Actors’ union starts emergency fund for struggling artists during coronavirus shutdown

As millions of people in New York City suffer from the coronavirus and its devastating economic effects, one of the hardest hit places has been the legendary Great White Way.

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered that all gatherings of 500 or more people were banned due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, he also effectively shut down Broadway, one of New York City’s most iconic tourist attractions.

And beyond the high-profile stars and producers commonly associated with the industry, the closure also meant hundreds of working-class actors, stage managers, tech workers and others had been put out of work indefinitely.

In response to this crisis, the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), a union that represents over 51,000 actors, dancers and singers and stage managers announced Tuesday that it would step in to help its members, who now may need help covering everything from rent and groceries to medical treatment.

“Actors and stage managers kind of run paycheck to paycheck a lot of the time,” AEA executive director Mary McColl tells The Post.

“One of the things they [AEA] really does well is to help with grants to people who are in financial need. And, well, this is certainly a moment in time where everybody in the entertainment industry is in significant need, much greater than usual.”

The AEA made an initial $500,000 contribution to launch the fund, called “Curtain Up,” and hopes to match each contribution made, up to $250,000.

It could mean a weight off the shoulders for some actors and entertainment professionals for whom news of the virus has triggered worries about making ends meet.

“I actually had not been working for quite a while and came back here to do an off-Broadway show last fall, which didn’t necessarily pay the bills. So I was mostly hemorrhaging money,” says Ciara Renèe, who in February stepped into the role of Elsa in Disney’s “Frozen.”

“I know that there are a lot of Broadway shows and off-Broadway shows that just simply aren’t going to survive this and have closed before they even started,” she adds.

The “Curtain up” fund is not the only way that AEA is raising money to help actors in their time of need. On Sunday, Rosie O’Donnell hosted a one-night-only show featuring Broadway stars such as Billy Porter, Patti LuPone, Aaron Tveit — who on March 23 announced he tested positive for the coronavirus — and many more.

The show raised over $600,000.

New York’s ban on large gatherings remains in effect through April 12, which led the American Theatre Wing to announce Wednesday that the 2020 Tony Awards will not take place as planned on June 7. They will be rescheduled for a later date.

Despite the unprecedented effect of the shutdown on arts and culture in the city, Renèe says, “Even now, we’re still working to create things that you love and to bring joy to your life.

“We are trying our best to bring you guys smiles,” she says. “So it would be great if we could be helped out economically as well.”

Tax-deductible donations may be made to the Actors Fund here.

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