There's no question that the strike will create immediate problems for city residents who live in the outer reaches of, or outside of, Manhattan and are holding tickets for imminent performances.

There have been rumors of irregularities, serious problems with the activities of the Board of Assessors, ... I'm hoping they will get to the bottom of this.

Anybody who's ever remodeled a kitchen knows there are always unforeseen problems on a project. We could have a situation where there are shovels in the ground and they have to stop to wait for council approval of something as minimal as $100.

Put the two of them together in the wake of The Producers, and these guys are unquestionably one of the great acting teams of our generation.

And a sustained strike or even simply the threat of one _ reaching into the typically slow January period could be devastating to many productions.

While musicals still dominate on Broadway, 2005 was a very strong year for plays, too.