Broadway Actors Salaries

how much do you make?

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well, you asked about other people, so it's only fair.... just making a point & assuming it did not go over your head.

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Really intereted in what these job's pay not individual actors... I mentioned Hugh J as an example...

What about Tonya Pinkins and the big fuss over her salary? Apparantly she isn't getting $ she thinks she deserves. Is this true?

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The producers were adamant about keeping costs down with Caroline, so Pinkins signed onto the favored nations contract that all of the principals signed -- about $2000 per week, which is quite a low amount for a Tony-winning star of a Broadway show. According to the New York Times, however, the producers agreed to certain perks in addition to her salary -- hair/makeup people for tv appearances, a limo to and from the theatre and they helped to move her kids out from LA and set all of them up in an apartment for the length of the run (the article didn't go into any details about that last item).

The Nathan and Matthew deal was unprecedented and the $100K per week for each of them for their return stint in The Producers earlier this year was a result of their very unique bargaining position. Most really big stars -- Peters, Jackman, Neuwirth, Banderas, Glenn Close, Lane & Broderick during their original run -- have deals that are in the $35K to $50K range plus a percentage of the the profits. Each week, they'll get as much as 8-10% of the the receipts over and above the break even costs (in other words if a show's running costs are $500K per week and it grosses $1 million, then the profit is $500K and the star might get $50k that week in addition to their base salary). Very very few stars make that though. $20K - $30K is probably more typical for most lead performers on Broadway.

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Updated On: 6/28/04 at 02:21 AM

Thanks Margo. I'm certainly learning a lot on this site.

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Why? just curious why this is such a "hot" question with theater fans. Without trying to sound snotty, what is the motive behind prying into "certain" actors "star" income? Just to have that "personal" information?( which you'll never get exact figures anyway). Or to compare who you think deserves more or less than whomever?
If it's pretty well accepted the Equity starts at $1,300 and goes up from there, that's it. These people are not running for public office where salaries are posted. So why pry? or guess or prentend to know?

I'm not trying to be a B**ch, it's just annoying to me that people are so money conscience where it doesn't even concern them. Just enjoy your favorite actor/actress and let them earn what they can just like everyone else in the working world.

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You are right in that this $$ thing gets discussed in other entertainment fields to the point of nauseam. And I think it is pointless and unprofessional.
It's just tacky to say "I felt I should be paid more" (in so many words) and statements like this. If an actor accepts or turns down a part, it should be for reason between the powers that be and not discussed in a public forum where not a blessed thing can be gained. I just personally think actors lose their dignity when they go public with money issues. And hosts shouldn't keep going there. It's just tacky!

Again, this is just my opinion.

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I also think cast salaries are valid discussion points because, quite frankly, it goes into the weekly nut (the minimum amount required to maintain a show without going into the red, and that's before returning on the original investment). Also, these rising star salaries have, at least in part, contributes to the rising prices we're seeing for a Broadway show. You can bet on a small ticket increase should Equity get some of its increases or deals in the new Production contract.

exactly Plum.

Again, it's not that people can't get a ball park idea of what price bracket a certain performer is in. Most people already have a general figure on that due to too many people on the inside with loose lips!

But I still think too much speculation and opinions get thrown into a public pot where, quite frankly, people who don't have a clue of the expenses/operations/negoations of what they see on the stage, start mixing it up. When sites like Broadway.com & Playbill makes premature statements and mistakes, that tells you that what realy goes on changes from day to day according to who you speak to. It happens to me all the time as I learn about things. I just keep it all to myself because I know it can change like the weather.

Their all expensive! Just pick and choose and go! Do we really need to try to disect their "nuts"!

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I wonder about shows like Assassins. You have several actors that could easily command *higher* salaries....even without a huge set, costume changes, etc. - just the cast salaries could get real expensive.

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