The relationship between author and actor has a sordid and glorious history. There is a natural tension in the collaboration between those writing the words and those speaking them, perhaps borne out of helplessness and necessity, each for the other. Sometimes this tension creates profundity… and sometimes lawsuits.
We did host a panel discussion on the actor-author relationship (see “The Actor – Author Relationship: A Cathedral Built on Wickets” transcript published in The Dramatist, July `03), but there is little history of our institutions, the Dramatists Guild and Actor’s Equity Association, act-ing together to solve common problems or resolve disputes among our members… until now. The Guild’s Council formed an “Equity committee” last year to investigate issues our members have raised regarding their dealings with actors and their union, and it has recently begun to meet with a committee of Equity’s leadership to find ways to talk about and resolve these issues in a way beneficial to all.
The initial conversation is about the strictures of the New York showcase code, applicable to productions at off-off-Broadway venues under 100 seats, and finding a way to change the environment to allow authors to develop new work with actors in a manner that is now hampered by the current code. We are hopeful that these conversations will yield benefits for our members and theirs, too, by encouraging participation in new play development, not just in NY but in cities around the country, wherever developmental work is happening. We are also hopeful that this new dialogue will establish a mechanism where a range of other subjects can be voiced and constructive solutions sought. We will keep you posted on our progress.
But the Actor-Author dialogue is sometimes a monologue, as some of our members are AEA members as well, and they perform their own work. The issues particular to the solo actor/author were discussed in a recent seminar we presented at Playwrights Horizons that included Lisa Kron, Mike Daisey, Sarah Jones, and Anna Deavere Smith. At the event, the following question was asked:
“Since many people come to solo performance from non-playwriting avenues (standup, acting, or the literary arts), they may not realize that they HAVE rights as an author to their work. What could the Guild do to better protect the solo writer/performer and how do you REACH the people who are doing this kind of work, and let them know they have rights and a guild?”
As far as how to reach these non-play-writing actor-authors, that is a question for Gary Garrison and the membership department to address. But as to our advice and protection for these actor-authors, I would suggest a few things. First, check out the DG newsletter article “Napoleon: Solo, The Perils of a One-Person Show”, by Richard Garmise(May, 1995), then give Dave Faux in our Business Affairs department a call with any specific questions.
In general, however, I would note that writers often get the degree of respect they demand, and no more than that. So, if you are an actor who has written a play, you will naturally require of a producer all that you are accustomed to getting as an actor, but may simply throw the play into the mix without any of the customary protections for yourself as a playwright, or for the play itself, that the DG would otherwise recommend. So, it’s important that you look at your work as separate and apart from your performance of it, whether the work is entirely autobiographical or entirely fictional, or somewhere in between, and give it the contractual protections you would demand for yourself as a performer.
For example, as an actor you don’t necessarily have any approval rights over the director and designers or changes in the text. However, as the author you do… but only if the approvals are incorporated into a contract that says you have them. As an actor, you get a fee and a per diem (perhaps), but as an author you are entitled to options, advances, and royalties as well. You need an agreement that contemplates the possibility that you might not act in this particular production, yet still provides you with protection and compensation for use of your play. Look at our standard small theater contracts and the Author’s Bill of Rights to get a sense of those protections.
This is how the DG protects you; by establishing and maintaining standards in the industry, and empowering you with the knowledge, the tools, and the confidence to protect yourself.
See you in 60.