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After nine years in office, he will not seek re-election in May. His departure comes at a time of significant renewal in the theatre industry.
By Michael Paulson
Kate Shindle, who served as president of the Actors’ Equity Association for nine years, is stepping down after a mandate governed by the coronavirus pandemic that for a time paralyzed all union members.
Shindle, 47, said she hoped to remain active in the hard-working movement but was keen to return to her work as an actress. The presidency of Equity, which heads a union representing more than 51,000 theater actors and level managers nationwide, is an unpaid volunteer position. Because of the time it takes to manage crises faced by union members, Shindle has worked so little as an actress that she hasn’t even been able to get a fitness insurance policy from her own union.
His departure comes at a time of significant renewal in the theatre industry. Charlotte St. Martin recently resigned as president of the Broadway League, which is the industry’s deal that is most opposed to the bargaining table with Equity, and the directors of many nonprofit theaters are also resigning.
“I feel like it’s about time,” Shindle said. And I think rotation is smart for organizations. I never wanted to stay until the members kicked me out.
Shindle, a former Miss America, will complete her third and final term on May 23. Here are edited excerpts from an interview.
Fairness imposed very strict regulations during the pandemic that had the effect of restricting functionality across the country. Looking back, what do you think of Equity’s role in the state of theatre in those years?
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