The Fairy Princess and The Broadway League are friends, in the way that the Cowboys and the Farmers are friends in the musical, OKLAHOMA.

Many of the issues that have come down through the years was because they hired someone whose background was in hospitality to run a creative venture – a body that speaks for the Producers – a Lorax of the money folks.

Charlotte St. Martin ran it for the past 18 years – notoriously fumbling her way through 18 years of horrible quotes and disdain that sent theater professionals reeling – devaluing understudies, covering for Scott Rudin, raising ticket prices to levels that are, frankly, unsustainable, and in general, making a this farmers v. cowmen situation come to reality in a way it had not been before. (TFP can think of several truly stellar Broadway producers, who do amazing work so this is not a crack on the producers individually, just the organization)

What is The Broadway League? It promotes Broadway, handles union negotiations with the many unions required to work on Broadway, whether out in front or in the house, or trucking in the sets – they collect data about Broadway’s economic health, the demographics of the audience, and produces The Tony Awards every year.

This year, Ms. St. Martin retired from the position on Feb. 16th, it is currently being run by Jason Laks, the League’s Exec VP and general counsel.

The Theater Community -and by that, TFP means the people who make theater – the Creatives and Craftspeople, the House Staff, the Crews – have been set reeling over several deaths that have taken a huge toll. The Broadway League has used the tradition of ‘dimming of the lights’ to show people respect, because those that do theater specialize and cherish ‘the moment’, and moments are with us fleetingly, but they were there and changed us nonetheless.

TFP is going to say their names here – James Earl Jones, Dame Maggie Smith, Gavin Creel, Hinton Battle, Adrian Bailey, Ken Page...

It is a list full of wonderful talent who gave so much – but TFP wonders why there is ‘partial dimming’ and a ‘full’ dimming. All the talent listed should have the lights dimmed in full.

Why do we even have partial dimming?

If TFP looks down a theater row street, and a few lights are out – she thinks, “Hey, maybe a switch broke’, not “Here is someone being honored’, unless she stops and takes it in and sees their head shot on the marquee. Partial dimming is for partial contribution – and all those honored with any dimming at all, have given of their full selves aka, total comittment.

Adrian Bailey‘s dimming was HISTORIC – and they dimmed one theater from each theater owner – which was, 9 theaters. This Gentleman of the theater performed in 15 Broadway productions and 2 National Tours. He was the first ensemble member ever so honored. The lights dimmed, and we love it – but if someone has literally given their entire life to the theater – why did not all the lights dim? They should have.

Broadway theaters are finite – there are 41.

Do you know what dimming entails?

Do you?

They turn the marquee off in front of the theater for one minute.

ONE MINUTE.

Legitimately the Stage Manager or the House Manager or whoever is ‘on the clock’ and already present, turns off the light, times it with a watch or an iphone for one minute, and then turns the lights back on, while people gather to say their collective goodbyes and thank you. They could be fans, they could be friends, they could be family – they just want to gather with others who are equally sad, and take a collective breath and say, “We remember you. We thank you for your service to the theater. You were beloved. We will miss you.”

For one, lousy minute.

And for that, the Broadway League – who made money off of these individuals – decides that collectively theater cannot mourn, because it might cost them money.

One minute does not cost money. Technically wouldn’t it save money, if only for a moment?

If an individual has exhibited such technique and prowess in their craft, that their passing deserves recognition – we should not parsimoniously eek out the number of theaters allowed to dim – we should dim them in recognition of their great contribution. What is even going on with the weighing of ‘worth’ to the theater community?

They were all worthy!

Let the lights dim, let the clocks stop.

If just for a moment.

Gavin Creel, who was 48 when he left us ‘half way through the woods’, who was a TONY Award winner, and activist, deserves more than ‘partial’ – that is the way TFP feels.

He suffered from a rare and aggressive cancer that took him in a short amount of time, and no one was prepared.

He was as ‘alive’ a performer as there was – and TFP saw him in all of his Broadway performances except HELLO DOLLY, (she just could not justify the Rudin ticket price), and the way he made people feel – not just who knew him personally, but who only knew him through his concerts for charity, or from his solo shows, or from the 8 Broadway shows he was in, or those he did in the West End, was remarkable.

His contribution to the theater community was remarkable, and in many ways – individuals like Gavin Creel are what make the Broadway Community feel LIKE a Community.

TFP is tired of these ongoing petitions to have to be made, like the one below, which she has signed, and asks you to do so as well, where the family and friends of actors who did the 8 show a week grind, have to fight for their loved one to be honored.

It’s not right.

Adam Feldman started this petition, TFP is just sharing it.

TFP had to write for Joan Rivers, and for Marin Mazzie, and so many more – and it is honestly upsetting to have to, again, write in support of recognition for someone’s career that impacted Broadway…but here we are again.

Please sign the petition, and Broadway League?

Do the right thing.