CHAPTER 12 (Good & Bad Surprises)
Broadway Musicals: Since 1997, seven of the ten highest-grossing Broadway musicals, and five of the ten best-attended musicals are still running. Disney’s The Lion King is the highest-grossing musical of all time.
CHAPTER 15 (Actors)
Immigration from and to Great BritainFor the past 30 or so years, there has been a reciprocal arrangement to share actors from Great Britain and other nations in Europe and the U.S. Under the current British administration, a major change has been planned. From January 1, 2021, all EU and non-EU citizens will be subject to the new system, which takes multiple factors into account when awarding visas, including salary and education.The minimum salary threshold will be £25,600 (around US$33,000). However some workers with a job offer with a lower salary may still be awarded a visa if they meet other requirements.Equity president Maureen Beattie said that the end of freedom of movement will have a “devastating” impact on the working lives of people in the creative industries.“Although it is theoretically ‘points-based’, the reality is that it will be impossible to accrue enough points with a salary below £25,600 (without a PhD) unless the role is on the shortage occupation list; a list which excludes many highly-valued creative professions.
“In our sector, high skill levels do not always equate to high salaries. There must be recognition of sector-specific means of assessment including auditions, work experience and portfolios.”Also, the restrictions on incoming EU workers will have an impact on the ability of touring companies to visit the UK.Freelance and research officer Tony Lennon said: “There is no provision whatsoever for self-employed workers to come in and if EU member states reciprocate by applying restrictions to UK workers, it’s going to be more costly and difficult to organize European tours for performances. Restricted movement of UK workers [would] add to the problems we already know about when moving scenery, props and equipment across the Channel after December this year.”
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