Negotiations resumed yesterday between striking Broadway stagehands and theater producers struggling to find a solution to their thorny, seemingly intractable labor dispute as theaters faced a third week of dark stages and mounting box-office losses. Resumption of the talks - after a week of no negotiating - had been announced the day before by Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the League of American Theatres and Producers, and were confirmed by the stagehands union. “We are glad they accepted our invitation to negotiate,” said Bruce Cohen, a spokesman for Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. More than two dozen plays and musicals have been closed since Nov. 10, when the stagehands walked off the job. The walkout was particularly felt during the last week, the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday, when most shows and theater-district restaurants do strong business. Not so this year, when only nine productions, including the newly reopened “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” were playing. (AP)
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Box office charm
“Enchanted,” which stars Amy Adams , Patrick Dempsey, and Susan Sarandon, about a fairy-tale princess magically transported to the real world, was the top film at North American theaters this weekend, earning $35.3 million in ticket sales for Walt Disney Co. Last week’s No. 1 movie, “Beowulf,” directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Angelina Jolie, dropped to third with $16.2 million. Among four other films that opened this weekend, “Hitman” was fourth with $13 million in sales. “This Christmas,” was second with sales of $18.6 million. Jerry Seinfeld’s “Bee Movie” dropped to fifth (from second) with $12 million in receipts. In sixth through 10th places were: “Fred Claus,” with $10.7 million; “August Rush,” in its first weekend at $9.4 million; “American Gangster” with $9.2 million; “The Mist” at $9.1 million in its debut; and “No Country for Old Men,” with $8.1 million. (BLOOMBERG)

Hogan union on the mat

Linda Hogan has filed for divorce from her wrestler husband, Hulk Hogan. Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, told the St. Petersburg Times that he had no idea his wife had filed for divorce. He was told by a reporter that Pinellas County court records showed that the paperwork was submitted Tuesday. “Thank you for the great information,” he told the reporter. “My wife has been in California for about three weeks. . . . Holy smokes,” the star of the VH1 reality TV series later told the newspaper. “Wow, you just knocked the bottom out of me.” Recent episodes show the normally close couple attending marital counseling, but they eventually reconcile. (AP)

Dogfights on his mind
Willie Nelson is looking to become dog’s best friend. The country music star has filmed a television spot supporting an anti-dogfighting bill that is moving through the Georgia Legislature. “Dogfighting is against the law in Georgia, but the laws are so weak, the beautiful state of Georgia has become a haven for dogfighters from around the country,” Nelson says in the ad. The bill would make it a felony for anyone to sell, trade, or transport dogs for dogfighting. (AP)

Source: boston.com

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