Mary Wilson, the former Supreme who turned down the Supremes "reunion" tour due to her squabble with Diana Ross a couple of years back, has now angered Equity. Her touring road show of "Sophisticated Ladies" was supposed to go out as a union production, but three days before rehearsals were to begin on January 21, the producers decided to go out with a non-union version. Over a dozen Equity workers were suddenly out of work. Auditions of the Duke Ellington inspired musical, which won numerous Tony Awards in 1981
have been moved to Las Vegas, a non-union city.
Equity is going after Wilson, according to Equity's head, Alan Eisenberg. Although she is not a member of Equity, she is a member of other performing unions, including Screen Actors Guild, which have collective bargaining agreements with Equity and have joined the union in boycotting non-Equity tours.
Equity is also picketing a non-Equity tour of "The Music Man."
