Broadway Actors/Actresses Salaries- Page 2

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 5:01pm

jsn, let's not forget to mention that that IS before taxes, and before agents swipe 10% and the union swipes their cut... it goes fast before it goes to the bank account.

Updated On: 4/28/07 at 05:01 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 7:51pm

The union takes around 2.5% for dues.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 8:26pm

yep. Most people seem to forget that, as an actor, just about at least 13% percent of your check is gone before they take out taxes and then give you any money.

[JsnWse]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 12:23am

You are right Broadwayguy2, that unfortunately is before taxes. And lets not get into how much of that goes towards my Rent.

[NY10024]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 10:06am

Much of the same holds true for designers (and other theatre artists) as well. After taxes and union dues, there isn't much left to my paycheck, and most of that ends up going toward rent. And the healthcare situation is a problem for everyone working in this industry--I spend a LOT of time counting the number of union days I've worked and wondering if I'll be able to extend my insurance for another six months.

[ken8631]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 10:15am

Doesn't sound like people are in it for the money then!

And having no health insurance is really bad.....

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 11:04am

yes, people (audiences) really have NO idea what the life is like.

And, as jsn said, rent takes up a mority of the rest. (Sad that in NYC, we have people paying just about 50% of their income in rent sometimes.)

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 11:24am

"yes, people (audiences) really have NO idea what the life is like."

At least in the tri-state area - if not beyond as every actor is from somewhere, and there are only 50 states - there are few people who don't have a friend or relative aspiring to/working at a performing career, so yes, quite a few people are in on what it entails.

As far as the 50% thing, that's actually what the majority of people in NYC are spending on rent. It's a very expensive place to live, no matter what your job.

[Jon]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 11:25am

By the way, you now have to pay $400 a year for health insurance, even if you have enough work weeks.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 11:31am

At my last job, we had 100% insurance paid, but it didn't include vision nor dental. So I paid almost $300 for glasses, as there was no coverage for that. And that was a desk job that I didn't like. We make sacrifices to be able to work at something we're passionate about. Hell, obviously we make sacrifices to work at something we're not passionate about, just for a mediocre paycheck.

[beyondblessed]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 12:29pm

wow, maybe I don't want to be an actor anymore.

[avab802]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 12:40pm

My company is finally offering domestic partner benefits, effective today. Which is a happy thing, because my partner does not get benefits at all in her line of work, and the benefits my company offers are quite good and the portion that employees pay into it is reasonable.

But, IRS tax rules dictate that benefits for a domestic partner cannot be paid with pre-tax dollars. Benefits for a legal spouse, however, can be paid with pre-tax dollars. So the amount the comany pays into her benefits will be added to my taxable income, and it will cost me an extra ~$750 a year in taxes for her benefits. Just a friendly reminder from the federal government that I am little less equal than my heterosexual co-workers.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 2:14pm

rath,

my 50% comment was referring to people in the area in general, not actor-specific.

as far as my audience comments, i was talking about broadway's core audience - tourists. not 'in the know new yorkers'. i have reaised the issue on many occasions talking with patrons when i hear them saying how glamorous the life is and how much they must be making and that they should do XX... almost across the board, they were clueless. people think hollywood stardom is the life of an actor.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 3:08pm

Even an ensemble member on Broadway has a more "glamorous" life (when they're working) than most people in NYC or otherwise. You do realize that, right? It may not be Julia Roberts' life, but it's certainly more interesting than most people's.

If the performers are telling you otherwise, they're either A. pulling your leg, or B. completely clueless themselves. I don't know any performer who wouldn't agree with me.

Updated On: 5/1/07 at 03:08 PM

[SteveWilson]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 5:50pm

Glamorous and Interesting are two very different things...one deals with appearances, the other deals with reality.

I would imagine most people assume the life is glamorous, without having the slightest idea why it is actually so interesting.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 6:18pm

Still...that minimum even with the 13% broadwayguy mentioned is over double what first year teachers make.

It's all relative.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 6:40pm

i am speakig in purely relative terms.... the perception of an awestruck audience members vs the reality.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 6:51pm

Gotcha. No harm or insult meant. :)

[mrslovett7]

Posted: 5/1/07 at 8:32pm

I think that is a totally a legitimate considering a lot of people want to go into the theatre and while they may not make it big like Pierce or Ebersole they will want to know what kind of financial area they will be in.

why are some people so edgy on this board?