New York, NY — The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham; Board Chair Luis Miranda, Jr.) are proud to announce a tentative agreement on a union contract covering over one hundred production workers at the acclaimed institution.

The agreement includes meaningful wage increases and comprehensive benefits that recognize the essential contributions of the production crew to The Public’s artistic mission and continued success. Following the union members’ vote, over this summer, the final contract is expected to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Both IATSE and The Public Theater commend the fair, thoughtful, and collaborative nature of the negotiations. The mutual respect demonstrated throughout these negotiations is a leading example of the benefits of productive labor-management collaboration.

“I’m proud of this agreement, which makes The Public more sustainable and equitable,” said props artisan Rachel Kenner. “I’m excited for all of the opportunities and protections that the union offers us; this whole process has been very collaborative, and I look forward to forging our new path as unionized workers.”

Public Theater Executive Director Patrick Willingham shared, “Reaching this major milestone would not have been possible without the support, good faith, and leadership of so many people both around the table and working tirelessly on the ground. The Public has a proud history of pro-union collaboration, and we believe openness and creative problem-solving are the bedrock of this work.”

This agreement marks a historic milestone, as The Public Theater becomes one of the first major nonprofit Off-Broadway institutions to secure an IATSE union agreement covering production staff. Both IATSE and The Public Theater look forward to finalizing the contract and continuing  a vision of a stronger, more sustainable future for theatrical workers in New York City.

ABOUT THE PUBLIC THEATER:

The Public Theater continues the work of its visionary founder Joe Papp as a civic institution engaging, both on-stage and off, with some of the most important ideas and social issues of today.  Conceived over 60 years ago as one of the nation’s first nonprofit theaters, The Public has long operated on the principles that theater is an essential cultural force and that art and culture belong to everyone.  Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public’s wide breadth of programming includes an annual season of new work at its landmark home at Astor Place, Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the Mobile Unit touring throughout New York City’s five boroughs, Public Lab, Public Works, Public Shakespeare Initiative, and Joe’s Pub. Since premiering HAIR in 1967, The Public continues to create the canon of American Theater and is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning musicals Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hell’s Kitchen by Alicia Keys and Kristoffer Diaz. Their programs and productions can also be seen regionally across the country and around the world. The Public has received 64 Tony Awards, 195 Obie Awards, 62 Drama Desk Awards, 64 Lortel Awards, 36 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 70 AUDELCO Awards, 6 Antonyo Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes. publictheater.org