Children employed in Theatre

#1

Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/4/08 at 6:55pm

I have seen Billy Elliott and Joseph, both shows employ a huge cast of childen. I see that both productions have three sets of children, as they have to do there education as well. What is the law with employing children? How much do children roughly get payed for there effort?

#2

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/5/08 at 12:25pm

In Peter Pan Cardiff I was 12, and got paid £50 a week in the 7 week run totaling to £350 for the overall run. The law is something along the lines of performing a maximum of twice a day and having to day every other day, for example tuesday, thursday and saturday whilst the other group does monday, wednesday and friday. Just an example. I think this applies until the age of 16, before then a performing license is required.

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#3

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/5/08 at 12:27pm

Just like to add I was John, and remember the Lost Boys got paid less, with a total of about £150 I think. This was with Qdos by the way :) (Thought I'd add just so you get an idea of what they pay)

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THEATRE 2016: Grey Gardens; SwkPlayhouse, Cats; London Palladium, Into the Woods; Royal Exchange, Show Boat; Sheffield Crucible, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Prsicilla Queen of the Desert; UK Tour, Narrative; RWCMD, Mojo; RWCMD, The Barber of Seville; WNO, Rabbit Hole; Hampstead, The Marriage of Figaro; WNO, Figaro Gets a Divorce; WNO, Tom: The Musical; UK Tour Upcoming: Anything Can Happen; RWCMD, Cysgy'n Brys'ur, Long Day's Journey Into Night; Bristol Old Vic, Only the Brave, The Caretaker; The Old Vic, People Places and Things, Blue/Orange; Young Vic, Bernadette Peters, Carole King, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II

#4

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:31am

Correct me if I am wrong. But, don't the child labour laws over there prevent kids in the west end from doing the full 8 shows a week. That is why roles like Gavroche, Young Cosette and Young Eponine are double cast. And that is why there are a few sets of children to play Jane and Michael Banks in Mary Poppins.

I know that in the US a child actor could legally play 8 shows a week and the show wouldn't get into trouble at all. But, I was under the impression that having more then one actor to play a child role was something that Broadway adopted from London.

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#5

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:02am

Winston, you are right, when kids are cast, there are normally 3 sets of kids cast because of the child labout laws and I have heard on Broadway that kids can do 8 shows a week.

A mate of mine is an actor and he played on of the Fagin kids in the Palladium cast of Oliver, I understand he got £300 a week to do this, do kids earn more than this now. Would a starring kid such as Billy Elliot earn a lot more than some kid playing a smaller role such as Gavaroche?

#6

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 10:05am

The Joseph kids are "paid" with "the experience"
And I saw Joseph the same day as you =)

#7

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:04pm

Excellent, you were at the same Joseph as me, did you enjoy the show? Did you take advantage of the last minute.com offer?

so you are saying the kids in Joseph are being paid zilch, I cannot believe Bill Kenright would stoop that low?

#8

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:42pm

i believe its the same with the kids in Never Forget...you volunteer to be one of the childrens choir. they may get a small ammount but i wouldnt've of thought so.

also a girl i know whos know in Billy Elliot, was Young Eponine in Les Mis for 3months and didnt get paid all that much, but as soon as she started Young Cosette she was earning a lot more. So it does depend on the size of the role i believe.

#9

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:42pm

Well now i've left....WOO!!!

in EVERY bill kenwright production i've worked on the kids have been paid nothing (excpetion being Brat & Swallow on Whistle who got paid Beans...and i'm talking 2 digits (£_ _ ) a week.

Joseph, The Kids Chorus in Whistle Down The Wind, Scrooge, Doctor Dolittle & Evita...The kids are on the show for *experience purposes* as are the super numeraries on Evita.

I doubt highly that any kids who are in the ensemble will get paid for shows such as Billy elliot etc... and i believe the only kids that get paid are the ones that are auditioned and play principal roles..

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#10

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:46pm

I did really enjoy it, not surprising though, I've seen it *cough* a few times..not as much as a lot of people though lol. I've never used lastminute.com, I will at some point though =)

Yeah, the kids seem really happy to do it though..

#11

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:51pm

oh yeh - the kids enjoy themselves and are all happy to be there - and then to say to their friends i've been "on the West End" lol

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#12

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:53pm

so Anon, ave you official left? or are there still some minutes on the clock?

#13

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 5:55pm

the shows come down - they are just clearing up downstairs then i can go home

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

Updated On: 9/6/08 at 05:55 PM

#14

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:00pm

ahh good times no big old cast party to go to?

#15

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:01pm

oh god know lol i just wanna get out of it for good lol and leave glasgow (while they have another week there before ireland - muwahaha

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

Updated On: 9/6/08 at 06:01 PM

#16

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:06pm

awh fair dos! :) well i raise my glass of strawberry and kiwi squash to you, well done for surving, heres to bigger and better things for Anon

#17

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:12pm

a well earned break lol!!!! Then as i've sed earlier on this week i'm moving onto panto for a month and a bit in my home county (which also means xmas at proper home with the familiy) then we'll see where we go from there in January!! lol

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#18

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:17pm

awh nothing beats christmas at home! ahh january seems so far..but it really isnt..you knoe just for the record january 4th is the birthday, obviously you're gonna wanna send a card so id write it on your calender :)

#19

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:19pm

ahh the day after my closing night!

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#20

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:25pm

Tis a Sunday :) so ill be expecting that card saturday or monday yeh? haha what panto is it? and whos the star (apart form you *sarcastic wink*)

#21

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:31pm

i'll make a note of that!!

- Jack and The Beanstalk (havnt got the script yet but been told its slighty different than the norm! which is rather excited as i've always thought it was slightly dull)

a few local "stars" are on it along with One of the lads off "Grease Is The Word" and the girl that plays Mika on Waterloo road.

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#22

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:33pm

Awh sounds alright! I hate Jack in the Beanstalk! lol have you got a part or are you dancing etc..?

#23

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:37pm

i do have a part - i'm the equivalent to Fleshcreep only with a nicer name and involved more in the plot lol!

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#24

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:48pm

Ooh get you!! lol what theatre is it playing?
Ive never actually seen a decent panto..not a big proper regional one..!

#25

re: Children employed in Theatre

Posted: 9/6/08 at 6:53pm

The Sands Centre in Carlisle. Nice little place, holds about 1450 and is pretty similiarly laid out like Grimsby Auditorium (only nicer lol!..)

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**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**