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#51

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 9:59am

Eris0303 - I am sure a decent chunk is taking out but still it is not exactly a bad salary and that was over a decade ago. I am not in the business but I am sure others may know what percentage is taken out for agent and other things you mentioned.

#52

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:07am

I know Idina Menzel was making well over 300,000 a week when she opened Wicked in London. I'm pretty sure you could make a million bucks on that path.

But I'm also pretty sure she rides the subway, sooo...

#53

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:12am

I will submit that certain Broadway stars do make quite a lot of money. Aaron Tveit, for instance, had a chauffeur in a black van with tinted windows waiting for him outside Catch Me If You Can every night. Most Broadway "stars" don't have that kind of money, though, or at least don't choose to spend their money on that kind of thing.

#54

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:23am

"I was taking the subway to see "Next to Normal," and I sat next to a well-known, though quirky and far from a household name, actor, who smelled so bad that I've always associated that experience with the show."

Was it Austin Pendleton?

#55

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:23am

A towncar/driver dedicated to transporting a performer between the theater and their residence isn't an indication of wealth — it's a condition included in their contract, paid for by the producers. Some performers don't request this particular perk.

It's not unusual at all to see top-level performers and theater professionals who are long-time New Yorkers opting for public transportation. I've seen Richard Thomas, Harriet Harris, Linda Lavin, Jefferson Mays, Joe Mantello, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and many others head for the subway after shows. Jesse Eisenberg still rides his bike to and from performances.

Last week I was standing next to Stephen Schwartz on the 1, and we all know he can afford a driver. It's a New York City thing.

"Tracy... Hold Mama's waffles."

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 10:23 AM

#56

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:28am

I agree with Jordan that Alice can probably go to the grocery store without being bothered, unless she spreads half a loaf of bread across the floor.

I would pay to see that.

And to add to the Broadway Stars Take the Subway thread, I once saw a large group of the History Boys at the Union Square station waiting for an express to Times Square. The group included Samuel Barnett and Dominic Cooper and Russell Tovey and Jamie Parker and James Cordon.

I was about to get on a local to get off at 23rd Street, but I gasped out loud when I saw them and got on the express with them and tried not to gawk.

They were all laughing and having a good time, obviously on some sort of group outing. The other passengers just thought they were a group of tourists. But I remember distinctly catching Dominic Cooper's eye. He knew that I had recognized them and was enjoying the attention.

#57

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:32am

"Well, she had worked on many Broadway productions for over 20 years, and she's successful. So I just assume that she's a millionaire by now."

No one, but NO ONE, gets rich on Broadway - genuine stars get a hefty salary for a finite period of time. I doubt that Ripley, though, broke the $250K annual line during the roughly 65 weeks she did her most successful project, Next To Normal. Before that, she did:
About 50 weeks in Rocky Horror (EIGHT years earlier)
About 16 weeks in The Dead (same year)
And she was a replacement Fantine for about 52 weeks.
About 12 weeks in Side Show
1 week in King David
Apparently (per ibdb) she did the full roughly 116 weeks of Sunset Blvd (which seems unbelievable)
She couldn't have done the entire 2-year run of Tommy, because it overlapped with Sunset for about 6 months. Let's say she did 70 weeks.

So that's about 382 weeks (7 1/3 years) of Broadway employment over the last 20 years, making between roughly $1,500-$5,000 a week.

Then there's Off-Broadway money ($500 a week?) for things like Wild Animals You Should Know or the Off-Bway Next To Normal, and whatever else she brings in for the occasional concert gig or whatever else.

I just don't see that as adding up to "rich." I also don't see anything wrong with "just making a living doing what you love."

#58

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:03am

What are you, her accountant?

#59

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:05am

I moonlight as Irving Newinstein.

#60

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:14am

"I know Idina Menzel was making well over 300,000 a week when she opened Wicked in London."

If you mean 300,000 dollars or pounds...no. She absolutely was not.

"Get mad, then get over it." - Colin Powell

#61

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:22am

I walked behind Patti Lupone for a solid 20 minutes in the Times Square area a couple weeks ago and not even 1 person on the street even stopped or noticed her. Hahaha (Well... besides me but I didn't stop her! haha)

Nobody recognized her because she looks like every other small, angry Italian woman in New York.

Also this thread reminded me of South Fl Marc's wonderful story about meeting Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn on the subway. Truly one of the best things I've ever read on BWW

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=980776&boardname=&page=4#3692433

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#62

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:24am

I was awfully dubious about that odd claim, too, considering that Menzel is not that kind of "star;" remember that in 2004, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were making an unprecedented $100k per week (for 14 weeks) for their return to The Producers.

#63

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:24am

"So that's about 382 weeks (7 1/3 years) of Broadway employment over the last 20 years, making between roughly $1,500-$5,000 a week. "

I truly believe she probably made more than that because as I posted above a friend of my wife's (HS days) made $10,000 a week in a leading role on Broadway in the 90's. He was not a "major" star at the time so it is not like his salary was higher because he was already famous.

#64

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:26am

"Last week I was standing next to Stephen Schwartz on the 1, and we all know he can afford a driver. It's a New York City thing.

He went to the same HS as me on LI, he is several years older - lol

#65

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:32am

Schwartz could sell his wigs and buy a few Rolls Royces, I imagine.

#66

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 11:45am

Whoa, I added an extra 0. Haha, oops! Still, $30,000 a week is a pretty decent salary. I'm sure she could afford to cab it home making that kind of money. I agree though, it's a New York thing. Even the Mayor takes the subway.

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 11:45 AM

#67

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 2:30pm

NYers are very good at not hassling celebrities. You see Matthew Broderick and SJP out and about with their kids all the time. Same with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick. JFK Jr. used to ride his bike all over town and then take it on the subway. It's much different in LA.

#68

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 4:20pm

I once saw Liev Schreiber walking his dogs near Great Jones Street; it was 18 degrees out so I just said hello and pet the dogs. I also saw Alan Cumming at the gym.

Alice Ripley has a cat so you may see her at the pet store buying food for him. Or she may have a dog, I don't remember. She never brings them on the subway.

And Newintown is her new accountant/assistant, but it's not advisable for the accountant to disclose the millions per week she was paid for "Wild Animals...." and "A Civil War Christmas". Off Broadway was quite a windfall for her.

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 04:20 PM

#69

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 4:22pm

"Nobody recognized her because she looks like every other small, angry Italian woman in New York."

^^^ Exactly! haha

As New Yorkers seeing celebrities on the street is sort of a normal thing. Nobody ever bothers them (or most the time even recognizes them!). I think thats why many of them prefer New York to LA. Its much different in LA. People expect to see celebs there and they are constantly being followed by paparazzi. It's different in New York. I see Tina Fey, David Arquette, and Steve Martin all the time in my area.

#70

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 4:25pm

I also saw Steven Pasquale in Schmackary's. He looked a little miffed I didn't bother him.

#71

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 4:35pm

"Was it Austin Pendleton?"

Tom1071, one of these days you're going to have to tell me how you did that.

#72

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 5:18pm

I also saw Steven Pasquale in Schmackary's.

Someone should start an ongoing "Seen in Schmackary's" thread.

#73

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 5:41pm

I was more obsessed with the green tea cookie. Ooh girl! I want some Schmackary's tonight. Full report on who I spot there and if they invoke the wrath of people on line by buying the last green tea cookie.

Alice Ripley actually SLEEPS on the subway

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 05:41 PM

#74

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 6:06pm

"Aaron Tveit, for instance, had a chauffeur in a black van with tinted windows waiting for him outside Catch Me If You Can every night."

Is this true? Granted, I did see the last performance before Irene, so city transportation was in the process of shutting down for the next day. But I doubt that'd affect what you're talking about. And when I saw it, my mom watched Aaron leave the stage door and walk all the way down 52nd because she wanted to see if he'd get in a car (he didn't).

#75

Alice Ripley takes the subway

Posted: 5/10/13 at 7:03pm

I was observing the stage door of the Marquis during the run of Evita, where naturally being a big star Ricky Martin had a car and a ton of security, out of the corner of my eye I saw James Corden leave the Music Box, with his bike in tow.

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