Producers of Here lies love say they have reached an agreement with musicians’ union Local 802 on the use of pre-recorded music in the show.
Under the agreement, the musical, which previously planned to use pre-recorded tracks, will use 12 musicians. This comes after the two sides approached potential arbitration to resolve the matter.
“After negotiations, we reached an agreement that will bring live music Here lies love with the inclusion of 12 musicians on the show. Broadway is a very special place with the best musicians and performances in the world, and we are pleased that this agreement continues that tradition,” Local 802 said in a statement.
“On behalf of our entire cast, company and creative team, we have reached an agreement with Musicians Union Local 802, as per the collective agreement. We look forward to welcoming audiences to experience the revolutionary musical experience that is Here lies love at the Broadway Theater starting Saturday, June 17,” the producers said in a statement.
First conceived 17 years ago by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim, the show had previously been performed to a pre-recorded song, as it was inspired by the karaoke genre and the use of “track acts” in a club, which let spectators keep dancing, according to a representative for the production.
Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians had said that under the collective bargaining agreement with the Broadway League, a musical at the Broadway Theater required 19 musicians to perform live music at the theater. The union had strongly objected to the theatre’s lack of live music.
“A show with no live music and only pre-recorded songs is absolutely an existential threat to Broadway and a cultural threat to musical theater worldwide,” said Local 802 president and executive director Tino Gagliardi last week.
The musicians’ union planned to protest Byrne at the Tony Awards if the two sides failed to reach an agreement by June 10, a source close to the negotiations said.
Byrne and Gagliardi met Thursday to discuss the situation, along with members of the Broadway League.
