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34-455: Lexington Conservatory Theatre was an equity summer theatre company in the Catskills town of Lexington, New York . Co-founded in 1976 by a group of professional theatre artists including Oakley Hall III , Michael Van Landingham and Bruce Bouchard, the theatre operated for five seasons at the historic Lexington House , a former hotel turned artist retreat. Hall was seriously injured in

68-527: A documentary about the theatre company as part of The Summer Show series. Hosted by Joan Lapp, the production interviewed cast and crew of the production of Monte Merrick's Nurseryland . By its third season, the company had secured significant funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and was growing its reputation nationally, with attention from critic Brooks Atkinson . In 1978,

102-529: A fall from a bridge during the summer of 1978. That summer and Hall's life in the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury were the subjects of the documentary The Loss of Nameless Things . "...on par with the Woodstock, Williamstown and Berkshire playhouse troupes," summarized Fred LeBrun in the Albany Times Union in 1978, "but with an attitude all their own." "Their productions roared with

136-721: A full-throated vitality that's never since had a regional equal, and in their offstage life, troupe members indulged in carnal and intoxicating pursuits with comparable zeal," said critic Steve Barnes, decades later. "They were on a mission to change the world, like generations of young artists before and since." Oakley Hall III, Michael van Landingham, Thomas Culp and Bruce Bouchard met while attended college at UC Irvine, working together on productions at Irvine Repertory Theatre and American Conservatory Theater . The group of friends eventually moved to New York City to continue their careers. In 1974, Evelyn Weisberg, owner of Lexington House , met Bouchard and fellow actor Kate Kelly while operating

170-460: A local educational theatre program. Learning of the nascent theatre group forming in New York, Weisberg supported the formation of the group in 1975, inviting them to take residence at Lexington House and its surrounding facilities. Cabaret star Julie Wilson held a fundraiser for the company in a downtown Manhattan loft, netting $ 7,000 in seed funding for the organization. After extensive work on

204-514: A major role in the recognition of the impact the AIDS epidemic on the world of theater, co-founding Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS . In 2021, Actor's Equity introduced an "Open Access" membership policy, whereby "any theatre worker who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity's geographical jurisdiction" may join the union. This opened eligibility to

238-568: A member of one of Equity's sister performing arts unions, the "Four A's": SAG-AFTRA , AGMA , AGVA or GIAA . Such applicants must have been a member of said sister union for at least one year, be a member in good standing of that union, have worked as a performer under the union's jurisdiction on a principal or "under-five" contract or at least three days of extra ("background") work, and must have completed non-union theatrical work. The AEA has several different types of contract, with different rules associated with them. Each contract type deals with

272-575: A more organized equality strike. Starting on June 5, 1929, Gillmore attended several meetings in New York with the heads of Broadway. After the meeting, he notified the AEA that appearances in sound and talking motion pictures had been suspended until the outcome of the meetings with the international Studio Crafts Union. Due to the negotiations and the suspension of contracts through the AEA, studios were desperate for actors to speed up production, which had dropped significantly. The New York Times wrote, "It

306-557: A press conference at the EBA Dance Studio in Albany, NY. They announced that the company would form a theatre in downtown Albany that followed a fall-winter-spring season, to be known as Capital Repertory Company or "Capital Rep." While they had reviewed various buildings in search of a suitable facility, they had decided that refurbishing a non-theatre building into a 450-seat theatre was the most viable option. On April 19 and 20,

340-530: A series of theatre classes to students ages 6–18. By the end of the 1977 season, the company's profile had raised considerably. "The two venerable rival companies at Williamstown, Mass. and Woodstock, New York could not boast seasons of such sustained artistic accomplishment as the young, energetic players at Lexington Theatre enjoyed in the second season of their ascendency," according to the River Valley Chronicle . The theatre also supported

374-453: A specific type of theater venue or production type. These include, but are not limited to: Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST), Guest Artist, Letters of Agreement (LoA), League of Resident Theatres (LoRT) Small Professional Theatres (SPT), and Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA). AEA actors and stage managers are not allowed to work in non-Equity houses or on any productions in which an Equity Agreement has not been signed anywhere within

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408-443: A studio would put out worldwide. On July 20, 1929, the AEA gained its first victory, which gave producers and actors a leg to stand on in their battle for equality. Over 30 days (up to August 20, 1929), Gillmore fought to give the AEA the ability to represent all actors, producers, radio personality, vaudeville performers, and agents in the country. This would also give all power and representation to one organization in order to create

442-633: A year-round season of productions, including a new play development program. In 2004, the feature film documentary The Loss of Nameless Things debuted on the festival circuit and later was broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens . It chronicled the history of the company and its founder, Oakley Hall III. The film sparked renewed interest in Hall's work as well as a biopic that was in development but never produced. In 2022, photographer and documentary filmmaker Michael Bronfenbrenner published Lexington Through

476-408: Is to make Albany the hub of our operations," Van Landingham told The Knickerbocker News prior to opening night. "We want to construct a network of productions, centered here." In October 1980, amidst circulating rumors, executive director Michael Van Landingham announced that the theatre would not return to Lexington House and instead move permanently to Albany. He cited a desire to be closer to

510-529: The Hollywood blacklist , the AEA refused to participate. Although its constitution guaranteed its members the right to refuse to work alongside Communists , or a member of a Communist front organization, the AEA did not ban any members. At a 1997 ceremony commemorating the blacklist's 50th anniversary, Richard Masur , then president of the Screen Actors Guild, apologized for its participation in

544-627: The 1979 season The facility at Lexington House included an art gallery, cabaret/bar, numerous smaller cabins and two 150-seat theatres, presenting a main stage season as well as numerous staged readings and developmental works. Tickets were sold via several subscription packages in addition to single ticket sales. When LCT opened in 1976, the Barn Theatre was the primary theatre space, outfitted with seats donated from Theatre 80 in Greenwich Village, NYC. In 1978, after extensive work by

578-838: The Actors Equity Association, with more than 111 actors and Francis Wilson as its founding board president. At a meeting held at the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel in New York City, on May 26, 1913, Actors' Equity was founded by 112 professional theater actors, who established its constitution and elected Francis Wilson as president. Leading up to the association's establishment, a handful of influential actors—known as The Players—held secret organizational meetings at Edwin Booth's The Players at its Gramercy Park mansion. A bronze plaque commemorates

612-656: The Lens , a photographic recollection of the company. In addition to the company's summer productions, LCT also produced plays in New York City, Off and Off-Off Broadway. Actors%27 Equity Association Leading up to the Actors' and Producers' strike of 1929, Hollywood and California in general had a series of workers' equality battles that directly influenced the film industry. The films The Passaic Textile Strike (1926), The Miners' Strike (1928) and The Gastonia Textile Strike (1929) gave audience and producers insight into

646-511: The ban, saying: "Only our sister union, Actors' Equity Association, had the courage to stand behind its members and help them continue their creative lives in the theater. For that, we honor Actors' Equity tonight." In the 1960s, the AEA played a role in gaining public funding for the arts, including the founding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The AEA fought the destruction of historic Broadway theaters . It played

680-725: The company presented a series of events called "The Break In", intended to orient the community to the theatre company and its work. The event included music and video presentations, a discussion with director Lev Shekhtman , and selections of scenes from past productions. In March 1980, LCT produced The Tavern by George M. Cohan at the Egg Theatre in Albany, under the Capital Rep name. Directed by future producing artistic director Peter Clough, it starred company members Michael J. Hume, Court Miller , Janni Brenn, Patricia Charbonneau , Sofia Landon Geier and Steve Hytner . "The idea

714-403: The company won a regional theatre award from The Rockefeller Foundation . In 1979, the company received a $ 2,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for its new play development work, and in 1980, $ 4,000. The 1980 world premiere of Close Ties by Elizabeth Diggs starred notable stage actress Margaret Barker. She praised the company and its work, saying "I haven't felt this since I

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748-496: The company, the refurbished River Theatre opened with the production of A Streetcar Named Desire . Over the course of its first three years, the organization had grown to include several simultaneous projects. In addition to the main summer series at Lexington, LCT produced PROVOS, a new play reading series, an Upstate Tour production series aimed at serving rural communities, and a League of Women Artists focused on developing theatre opportunities for women. Company members also taught

782-569: The development of original music. In 1976, the company helped launch the Sonora Music Festival in Lexington, which continued for several seasons. In 1977, LCT featured Earful , a concert series by Joseph Lyons and future Dream Theater star Jordan Rudess . Lyons served as the music director and Rudess as associate music director, composing and performing for several shows as well. On August 14, 1978, PBS affiliate WMHT broadcast

816-548: The effect and accomplishments of labor unions and striking. These films were set apart by being current documentaries, not merely melodramas produced for glamor. In 1896, the first Actors Union Charter was recognized by the American Federation of Labor as an attempt to create a minimum wage for actors being exploited. It was not until January 13, 1913, that the Union Charter failed. It later reemerged as

850-561: The facility over the course of several summers, the nascent company of approximately 30 members held an open house on June 3, 1976 for the surrounding community, previewing their first season amid music and square dancing. Subscription rates were $ 10-$ 12. The first season launched on July 8 with a production of Our Town . Photographer John Margolies visited the site that summer. Leadership included executive director Michael Van Landingham, treasurer Thomas Culp, and artistic director Oakley Hall III, later briefly joined by Abraham Tetenbaum for

884-727: The larger populace of Albany, which comprised much of the summer audience. The company did not want to abandon summer productions, and was also seeking a rural property to develop into a summer residence. No such project subsequently emerged, however. That December, the group began its first full season as Capital Repertory Theatre at Page Hall in Albany. LCT helped launch the careers of several notable alumni, and produced numerous world premieres as well as development workshops for emerging writers, including playwrights such as Elizabeth Diggs , Paula Vogel , Peter Parnell , Monte Merrick , Wendy Kesselman and Kathleen Betsko. The company's descendant, Capital Repertory Theatre , continues to produce

918-473: The loss of their jobs. The theater strikes combined with freelance contracts fueled the need for actors and stagehands to strike for better working conditions and pay. Frank Gillmore , the head and treasurer of the Actor's Equity Association, understood that he would need multiple unions across the country to make a change not only in proper representation and pay, but in actors' ability to negotiate any contract

952-488: The movie stage under better conditions, but this was the least of its problems. In late December, groups of theater owners and non-represented producers filed lawsuits to claim damages from the AEA's contract holdout. "The plaintiffs not only seek a temporary injunction against the defendants, pending trial on an order to show cause why a permanent injunction should not be granted, but also ask damages of $ 100,000." The AEA allowed small numbers of contracts to be negotiated over

986-566: The next few years. In 1933, the Screen Actors Guild was created and took the AEA's place as the main representative for movie actors and producers. This allowed the AEA to focus on live productions, such as theatrical performances, while the Screen Actors Guild focused on movie production and non-scripted live performances, such as minstrel, vaudeville, and live radio shows. In the 1940s, the AEA stood against segregation . When actors were losing jobs through 1950s McCarthyism and

1020-712: The room in which The Players met to establish Actors' Equity. Members included Frank Gillmore , who from was the executive secretary of Actors' Equity from 1918 to 1929 and president from 1929 to 1937. Actors' Equity joined the American Federation of Labor in 1919, and called a strike seeking recognition as a labor union. The strike ended the dominance of the Producing Managers' Association , including theater owners and producers like Abe Erlanger and his partner, Mark Klaw . The strike increased membership from under 3,000 to approximately 14,000. The Chorus Equity Association , which merged with Actors' Equity in 1955,

1054-516: The union to theatre workers who had not previously worked for Equity employers. Theatre workers need to provide a copy of their contract and proof of pay. This policy was made permanent in 2023, superseding previous methods for earning eligibility to join Equity such as the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) program. Asides from Open Access, theatre workers may join Equity by being employed under an Equity contract, or by being

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1088-597: Was founded during the strike. Equity represented directors and choreographers until 1959, when they broke away and formed their own union . The Actors Equality Strike was a series of walkouts that started in 1927 in local theaters in Los Angeles and quickly grew to the motion picture stage. During the nationwide walkouts, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences started issuing contracts to freelance film actors, which led Hollywood's actors and actresses to fear

1122-467: Was pointed out that while the Equality regulations were in effect, about 2000 motion picture contracts, involving salaries said to amount to $ 500,000 were offered to actors in New York." Any actor who entered into a contract not approved by the AEA would be banished from the union and have to reapply for admission after negotiations were finished. By December 1929, the AEA was negotiating terms to reset

1156-467: Was with the Group Theater." In 1977, the company received a Whitney Foundation award to support the search for a city in which to develop a resident theatre company. A year later, LCT staff began visiting Albany to plan such a theatre, envisioning a downtown space for a 400-500 seat facility. On April 18, 1979, executive director Michael Van Landingham and artistic director Abraham Tetenbaum held

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