PAGE 8 | October 20, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Wall-to-wall unions at Keller Auditorium
Oregon Ballet Theatre dancers recently joined the American Guild of Union Artists, AFL-CIO.
With the recent unionization of dancers at the Oregon Ballet
Theatre, their shows at Keller Auditorium are now executed
by an all-union workforce. Ballet dancers and two stage man-
agers are members of the American Guild of Union Artists,
AFL-CIO. T the backstage crew — carpenters, electricians,
flymen, spotlighters, props, wardrobe, and stage door — are
members of IATSE Locals 28 and B-20. Engineering and cus-
todial are represented by Operating Engineers Local 701. The
orchestra is comprised of members of Musicians Local 99.
Bartenders and food service workers are with UNITE HERE
Local 8. And security guards have a contract with the Interna-
tional Longshore and Warehouse Union.
The Labor Press got a tour of Keller Auditorium Oct. 4 for
the first technical rehearsal of the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s
world premiere of Rhapsody in Blue. This page contains pho-
tos from that tour.
Shows were held Oct. 7-14, but the work actually began on
Sunday, Sept. 29, with a “load-in” by a crew of 43 members
dispatched by IATSE Local 28. When the ballet series ended
on Oct. 14, another crew of more than 40 IATSE members
spent the night taking it all down.
Keller Auditorium is part of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts,
which includes Winningstad Theatre, Newmark Theatre, Ar-
lene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Brunish Theatre.
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) #28
• IATSE # B-20 • Operating Engineers #701
• HERE #8 • Musicians #99
• American Guild of Union Artists
• International Longshore & Warehouse Union
Janna Auslam, an electrician and member of IATSE 28, focuses a spotlight on the Keller Auditorium stage as ballet
dancers take part in their first technical rehearsal for Rhapsody in Blue.
Head flyman Marty Rugger, a member of IATSE Local 28, has worked at Keller
Auditorium for the last 20 years. Flymen are responsible for changing back-
ground scenes on the stage.
Above,Rose Etta Venetucci, business representative of IATSE Local 28, checks out the rehearsal schedule. Right,
Thomas Phelps, a longtime member of IATSE Local B-20, works the stage door. Thomas also works as a ticket seller
at the Oregon Convention Center and the Expo Center, where he is a steward.