Bway Performers & driving

[jennafan]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:38am

Ok, this is something I've wondered about for awhile....

I live outside of LA and we get a lot of NY/Bway performers out here for either touring or pre-Broadway shows.

My question is, what do performers who live in NY do for transportation? Do they rent a car? Some people stay out in LA (or wherever the show is) for longer than it runs. Do most performers have a valid drivers license?

Just curious. :)

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:44am

For out of town runs, I think the producers put the cast and crew up in a hotel that is usually in walking distance of the theater. I assume for sit down productions in L.A., the performers have to figure out their transportation out themselves. If they don't drive (which I'm sure most do), they can take public transportation to work. Most performers that come to Broadway usually are from out of town and work their way to NY after their high school years. Assuming this, they most likely will already have had their licenses.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:52am

This is the weirdest thread of the week.

[Bway2]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:57am

Tours supply transportation, either a plane & our tour bus.

[madscientist]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 1:09am

To answer one question, I think most performers have a valid drivers license, even if they don't own a car. At least outside of the kids from Billy Elliot and Mary Poppins, anyway. I would imagine they would get a license, even if just used for ID and just to have for an emergency.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 1:11am

I know that for some tours they might let certain cast members rent a car at the expense of the producers and they usually put them in a hotel that isn't too far from the theatre.

I know that some leads in some Broadway shows have a car waiting for them at the stage door of the theatre. I know Alice Ripley has one due to the fact that when we were chatting at the stage door she told the stage door guard to have her driver wait a second while we finished chatting.

Most Broadway performers take public transportation. I have run into a lead in a Broadway musical (not saying who or what show) on my way home on the LIRR before.

[Lumen2]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 1:11am

If they're from the city it can be less-than-likely they have a driver's license.

[raggballad2]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 2:03am

For tours in Chicago, performers always stay in hotels near the theater, and many of them walk back after the show, while for a sit-down, the leads get a car (only with Wicked for the two witches...). But other times they just walk (Anthony Rapp, Ashley Brown, etc all just walked from the Stage Door). But I think it depends on the city and hotel availability around the theater. I'm sure Equity has some regulations regarding accommodations for touring shows?

[jennafan]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 2:10am

I think it would make sense for tour folk not to get cars since they are in each city about 1-2 weeks.

So, I guess my question was more about shows that run 1-2 months, plus all the rehearsal time. That's quite a bit of time with no car.

But, thanks all for responding.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 6:37am

Tours can often stay in town for a months run or longer -- depending on the city. Jersey Boys will be in Boston for 12 weeks! The tours get transportation TO whatever location they are performing, and are put up in hotels nearby the theater. If the cast members want transportation OTHER than that...they can rent a car (well, most of the cast of SA cannot as they aren't old enough) or arrange for other things. An out of town tryout would follow those same guidelines.

If a big name person tours, they can arrange just about anything possible into their contracts...including a car. But that't no different then negotiating for a b'way contract.

I would imagine that for an out of town sit down the same is true: get what you can IN your contract but for the most part that is your job and therefore your responsibility to get to and from work and your living arrangements.

[singtopher]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 7:44am

The equity rule on hotels for tours is that the producers must provide two hotel choices. One of them must be under a certain dollar amount per night (I think $60ish) and one must be within walking distance of the theatre. The other must be within 20 min. This gives the actors options since they are paying for the hotels out of their Per Diem allowance. If they want a nice hotel, they can pay for it.

[dg22894]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 7:50am

I know for Wicked tour most had these little vans but the leads had regular cars it looks like but they had to share them.I actually decided to walk with Donna Vivano to her car which was parked immediately next to ours. It was a rental

For Rent i saw them getting into cars too...

[Katurian2]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 5:50pm

I feel like most NY actors take public trans to the theatre, or live within walking distance of it. Also, I remember during "The Odd Couple," seeing Matthew Broderick ride up to the stage door on his bike- so that's another alternative I suppose.

[winston89]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 6:01pm

I know when I was getting autographs after Everyday Rapture, Sheri walked out the door with a bike.

I have been under the impression that for the most part if a show is touring and one tour stop is in driving distance from another that they would allow the actors to rent cars and to carpool since it would be cheaper then paying for air travel or even amtrak.

I know that a lot of actors take public transportation. I was walking into the 8th avenue subway station that is right across from The Majestic and saw Megan Hilty walking down there and on the train downtown I saw a couple of cast members from In The Heights. I feel like unless you're an above the title actor then it is for the most part your job to make sure that you get too and from work in time just like it would be for anyone working any other kind of job in New York City.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 7:00pm

>>"Do most performers have a valid drivers license?"<<<

Actually a single driver's license is issued for all Broadway performers and they share it among themselves.

(Please learn the value of a correctly placed apostrophe. Thank you very much.)

Updated On: 7/9/09 at 07:00 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 7:25pm

If they're from the city it can be less-than-likely they have a driver's license.

I think a lot more people in the city HAVE a driver's license than you might suspect. Just because you don't have a car doesn't mean you don't have a license.

[mina3]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 9:25pm

For some (most?) tours, certain cities are designated as "car cities" and most performers rent cars in those locations if they don't already have them. The performers submit receipts for their travel and are reimbursed by the production, usually up to a cap amount.

As someone already mentioned, many performers (especially those on tour who are often just starting their careers) are from outside of NYC and have drivers' licenses, if not cars. Many performers also live in boroughs other than Manhattan where it is more feasible to keep a car. While in the city, most performers behave like every other city resident and use public transportation, though big-name stars often get cars included in their contracts. Alice Ripley, for example, has a car to take her home, but she takes the train in to work daily.