Posted: 11/12/24 at 6:16pm
kdogg36 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "When a Broadway show is selling that badly, royalty participants and service providers are asked to waive weekly fees (sometimes even actors) to get their salaries down to the weekly minimum."
Does this mean that professional composers, lyricists, and bookwriters are asked for the unpaid use of the fruitsof their hard work? I have trouble wrapping my mind around that. I can't imagine anyone who's not independently wealthy saying "yes" to that request."
Yes. But it’s not intended to be a longterm thing. The rationale is “if we don’t reduce running costs, we close. If we can get the number closer to the break even, that leaves more money for advertising or reduces losses, allows it to run longer, and hopefully bounce back.” That doesn’t always happen.
Remember the weeklies aren’t the only way authors are paid. They get up front fees and option payments too.
A longer Broadway run can also help a show’s chances later on in licensing, touring, etc.
It’s also their choice. They could be asked to reduce and say no.
I guess it makes sense that they'd get something up front, but I haven't really heard about that before.
