Our Stories
The 99-seat theatre landscape shaped thousands of careers and communities across Los Angeles. Here, actors and theatre artists share what it meant to them — and what was lost when the plan was terminated on December 13, 2016.
John Rubinstein
In an open letter to Actors' Equity, the esteemed actor wrote: "We are fighting for our lives…" His words captured the urgency felt across the LA theatre community in the weeks following the plan's termination.
Voices from the Community
Reports emerged that paying jobs for union actors were decreasing, not increasing, after the plan ended. Theatre artists described a landscape where opportunities were shrinking rather than expanding.
New Musicals Inc. & the NLRB Fight
LA's New Musicals Inc. asked the community for support ahead of an NLRB hearing against Actors' Equity. The company's appeal underscored how small theatre organizations continued to push back.
Dame Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren spoke out publicly in favor of Pro99, joining a chorus of notable figures who recognized the cultural value of LA's intimate theatre ecosystem.
The April 2015 Vote
Los Angeles AEA members voted overwhelmingly — 66% — against Equity's initial 99-Seat Theatre Proposal. It was a landslide that demonstrated how deeply the community valued the existing plan.
Moving Forward — Or Trying To
In the aftermath, theatre artists across Los Angeles grappled with how to move forward under the new conditions. For many, the intimate theatre model had been not just a stepping stone but a creative home.
More from the Community
These first-hand accounts reflect the breadth of the LA theatre community's response. From working actors to company directors, the message was consistent: the 99-seat plan was essential infrastructure, not a loophole.
Read ongoing coverage and community updates on the Pro99 News page, or explore the full timeline of events on the History page.
The 99-seat theatre plan represented a unique ecosystem in Los Angeles where actors, directors, and designers could hone their craft in intimate settings. These small venues served as incubators for talent, allowing artists to take creative risks that larger commercial houses could not accommodate. For decades, this arrangement fostered a vibrant community of theatre practitioners who valued artistic expression over financial reward. The termination of this plan on December 13, 2016, sent shockwaves through the community, threatening the very infrastructure that had nurtured generations of performers and sustained the cultural fabric of neighborhoods across the city.
The fight to preserve the 99-seat theatre model was never simply about economics. It was about preserving a way of life that allowed artists to maintain their creative independence while pursuing their craft. Many actors who built substantial careers in film and television began their journeys in these small venues, learning their skills before intimate audiences. The proposed changes by Actors Equity threatened to eliminate these training grounds, replacing them with a system that many felt would decrease opportunities rather than increase them. The community's response was swift and passionate.
What made the 99-seat theatres so vital was their accessibility. Emerging playwrights could see their works produced, experimental pieces could find audiences, and established actors could return to their roots without the pressure of commercial expectations. These spaces created a genuine artistic community where mentorship flourished naturally between seasoned performers and newcomers. The loss of this model meant more than the closing of venues; it represented the dismantling of a pipeline that had consistently fed talent into the broader entertainment industry while keeping live theatre alive and relevant in Los Angeles.
The community's response to the threat against the 99-seat plan demonstrated the deep commitment artists held for these intimate venues. Actors, writers, and directors organized, spoke out, and fought through legal channels to preserve what they had built. The lawsuit brought against the union, though dismissed, represented a collective refusal to accept the elimination of a system that had served the community for generations. Today, the legacy of that fight continues in the memories of those who performed in those spaces and in the ongoing efforts to maintain small theatre as a vital part of Los Angeles culture.
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