[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 137 (Tuesday, August 12, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING 2025 AS ``A CHORUS YEAR''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHELLIE PINGREE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 12, 2025

  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to speak in celebration of a 
group of workers and artists who entertain live audiences in every 
state across the country: the theatrical chorus. I am pleased to 
recognize 2025 as ``A Chorus Year.''
  From Oklahoma! to Hamilton, some of the greatest art to come out of 
the United States has been musical theatre, and a staple of this art 
form is the chorus.
  The chorus has always been more than a group of singers and dancers 
filling up a stage. It is an integral part of theatrical storytelling, 
as well as a major player in labor history. The historic actors strike 
of 1919 that established union protections for live performers 
succeeded in large part because of the women and men of the chorus who 
formed their own union and walked off Broadway stages in large numbers 
to join the fight.
  And 2025 is a particularly auspicious year to celebrate the chorus. 
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the merger between Chorus 
Equity Association and Actors' Equity Association into the Equity that 
exists today, protecting the rights of actors and stage managers in 
live theatre across the U.S.
  I want to recognize not only the talent of chorus performers, but 
their great skilled labor and tireless work ethic. They make it all 
look easy, but their ongoing contribution to American culture and a 
healthy entertainment industry is born of fierce commitment and 
dedication to their craft. They exemplify the best of America: many 
people working as individuals to build something amazing together.

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