Jordan Golding in Drunk Shakespeare, 2021. (Photo by Tom McGrath)
NEW YORK CITY: Actors’ Equity Association and Brass Jar Productions have announced the unanimous ratification of a contract that allows performers to drink (safely and responsibly) on the job. The three-year agreement, formally ratified on Oct. 18 and effective Nov. 4 through Nov. 7, 2027, covers Drunk Shakespeare and Drunk Dracula productions in Chicago, New York, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.
The new agreement for the popular show Drunk Shakespeare and its seasonal companion production Drunk Dracula codifies practices around workplace safety, job definitions, terms of employment, and job security. Under this contract, all employees will accrue health benefits, vacation, and sick leave, with many employees seeing wage increases and increased stability in their income from week to week.
“Huzzah! Seeing Drunk Shakespeare United ratify their first union contract is thrilling!” said Actors’ Equity Association president Brooke Shields in a statement. “The spirit of collaboration our members brought to the table was met in kind by their employer, and while the process wasn’t always easy, it was definitely worthwhile.”
Conceived by Scott Griffin and Three Day Hangover (David Hudson, Lori Wolter Hudson and Beth Gardiner), Drunk Shakespeare takes place at hidden venues across the country, where five professional actors meet as members of the Drunk Shakespeare Society. One of them has five shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking and what they’re drinking.
“The dawn of Drunk Shakespeare’s second decade begins like this: ratification,” said the leaders of Drunk Shakespeare United’s bargaining team in a statement. “Our union has earned security and dignifiable rights for our workers. We could not be more elated with the outcome. It makes the first decade feel more worthwhile, knowing this new chapter can be defined as safe, sustainable and equitable.”
The actors, stage managers, servers, bartenders, and bar managers began organizing in spring 2023 in Chicago, where workers received training from the emergency workplace organizing committee prior to connecting with Equity. The Chicago workers quickly recruited members from other locations to join them in the movement they dubbed Drunk Shakespeare United. Brass Jar immediately recognized the union, enabling contract negotiations to begin in September of that year.
“It is an exciting new era for Brass Jar Productions and the Drunk Theatre Universe! This contract reflects an immense amount of hard work from so many people on our team, and we are extraordinarily excited to wrap up this process,” said Brass Jar co-founders Scott Griffin and David Hudson in a statement. “Drinking and performing is the perfect comedic recipe. We’re thrilled to receive the Actors’ Equity Association stamp of approval, and the continued opportunity to bring our brand of drunk, outrageous, and professional entertainment to patrons across the United States.”
This new contract is the latest in a string of organizing victories for Equity. Over the past two years, Equity has gained union recognition for the Characters and Parades departments at Disneyland, planetarium lecturers in L.A., strippers in Portland and L.A., and the cast of Chippendales. On Oct. 16, it was announced that Equity, in conjunction with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), filed a union petition for the performers and crew at Casa Bonita. Drunk Shakespeare is the first of these newly organized bargaining units to reach the finish line of contract ratification.
Equity encourages all workers in live performance who believe they would benefit from a union contract to join the union. This includes performers in both traditional theatre settings and those working on other kinds of stages. Anyone whose job would benefit from unionization can visit actorsequity.org/organize.
