To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Actors' Equity Association, the union produced a book providing an historical review and beautiful photosPerformance of the Century: 100 Years of Actors' Equity Association and the Rise of American Theater, by Robert Simonson (Applause Books).
It is about the theater, but also about what was happening outside the doors that impacted its members. Butterfly McQueen became the first African-American lifetime member of the group in 1939, the organization tried to convince hoteliers to welcome its multiracial casts, members protested South African apartheid, among other civil-rights efforts mentioned in the book.
The book summarizes the communist witch hunts that targeted union members: "During this bleak time, the theater remained a haven for many harassed artists. … Broadway was less vulnerable to the strong arm of [the House Un-American Activities Committee] than were image-conscious Hollywood and sponsor-dependent television and radio."
Simonson also looks at how Actors' Equity responded to the AIDS crisis, with members stepping up to donate time to raise funds for a range of AIDS causes. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, founded in 1984, continues to be among the most successful AIDS fundraising efforts in the country. (I would add one thing: The book refers to AIDS "victims," a word that has long been stricken from dialogue on the epidemic.)
This is an epic book, and highly recommended for any lover of theater, and culture.
Tracy Baim