A first: Chippendales in the Rio organize into a union | Cats | Entertainment

In a twist, the men at Chippendales want coverage.

The famous adult revue at the Rio has announced plans to merge with the Actors’ Equity Association. Union representatives officially announced the move on Monday.

The production is the first all-male revue ever in Las Vegas to attempt unionization.

The Chipps artists have also filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a union election. The schedule for this vote is in the hands of the NLRB, likely within a month.

Chippendale producers have been informed of the move and have not responded to the union’s notification at this time. Chippendales operations manager Katerina Tabakhov said she had no comment on Equity’s new partnership with the cast.

A Vegas success story

Chippendales has had uninterrupted success (COVID aside) since opening at Rio in 2002. The show remains the best-known international brand among men’s revues.

The show prides itself on its notoriety and durability, having performed more than 8,700 shows in the 22 years it was originally held at Club Rio for two years before moving to the mezzanine.

Dancers rock out today in a $10 million, 400-seat theater equipped with stage-wide LED panels and a catwalk leading to the audience.

Dancing with Justice

Members of the force began investigating union membership about a year ago. Actor Freddy Godinez was among the Chipps seeking an equity partnership. He has been with the company for two years.

“The biggest issue that surprised me was the health benefits and sick leave in particular,” Godinez said in a phone conversation. “There are cast members who have been on the show for seven years, one of them has been on the show for 10 years, and there are no benefits for the cast members.”

Godinez was a Vegas newbie when he arrived from California. But his husband and fellow performer Alex Stabler has been performing in Las Vegas for nearly two decades.

Stabler was a member of Zumanity in New York-New York and later Le Reve in Wynn. Both shows were closed during the pandemic. He then performed with the Chipps.

The entertainment veteran was impressed with the show’s production quality rather than the compensation. Godinez and Stabler both said it was “common knowledge” in the Vegas entertainment scene that the Chipps dancers were underpaid compared to those in other revues.

“When I started, they offered me the same rate as my ex-boyfriend 15 years ago,” Stabler said, participating in the same phone conversation as Godinez. “I was told, ‘That’s how it is,’ and I said, ‘No, it’s not like that.’ As artists, we’re kind of trained to believe that we’re available, and so you have to be grateful for what you can get because it’s such a competitive market.”

Where to put the benefits?

Those who choose to join a union seek health benefits and higher wages, among other things. They argue that their salaries have been stagnant for more than a decade and that they have no health insurance coverage and are not entitled to sick leave. Some dancers obtain health insurance through employment elsewhere. If not, they pay for the care out of their own pocket.

Artists represent an international brand and receive a base price that includes the performance and 15 minutes of hanging out with customers after the show. Guests are offered photos for purchase, for which the dancers receive less than a dollar.

There is also no additional compensation for the use of the artist’s likeness on posters, billboards, mugs, calendars, t-shirts, playing cards, nail files, magnets and other promotional materials or merchandise. The same minimum hourly rate applies to rehearsals and promotional events.

Unions among us

Currently, the “Equity community” in Las Vegas is officially represented by one show: “Menopause the Musical” at Harrah’s, produced by Glist Entertainment founders Alan and Kathi Glist.

“We’re like the little mouse that roars, the only Equity show in Las Vegas with Equity representation of about 160 attendees,” said Alan Glist. “When I think of a show in Las Vegas that becomes union, it wouldn’t be a men’s revue. I was quite shocked because Equity shows are usually scripted productions.”

The ill-fated relaunch of Jersey Boys at the Orleans Showroom was a rift between Equity and a non-Equity cast and crew. The original show at the Palazzo and later the Paris Theater, which closed eight years ago, was an Equity production.

Equity represents approximately 51,000 professional actors and stage managers on Broadway and live theater throughout the United States.

The Chipps fallout

The Chipps move to equity status could spark a series of similar efforts at shows across Las Vegas. Production companies like Cirque du Soleil, Spiegelworld and Adam Steck’s SPI Entertainment group (which has “Thunder” on its schedule) are not unionized. But none of these occupations have officially begun to organize.

Nationally, Equity also represents strip club employees and Disneyland character actors. Las Vegas is teeming with club artists and atmospheric entertainers (Area15 is expanding by 35 acres, for example) who are entitled to Equity status.

“Las Vegas is a world-class entertainment city, so Equity was a perfect fit for us,” said Godinez. “We want to change the entire landscape of the entertainment industry.”

John Katsilometes’ column appears daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” The podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.