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Part 60

The Art of Stage Dancing · Ned Wayburn — chapter 60 of 76 · ~1,135 words · public domain

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Rehearsals

A. (1) The Actor, if required, shall give four weeks' rehearsal without pay (in case of musical comedy, revue or spectacular production, five weeks), and obligates himself to be ready to rehearse four (or five) weeks before the date mentioned in Paragraph three on face of contract hereof; if further rehearsals are required then for each additional week or part thereof the Manager shall pay the Actor full compensation, as provided in Paragraph four on face of contract hereof on Saturday night of each week.

(2) It is agreed that rehearsals shall be continuous from the date of the first rehearsal to the date of the first public performance of the play, as stated in Paragraph three on the face hereof.

Clothes

B. (1) If the Actor be a man, he shall furnish and pay for such conventional morning, afternoon and evening clothes as are customarily worn by civilians of the present day in this country, together with wigs and footwear necessarily appurtenant thereto. All other wigs, footwear, costumes, clothes, appurtenances and "properties," including those peculiar to any trade, occupation or sport, to be furnished by the Manager.

(2) If the Actor be a woman, all wigs, gowns, hats, footwear and all "properties" shall be furnished by the Manager.

Notices

C. All communications which refer to the company in general shall be posted upon the call-board. Notice to the Manager must be given to him personally or to his company or Stage Manager.

Number of Performances

D. (1) Eight performances shall constitute a week's work.

(2) A week's compensation shall be paid even if a less number than eight performances are given, except as herein otherwise provided in Paragraph F.

(3) A sum equal to one-eighth of the weekly compensation shall be paid for each performance over eight in each week. (This also applies to understudies.)

(4) It is assumed that Sunday rehearsals and performances will take place only where it is lawful, and the Actor shall not be required to perform in the play and part above named on Sunday in any theatre except those where Sunday performances were customarily given on May 1, 1924.

E. The Actor shall travel with the company by such routes as the Manager may direct, and the Actor shall not demand compensation for any performance lost through unavoidable delay in travel which prevents the giving of performances by the company.

Lost Performances

F. (1) It is further agreed if the company cannot perform because of fire, accident, strikes, riot, act of God, the public enemy, or for any other cause of the same general class which could not be reasonably anticipated or prevented, or if the Actor cannot perform on account of illness or any other valid reason, then the Actor shall not be entitled to any salary (except as otherwise herein specified) for the time during which said services shall not for such reason or reasons be rendered. Should any of the foregoing conditions continue for a period of ten days or more, the Actor may terminate the contract and the Manager will pay for all services to date and transportation back to New York City.

Lost Rehearsals

G. If the Manager is prevented from giving rehearsals because of fire, accident, riot, strikes, illness of star or prominent member of the cast, act of God, public enemy or any other cause of the same general class which could not reasonably be anticipated or prevented, then the time so lost shall not be counted as part of the four (or five, as the case may be) weeks' rehearsal period herein provided. After the fourth week of rehearsal, including any lay-off period on the above account, the Manager will pay half salaries for two weeks, at the end of which time the Actor shall be free, unless the Manager wishes to continue the services of the Actor and pays him full salary therefor.

Transportation

H. The Manager agrees to transport the Actor when required to travel, including transportation from New York City to the point of opening and back to New York City from the point of closing; also the Actor's personal baggage up to two hundred pounds weight.

I. The Manager shall reimburse the Actor for all loss or damage to his property used and/or to be used in connection with the play while they are wholly or partly in the possession or control or under the supervision of the Manager or of any of his representatives and also when such baggage and property has been in any way shipped, forwarded or stored by the Manager or any of his representatives, but the Actor shall have no claim if the loss or damage occurs while the baggage or property is under his own control. Upon payment of said loss or damage the Manager shall be subrogated to all rights of the Actor therefor.

J. If the company is organized outside of New York City, the name of such place is herein agreed to be substituted for New York City in Paragraph H, and elsewhere.

K. The Manager shall not be responsible for any loss occurring to the personal baggage of the Actor, whose duty it is, if he desires to protect himself against loss, to insure the same.

L. The Actor herein may play in any benefit performance given by or under the auspices of the Actors' Equity Association. Deputies of said Association will be permitted in each company and a duly authorized representative shall have the right to be on the stage before and after rehearsals and before and after performances, and said Association may represent its members in any dispute which may arise with the managers. Actors will be tentatively engaged on their paid up cards only, which card will be prima facie evidence of membership in said association until the manager is otherwise notified.

RULES

1. Should the Manager of any production consider the same "Spectacular" and therefore entitled to five weeks of free rehearsals, he shall notify the Actors' Equity Association before the beginning of rehearsals and advise fully as to the nature of the production and secure its allowance of his claim.

2. Rehearsals begin with the date when the Actor is first called. If the Manager chooses to start with a reading to the Company, or substantial part thereof, said reading is a part of and begins the rehearsal period.

3. In case of company rehearsals being held before the opening of the play at a place different from that of organization, the Manager shall pay the Actor his reasonable living expenses during said rehearsals, except that the Manager shall be allowed two days of free rehearsals in cities within one thousand miles of New York City and one additional day free for each additional one thousand miles or fraction thereof.

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