In Honor of the 90th Anniversary of Actor's Equity Association
IN HONOR OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ACTOR'S EQUITY ASSOCIATION-HON. JERROLD NADLER (Extensions of Remarks - March 03, 2004)
HON. JERROLD NADLER
OF NEW YORK
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2004
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Actors' Equity Association, in honor of its 90 years of contributions to the American theater.
Since 1913, Actors' Equity Association has fought for better wages, working conditions, and pension and health benefits for actors and stage managers. Equity has fostered and stimulated the art of live theater and contributed to the health of the American theatrical community. In particular, Actors' Equity plays an important role in the Broadway industry, in the heart of my district, which contributes $4 billion annually to the economy of New York City and depends greatly on the talent and professionalism of Equity's members.
Throughout Actors' Equity's distinguished history, it has built a proud tradition of contributing to the overall good of our society and community by: fighting against segregation, blacklisting and discrimination; supporting funding for the arts; and spearheading fundraising for charities such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
In addition, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City, Equity came together with other theatrical unions to keep Broadway shows up and running, helping New York City recover.
The hard work and talent of the more than 45,000 members of Actors' Equity Association contribute to the arts and to their communities in cities and theaters across the country. Actors' Equity Association is committed to ensuring these members are treated with dignity and respect, and that the art of live theater continues to flourish.
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to applaud Equity's ongoing efforts to uphold the highest artistic standards of live theater in the United States. I commend Actor's Equity for all of its good work and offer my sincerest congratulations upon reaching this milestone.