On February 12, 1997, musicians working at the 5th Avenue Theatre went on strike. Theatre management claimed they had offered a pay raise, but the strikers countered that the raise was offset by reduced pay for musicians who played multiple instruments and a reduced number of "principal chairs" who receive higher pay for leading sections of the orchestra. The strike began on the opening day of the "Beauty and the Beast" stage musical, and the 5th Avenue canceled several shows before bringing in musicians willing to cross the picket line. The striking musicians were part of the American Federation of Musicians Local 76-493, and management's decision to replace the strikers with out-of-town labor angered union members, leading hundreds of supporters to join the fewer than 24 striking musicians. The strike ended late on February 25 with the assistance of a federal mediator, and the striking musicians returned to the orchestra pit on February 28. Part of the deal was that neither side would disclose contract details, but the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that the musicians had secured pay raises, though less than they had first requested.

This image shows the striking musicians and their supporters on the picket line in front of the 5th Avenue Theatre on the night of February 13.

Caption information source: "'Beauty' opening confronts a beastly musicians' strike," by Joe Adcock, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 13, 1997, page B1.
Caption information source: "On with the show - musicians end strike," by Gordy Holt, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 27, 1997, page B1.