‘Christmas Spectacular’ Musicians Strike

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The New York Sun

Musicians for the Radio City Music Hall’s famed “Christmas Spectacular” went on strike yesterday, throwing the venerable New York City event into turmoil one day before opening night.


A pre-season performance last night was canceled, but Radio City said in a statement that the show would go on as planned today with a recorded musical score. Several dozen musicians picketed outside the Midtown Manhattan landmark yesterday evening.


Some with tickets to last night’s performance left disappointed. Mark Everette, 5, burst into tears when he found out he wouldn’t get to see the show. “We’re going to go get something to eat and console him,” his mother, Denise Everette, said.


Alaura Imperioli, 16, of the Bronx, who had planned to see last night’s performance with tickets won through the New York Post, said, “We have the whole night to do absolutely nothing.”


Union president David Lennon said the Rockettes had walked out in support, but that was denied by Radio City officials. A message left for the union representing the Rockettes, the American Guild of Variety Artists, was not immediately returned.


“It’s a very sad day in New York,” Mr. Lennon, president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, said.


Stagehands for the show walked out to back the musicians, the president of Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, James Claffey Jr., said. “Tonight we honor the picket line,” he said. He would not comment on whether the stagehands’ walkout would continue today.


The Rockettes reached a contract agreement last month with Radio City Entertainment, which is owned by Cablevision. Mr. Claffey said he believed there was a no-strike provision in the contract.


The labor strife has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the “Christmas Spectacular” – a show that has entertained children and adults for seven decades. People pay up to $250 a ticket to watch the Rockettes highkick to Christmas tunes.


The orchestra’s five-year contract expired in May, and meetings since then have failed to produce an agreement with the union on salary and overtime issues.


The New York Sun

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