The Lighter Side of Contract Negotiations

Lots of arts organizations negotiated new contracts with their musicians, dancers, and stagehands this year, and while the resulting documents usually make for fairly dull reading, there are a few notable contractual oddities scattered across the vast union landscape. The San Francisco Symphony notes that “the music of Ludwig van Beethoven need not be performed at Beethoven festivals.” Cleveland Orchestra musicians taller than 6’4″ are entitled to exit-row or bulkhead seating on tour flights. And dancers at the Houston Ballet Theater get a $47 bonus if they are required to simulate diving into a lake.