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In the close-knit Chicago theater community, keeping your mouth shut is often equated with keeping your job. This don’t-rock-the-boat dictum, an implicitly imposed code of silence, discourages actors and crews from speaking out against mistreatment—a reality people only whispered about until recently, when a group of local theater bloggers decided to break their silence online.
“There is a minor twitter of activity over some Chicago area bloggers finally publicly stating what most of the theatre community [has] known for years: Some theatres screw over people that work for them often enough to assume it is part of the business plan,” wrote lighting designer Patrick Hudson on his blog (backstageat.backstagejobs.com). “Only recently have some started publicly naming the theatres and persons that have done this.”
The name most often called out on the blogs—which included sites run by artistic director Tony Adams, actor Dan Granata, and sound designer and engineer Nick Keenan—was that of the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre. The impetus for the bloggers’ posts was a January 16 article in the Windy City Times about the Bailiwick’s financial troubles. Titled “The Bailiwick’s Fight to Stay Alive,” the piece paints the organization as a David battling myriad Goliaths: Broadway in Chicago (Altar Boyz, Jersey Boys, Wicked); fund-raising competitors like the Gay Games and Center on Halsted; and declining interest in gay theater that Bailiwick artistic director David Zak blames on gay and lesbian TV programming. In the article, Zak also makes a fund-raising pitch. (“We wanted to remind people we needed help,” Zak told us.)
Though the article makes mention of the Bailiwick’s ongoing litigation with author-playwright Jim Provenzano, who says he was never paid after the theater mounted a production of his play Pins, the theater’s fiscal difficulties are, as the bloggers say, more widespread than the piece indicates. Records from the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court show Avalon Promotions is suing the Bailiwick for a contract dispute concerning nonpayment during last summer’s hit run of Jerry Springer: The Opera, a show whose rights Avalon owns. Moreover, controversial Evanston-born performance artist Karen Finley tells us the Bailiwick owes her more than $3,700 from a four-day stint at the theater last January. “We have repeatedly contacted the theater and David Zak,” Finley says. “I love performing in my hometown and I’m very upset that this [theater] is ruining the reputation of Chicago.” Both Finley and Zak have turned the issue over to their lawyers.
“What irked me [about the WCT article] was that at no point did the Bailiwick take any responsibility for their financial woes,” says Adams, co-artistic director of the Halcyon Theatre, an itinerant company. Adams, who has worked on productions renting space at the Bailiwick, was irritated no one was speaking out about what he says has been a hushed “open secret” in the theater community for a decade: that Zak is a poor financial manager and that artists working for the Bailiwick often have trouble collecting what they’re owed. “In the absence of people speaking up, it becomes habitual. There is no rebuke for people who do it. No one talks about it,” Adams posted on his blog, Jay Raskolnikov (jayraskolnikov.blogspot.com).
Zak acknowledges Bailiwick has had its problems (especially when he was absent while recovering from heart surgery), but he says Adams’s “open secret” is false. “There are two really popular misconceptions about the Bailiwick,” Zak says. “One is that people are always naked on stage, and the other is that no one gets paid. And that’s just wrong.”
And yet, Zak admits he won’t be shocked if former employees come forward to collect because of this story. “I wouldn’t be surprised and I wouldn’t be angry,” he says. “If someone says to me, ‘I had a $100 check and I couldn’t cash it,’ I would say, ‘Oh, my God. Let’s go get it cashed. Let’s solve it.’”
Anonymous
Sat, May 24, at 05:54pm
I worked at the Bailiwick for a ye& had no problems getting checks. But then again my bank goes back to the source & never tells me if a check bounces. I always wondered why they have no managing director & no production manager & no marketing director. Investing money in these larger salaries brings money & respectability back to the company. If after 25 years you still can't afford these positions, you're still doing student theatre in a crappy space with bad wiring & unreliable equipment.
Jim Provenzano
Wed, May 21, at 03:30pm
"And yet, Zak admits he won’t be shocked if former employees come forward to collect because of this story. “I wouldn’t be surprised and I wouldn’t be angry,” he says. “If someone says to me, ‘I had a $100 check and I couldn’t cash it,’ I would say, ‘Oh, my God. Let’s go get it cashed. Let’s solve it.’”
It's been almost two years and I'm still waiting for a check that may bounce.
Jason
Wed, Mar 26, at 01:34pm
By the way TOC...nobody uses the word Thespian to describe themself.
Jason
Fri, Mar 21, at 07:28pm
I too have been "Zakked". Unfortunatly it was after a couple of years of working on several productions for David, where I was paid on time every time. I don't know what the authors of "Springer" were thinking granting the bailiwick the U.S. premier. Yeah it was a great production...but who in their right mind thought the Bailiwick should do it over some LORT theater, and I know there was commercial interest in Chicago. I don't know what Hunchback is like, but Dennis DeYoung should be nervous.
old story
Wed, Mar 05, at 09:00am
Stories about Bailiwick doing bad business and financially exploiting artists have been going around for almost 20 years! They've had enough time to figure out how to run a business.
They should be boycotted by artists and have their public funding pulled for the way they behave. If they do have a board, they should fire Zak. If they are like most theatre boards of smaller theatres, however, they probably just do what Zak tells them to do and asks no questions they don't want the answers to.
This should be a larger conversation about what the city finds acceptable from a theatre company that sells a lot of tickets and has had enough time to figure out how to honor contracts. Where is Equity? Where is the IAC?
I have admired that space since it was Chicago Filmakers. If Bailiwick can't fill it with honor, a new theatre company should get the funding and the chance.
Anonymous
Tue, Mar 04, at 08:10pm
I can tell you that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Bailiwick's financial troubles. The level of deceit at that organization stretches pretty deep, and there is a culture at the organization of "treading water" to survive. If that means not paying actors, technicians, licensing fees, resident companies, utility bills, or taxes, so be it. I can think of many organizations that rely on the kindness of people to pitch in and get things done for little money. I can think of no organization that is less appreciative of this free labor than Bailiwick. Zak chooses to fight his battles with intimidation and evasion, instead of gratitude towards those who help him. That's why you'll find so few people willing to come to his defense, and one of the highest staff turnover rates possible. Are there ANY permanent staff besides David left at Bailiwick?
FundaMonroe
Mon, Mar 03, at 11:59pm
The very first show I worked on after moving to Chicago was at Bailiwick and had to fight to get paid for my design. Only later, upon telling the story to other designers did I learn that there was a term for it: to get "Zakked". I learned my lesson: pick up your check on opening night, or take your toys and go home. Kudos to everybody finally speaking out.
Robotarm
Mon, Mar 03, at 10:08am
I have seen the way Bailiwick does business firsthand, and I am also very fond of David Zak as a director and a person. But I do agree there are significant problems with there business tactics. The problem is that David runs the entire show, all the way down to the Board of Directors. I think its about time for the board to get off their ass and intervene, not allowing David to have ANY say in financial decisions, while continuing to to lead artistically. While I am not defending David's actions in the past, he is almost a one man show at Bailiwick, and therefore its virtually impossible to keep up with all the demands of running a $1 million dollar a year company. Hire a finance manager and get David's hand off the checkbook!!
Packrat
Sun, Mar 02, at 08:02pm
And if we're going to talk about companies that are rumored to be shysters, who wants to discuss the Mercury and its dealings with renters? I remember there was an article about the conflict between the Mercury and Crew of Patches in Performink a while back. The rumor mill also said the relationship with "Urinetown" was less than cordial. And why did "Rocky Horror" close so quickly? (Admittedly, one answer to that is possibly that RH was doing crap business).
Packrat
Sun, Mar 02, at 06:55pm
I have heard this from several people that have worked there- actors, directors, designers, you name it. Some said they never got paid, some were cut a check that bounced, and some eventually got paid but had to harass the Bailiwick at length to get a check that would actually clear. But I've always wondered if it was a few isolated cases or a systemic problem- i.e., maybe there are plenty of people getting paid on time who are just keeping quiet about it. But to be fair, I've never worked there myself- so I've never had a chance to see whether or not a paycheck of mine would cash or not. I feel like the conflict *is* that issue of feeling like complainers get blacklisted in this community. Even if you don't care whether you never work at the Bailiwick again, David does know a lot of people in the community whose checks *do* clear. Not that I'm likely to be asked by David Zak, but in my opinion the solution to the problem is to admit up front to the actors that the money isn't there. If there's the least doubt about whether or not you can pay your actors, declare the production is unpaid in your audition notice! The Bailiwick is prestigious enough that there are still plenty of actors that would want to work there (though admittedly there are some that won't work for free no matter what, and good for 'em). At least as far as musicals go, the Bailiwick makes really ballsy, interesting material choices- I LOVED Jerry Springer the Opera when I saw it, and I also fondly remember their production of Parade from a few seasons back. If the Bailiwick stopped paying its actors, it would still be in good company in this town, and fewer people would be pissed off about it. I don't mind working for free, as long as I know that's the deal going in.
Here's my other question- if the Bailiwick is in such dire financial straits, why have they signed a contract with Equity for next season? And looking at the cast list for "Hunchback," they certainly haven't skimped on the number of contracts they've used, either.
Max
Sun, Mar 02, at 06:32pm
This type of bullshit doesn't happen to the union performers working at Bailiwick. They are protected with safe and sanitary working minimums (by which the non-pros benefit), minimum working hours and by their bond. Get smart and organize against assholes like Zak. If you don't, why shouldn't you expect more of the same?
bot.
Sat, Mar 01, at 08:49am
I think all of us can say that if a struggling theatre director came up with humblest apologies, explained a situation in which he could not cut a check one night, and vowed to make it right, we would be willing to continue, because we really do love what we do. What makes David Zak and the Bailiwick so awful is the complete lack of taking responsibility. In this article, he is quoted as saying he would instantly solve the problem, but from experience I know that he will often make a person feel as if its unreasonable to expect one's check to actually cash. The problem here is an even larger one: a lack of respect for the artists who contribute their time and talents to the Bailiwick, a way of treating people as if they were unimportant. Its unfortunate that someone with such a great vision for theatre. as Zak is, turns out to also be a disrespectful, dishonest and unkind person. To me, that's the real tragedy of what has been happening for years at the Bailiwick.
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