If the strike goes ahead 18 shows will be affected

Musicians' union members were due to walk out from shows from Sunday.

But following protracted talks the deadline for negotiations was extended to Thursday.

The American Federation of Musicians plans to pull its members out of performances to protest against proposed cutbacks.

Producers want the minimum number of orchestra members to be scrapped, but the union says this will lead to major cuts and the death of live music on Broadway.

A possible strike would involve 325 musicians in 18 major shows including Chicago, Phantom of the Opera and Rent.

Union spokesman Bill Dennison said: "Considering the importance of the industry to the city, the union has agreed to continue talks for the next few days."

Compromise

The League of American Theatres and Producers (LATP), which represents theatre bosses, said they would go ahead with performances using recorded music.

During Sunday's talks producers discussed setting a minimum of seven musicians at the largest theatres, compared to the current 24.

Producers say the current minimums - which are determined by the size of a theatre - are requiring them to use more musicians than are needed.

LATP president Jed Bernstein said they had made a "huge compromise" by agreeing some minimum levels should be retained.

It is now a case of agreeing what the figure should be but the sides are still far apart.

"It's just about jobs, the number of bodies," said Mr Bernstein.

"The fiction that we want to get rid of live music is just that - fiction."