workers in Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA. We believe all musicians should be fairly compensated for their work all of the time, but we also believe that we must do everything possible to support entertainment workers hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. We fully support the union musicians who have graciously offered to forgo all required payments to allow this charity event to move forward.”