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Officials from Actors? Equity Association, the union representing actors and stage managers, are scheduled to begin contract talks with Broadway producers and theater owners on Friday. But officials from both sides said these negotiations were not likely to be as contentious as last year?s talks with the stagehands? union, which culminated in a 19-day strike that shut down most of Broadway. To the surprise of many producers, John P. Connolly, the executive director of Equity, was a fiery defender of the stagehands? union during the strike, and some producers worried about what his belligerent tone would mean for the Equity talks.