If the strike goes ahead 18 shows will be affected

Negotiations to avert a walk-out over proposed cuts in orchestra sizes have been held after strike action was delayed on Sunday.

But musicians' union members have pledged to take strike action if an agreement is not reached by midnight on Thursday local time (0500 GMT).

Producers originally wanted to scrap the minimum number of orchestra members, but the union said this would 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.

After talks on Sunday, 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 if a strike went ahead.

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

Producers said 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."