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The marquees on Broadway will remain illuminated after the musicians union announced it had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, averting a strike that would have severely impacted the theater industry. Without the deal, 23 musicals, including hits such as "Hamilton" and upcoming shows like "Chess" with Lea Michele, would have had to stop performances.
AFM Local 802, which represents musicians, said the tentative pact with the Broadway League and Disney Theater Production includes wage increases, as well as a pledge to increase contributions to the union's health fund. A strike was set for Thursday, but the agreement was reached just under the wire at 4:30 a.m.
"This three-year agreement provides meaningful wage and health benefit increases that will preserve crucial access to healthcare for our musicians while maintaining the strong contract protections that empower musicians to build a steady career on Broadway," AFM Local 802 President Bob Suttmann said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Broadway producers avoided another potentially catastrophic shutdown when Actors' Equity reached an agreement with producers on a new contract for theater performers. Broadway had a record-setting season in 2024 to 2025, earning revenue of $1.9 billion. However, the business has also struggled with the high costs of producing shows, as buzzy productions such as "Sunset Blvd." and "Gypsy." There are also concerns that government subsidies that helped Broadway theaters come back after more than a year-long closure has expired and may not be renewed.
Negotiations on a new contract for musicians have been underway since Aug. 31 when the prior deal ended.