Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC) executive director Barbara Hauptman has announced that the SSDC has prevailed after two years of arbitration with the Jujamcyns over a $1-per-ticket restoration surcharge.

The Oct. 10 decision by independent arbiter Maurice Benewitz favored the SSDC's contention that Jujamcyn's $1 ticket surcharge was being collected in a way that precluded large sums from being calculated as part of the box office take. This reduced the incomes of SSDC members by trimming their royalty base.

"The surcharge was taken off the top and it was not figured as part of the gross," Hauptman told Playbill On-Line. "They've made millions since they started it and now they have to come back and pay royalties based on what was taken in. " Hauptman explained that the restoration surcharge was first collected for Sound of Music tickets on Nov. 2, 1997.

Jujamcyn is the only producer collecting the fee, Hauptman said. "It applies even at the one-half price booth at TKTS," Hauptman said. "The TKTS price is the price of the ticket plus the service charge, plus the $1 restoration fee."

A call to Jujamcyn was not returned by press time -- By Murdoch McBride