How Much Do Broadway STARS Make A Week?

I am sure this question has been asked a hundred times on these boards but I was wondering how much someone like Kelli O'Hara would get paid a week for playing Anna or Jessica Lange in Long Days Journey Into Night? Then how would it compare to their understudies (when they perform) or someone who does not have a lot of notoriety playing a lead?

SmoothLover said: "I am sure this question has been asked a hundred times on these boards but I was wondering how much someone like Kelli O'Hara would get paid a week for playing Anna or Jessica Lange in Long Days Journey Into Night? Then how would it compare to their understudies (when they perform) or someone who does not have a lot of notoriety playing a lead?"

Both of those are bad examples, as Lincoln Center and Roundabout are nonprofits, and salaries are lower.

As I stated before in one of those threads, my understanding is everyone gets the minimum unless you are a name that sells tickets. Being a Tony winner or nominee sells tickets and is plastered all over the marquee. Other notable exception is well known movie actors or singers. Other than that, most only get the minimum even the leading actors.

Dave13 said: "As I stated before in one of those threads, my understanding is everyone gets the minimum unless you are a name that sells tickets. Being a Tony winner or nominee sells tickets and is plastered all over the marquee. Other notable exception is well known movie actors or singers. Other than that, most only get the minimum even the leading actors.



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I'd be surprised if the ensemble of wicked aren't making more than equity minimum.

Dallas Theatre Fan said: "I've always wondered how much the Matildas make sense they only do two shows a week. Do they still make minimum or do they have different rules from the Equity?



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They still make minimum.

When the "Rebecca" debacle happened a few years ago, it came out in court filings that the several leads were to have made $7,000 per week IIRC. And none of them were "big stars."

I heard many years ago that an Australian leading lady was the first [in Australia] to be paid over the A$10.000per week.

Marvellous how we 'hear' all these things and as someone above said 'overheard'--did they sidel[?] up and lean over or put a glass to a wall?

It's all gossip anyway

Dave13 said: "As I stated before in one of those threads, my understanding is everyone gets the minimum unless you are a name that sells tickets. Being a Tony winner or nominee sells tickets and is plastered all over the marquee. Other notable exception is well known movie actors or singers. Other than that, most only get the minimum even the leading actors."

I've never been privy to information about anyone's salary, so the conclusion I'm drawing may be incorrect, but I actually feel like someone like Patti LuPone, whose work and fame are primarily in the theater, may demand a higher salary than someone like Catherine Zeta-Jones, who can afford to work in the theater for a smaller paycheck because she'll make so much more than that on her next film project.

Dave13 said: "As I stated before in one of those threads, my understanding is everyone gets the minimum unless you are a name that sells tickets. "



Your understanding is wrong.

Seems like Hugh Jackman made an incredible amount as I recall but that was probably a very special arrangement.

I actually feel like someone like Patti LuPone, whose work and fame are primarily in the theater, may demand a higher salary than someone like Catherine Zeta-Jones, who can afford to work in the theater for a smaller paycheck because she'll make so much more than that on her next film project.





A list movie stars earn many millions of dollars to star in a movie. What CZJ considers "a smaller paycheck" is still more than what many people earn in a year, and more than what even the biggest "Broadway names" earn.



Big name stars often get a percentage of box office on top of their salary, so in a hit show, that could be a substantial increase.



Generally, lead contracts include a raise for Tony nominations and another raise for Tony wins (for the performer, not necessarily for the production), but that is all part of the negotiation.



Another thing to consider is the number of stars and/or leading roles. A show like Wicked has two leads who are usually on the same level of fame, whereas a show like Gypsy usually has one star: Rose. Lane and Broderick may have earned $100K per week as the two stars of The Producers, but I'd be willing to bet they received less for It's Only a Play, where they shared billing with an entire cast of huge names.



Bottom line: outside of the minimums required by Equity, there are no rules when it comes to salaries, from person to person or show to show.

Call_me_jorge said: "I asked this somewhere else, but this thread is getting more traction. I was wondering how much the star of a west end show would be making compared to the Broadway counterpart. Are the elphabas making the same amount or is it less in the west end since their equity minimum is also less?



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^^^^

Well, back in early 2002, I was working for a company that was "in the running" to finance and distribute the cast album of a show, based on a late '60s movie. I went to a sort of backer's audition in a rehearsal space that was pretty remarkable. I remember looking at the contract and noticing the third "star"...and the biggest name prior to the show's opening...was being paid low 5 figures a week. For the one-day cast recording, all performers were to receive one week's salary. We eventually lost out to a major label...one that pretty much has wiped it's hands of Broadway for the most part today. The whole experience was a great learning lesson and the label we distributed at the time, has gone on to do tremendous things!!