VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA PICKETED

Musicians, actors and stagehands picketed a nonunion touring company’s production of “Miss Saigon” that played Sept. 23-28 in Boston. The show, produced by Big League Theatricals, utilized a virtual orchestra with a few nonunion musicians filling out the sound. Nonunion actors were also hired. The stagehands for the show – who were all covered under an IATSE contract – honored the actors’ and musicians’ picket line, halting the load-in of the show up to the last minute. But ultimately, the curtain was able to go up. AFM Local 9-535 (Boston), Equity and IATSE organized protests outside the show and passed out flyers to audience members.

BOTTOM LINE SAVED — FOR NOW

As Allegro went to press, the Bottom Line had narrowly avoided being evicted by its landlord, New York University. Local 802, as part of its Live Music Campaign, had asked members to contact NYU, urging the school to renew the Bottom Line’s lease if the club could come up with $185,000 in back rent. Just as it seemed that the club would be forced to shut its doors, Sirius Satellite Radio, a company based in Midtown, offered to pay the Bottom Line’s debt. The club and NYU agreed to negotiate over a new lease; the deadline for coming to an agreement was Oct. 22.

NEW P.R.O. FOR MUSICIANS

AFM President Tom Lee, recording artist Aimee Mann and 16 other artists and record label owners are on the board of a new nonprofit performing rights organization called SoundExchange, an independent distribution agency. The organization is not going to compete with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or Harry Fox. Rather, its goal is to collect royalties from “streaming” audio technology such as radio stations played over the Internet, or audio-only cable channels. For more information, call (202) 857-9655 or (202) 857-9623.

WHERE TO DEPOSIT CHECKS

Most 802 members who are also members of the credit union know that there are fee-free ATM’s in most McDonald’s. Now the credit union is also allowing members to deposit checks in certain facilities throughout town. The advantage to this is that you interact with a live person. For locations, go to www.actorsfcu.com and click on Branch Hours/ATM Locations.