BRING BIG BUCKS TO BROADWAY

$10B needed to keep NYC theaters and nation’s live entertainment business shining bright, says Schumer

It’ll take government green to stop the coronavirus pandemic from darkening the Great White Way, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Friday.

At a Times Square news conference, Schumer (DN.Y.) shined a spotlight on a proposed $10 billion federal grant program to boost Broadway and other U.S. live entertainment venues.

The cash — to be spread around the country — will help save 100,000 full-time jobs in New York’s theater industry, which Schumer says delivered $14.7 billion to the city’s economy in its 20182019 season.

Broadway is “is a part of what defines New York, and we have to fight for it,” Schumer said.

“Ninetyi percent off our iindependent venues are going to close,” he said. “There’s no revenues. They still have expenses — they have rent, they have utilities.”

The plan, cast in a Senate bill dubbed the Save Our Stages Act, has the support of Broadway’s biggest industry group.

“This is a bill that will help get our theaters open, people working, and our local businesses back,” said Charlotte St. Martin, who took a supporting role at Schumer’s news conference as president of the Broadway League.

“We want to bring the magic of theater and of Broadway back to this country,” St. Martin said.

“We simply can’t do it by flipping on a light switch.”

Schumer vowed that Broadway will get “a Lion King’s share” of Save Our

Stages Act money. Helpl ffor restaurants and hotels is also included in the plan, Schumer said.

Broadway went dark March 12 in the early stages of the pandemic shutdown. Theaters are expected to stay closed until sometime next year.

The Save Our Stages Act was introduced in July by Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas. Cornyn, up for reelection this year, touted the proposal to constituents partly as a way to save Texas dance halls. It has 41 cosponsors from both parties.

The bill would provide grants of up to $12 million for pandemic-hammered entertainment businesses.

Like other efforts aimed at stimulating the COVID-19battered economy, the Save Our Stages Act faces an uncertain future.

Thhe Democratiic-lledd House passed a $3 trillion economic stimulus bill in May that boosted funding for state and local governments and would have provided cash payments to individuals and families. But the House plan does not specifically mention the entertainment industry.

Efforts have stalled to pass a new stimulus bill in the Republican-run Senate — but Schumer said he was encouraged by President Trump’s call Wednesday for “much higher numbers” in a new stimulus plan.

“President Trump at least has said that the Senate Republicans have been too stingy and we need a bigger bill. That’s a good sign,” said Schumer, the Democrats’ Senate leader.

Schumer said he’d fight to make sure the Save Our

Sen. S Chuck Schumer (r.) speaks in i Times Square Friday in support s of a measure that would create c $10 billion in grants for the t live-entertainment industry, including i Broadway theaters. The T Great White Way has been closed c since March because of COVID-19. C Dan Stoller (below) owns o a company that serves Broadway B and garment industry. i

Stages Act’s provisionsii are included in any new stimulus plan, along with restoration of the $600 enhanced weekly unemployment benefit that expired July 31.

Broadway businesspeople are eager to raise the curtain on an industry revival.

“This is the longest shutdown by far in our 100-plus year history on Broadway, and our return is still out of reach,” said Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions.

“This means that workers are out of work,” Schumacher said. “Broadway is labor. Onstage, of course, you see fantastic performers. But backstage musicians, stagehands, hair and makeup, ticket takers, ushers — this is the life force of Broadway, and we are 14 unions strong.”

Broadway’s pandemic shutdown also has hurt

countless businesses that serve theatergoers and the theater industry.

Alejandra Rocha, 28, who tends bar at the Playwright Celtic Pub on Eighth Ave., lost her apartment and has moved into a friend’s spare room in Brooklyn.

The pub was closed from March to June. Business has slowly picked up the past two months — but “it’s not like before,” Rocha said. “I couldn’t even walk down the street on Saturday night when I got out of work.”

Playland Gifts on Seventh Ave. at W. 48th St. has gone from 15 employees to two, said S. Rahman, 50, who still has a job there. Rahman says he sometimes works seven days a week — but earns less.

“If there are no customers, I cannot get paid the same,” he said. “The gift shop is only for the tourists, not for the llocall people.”l

“We’re down 30% from last year,” said Dan Stoller, 32, third-generation owner of Steinlauf & Stoller, a Midtown store that sells sewing and cloth-making supplies to the garment and theater industries.

Stoller said “a good chunk” of his business is ffrom theaterh costume ddesigners.

The only upside to the pandemic for Stoller’s business was a need to produce face masks. “Anyone and everyone that could operate a sewing machine” was making masks, he said.

“Hopefully Broadway will get back soon,” he said.