B EHIND-THE-SCENES workers from the Philadelphia Theatre Co. took center stage Friday afternoon as they continued their two-day-old strike by protesting in front of the Suzanne Roberts Theatre on South Broad Street.
Stagehands who recently unionized, including electricians, carpenters and prop makers, vowed not to return to work until management agreed to a contract with benefits, raises and improved work rules. A temporary contract expired in November. Negotiations fell through earlier this week but resumed Friday.
The company's production of "The Mountaintop" - which centers on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - is set to debut in a preview Saturday night. In news releases, both sides drew on ironies about King's messages of social justice and cooperation.
