How Much Do Broadway STARS Make A Week? — Page 2

dramamama611 said: "givesmevoice said: "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.



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That is not correct either. A big movie star might be WILLING to take less for those reasons, but it its not a negotiation tactic. If their name is going to bring in the money, their paycheck is going to reflect that. (when is salary ever based on how much you might earn elsewhere?)



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Based on my understanding, frequently stars who are "selling the show" forgoe a larger weekly salary and get a higher percentage of box office gross. Obviously this is entirely based on negotiations

Years ago, when the original La Cage was the biggest threat thing on Broadway (1983), I remember what I recall as a Time Mag article talking about how nice it was to see George Hearn hit it big after so many years - and stating that George Hearn was making something like $10K a week as Albin. I was unable to find this article online, but did find an article noting 2nd billed Gene Barry was making $7,500/week... 33 years ago. Anthony Quinn was making $50K/week in Zorba around that time, it says.



I recall hearing Glenn Close making $40K/week in Sunset a decade later. In between I remember reading Richard Harris making $100K in a Camelot tour. And, famously, didn't Betty Buckley want $20K-$25K+ a week for the Sunset tour... costing her the role?

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20086485,00.html

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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Don't know about Westend salaries, but I'm assuming salaries on Broadway will be (significantly?) higher. Compared to e.g. Salaries of NYCB dancers, Broadway performers make so much more (e.g. Chorus ballet girls of Phantom earning more than soloists at NYCB). Credits given to the fact that those Broadway shows are (supposed to be) major cash earning machines, the salary level still strikes me as unusually high. With those salaries, every leading actor with a pretty constant job record must be a millionare almost. Since competition is so fierce, this seems explanatory, however b/c of the high supply of willing performers rhis also seems strange - so far for my econ 101. in Germany, actors in the big musical productions (think Really Useful Group, Wicked, Rebecca, etc.) would earn less than the lead's weekly pay in a month. So probably around 5000-10000 a month for the major lead, cast members probably maximum 2500-3000.

Basically I was told that after 6 months a particular musical theatre actress who recently left her show made over 1 million. Now there were taxes, manager and agent fees deducted. So if she made that and she was not worldly famous then Midler will probably rake in more. It is neither here nor there. You just never think of the theatre as being quite that lucrative and I am happy for her.

I remember reading at the time that Elaine Paige was earning £25,000 per week (that's British pounds, not dollars - that's around $36,000) for Sunset Boulevard in the mid-nineties. That was a huge salary at that time and she was contracted for seven of the eight weekly shows. It was also reported she was getting £40,000 per week a few years later for 'The King and I'. Her name is not so big now in the West End, but it was back then.

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 07:40 AM

RentBoy86 said: "I know most Elphabas are making about 10K a week.

I would think anyone playing The Phantom is in the 10k bracket as well."



This is 100% incorrect on all counts. I have seen this figures myself and what you are quoting is absolutely incorrect.



Most leads are making $2300/week base pay. This is even when they are a Broadway name. An individual or their management teams will have to prove that they are worth more than the minimum for principals and are actually a draw. This typically doesn't involve too much negotiation either. It's pretty binary for most actors. Now other frills like car service, etc. are easily up for negotiation.

theatregoer3- I don't know what figures you've been looking at, but no Elphaba has been paid 2.3k. They all haven't been making 10k a week (though many have), but they have all made at least 7.5k weekly with recognizable actors making more. It's a demanding starring role in a hit show.

Which leads me to: actors in blockbuster shows like Wicked will be making above minimum in most cases. The leads especially, regardless of whether or not they are "stars."

Top tier stars- name draws, Tony winners- will regularly pull in 15-20k, with truly big names drawing much more.

Second tier stars- recognizable names in the community but not ones who can sell a show- will regularly pull in figures like 5-8k weekly.

Actors may also have salaries increase based on award nominations, or if they've been with the show for a long time (through development, etc.)

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 10:03 AM

rikem said: "theatregoer3 said: "
Most leads are making $2300/week base pay. This is even when they are a Broadway name. An individual or their management teams will have to prove that they are worth more than the minimum for principals and are actually a draw. This typically doesn't involve too much negotiation either. It's pretty binary for most actors. Now other frills like car service, etc. are easily up for negotiation.

theatregoer3 you are 100% incorrect (and a fool). Broadway leads do NOT make scale ($i.e. $2300)."



Hahahaha! Guys, I have actually looked at the pay rates for many shows. As part of my job back in 2011 I received a full print out of every cast member's name, address, rate of pay - even social security numbers - for nearly every single show on the boards at that time.



It would be illegal for me to be more specific than I am right now (even though I am DYING to name names and figures), but the numbers you are quoting are ridiculous and not based on anything insomuch as what you assume or wish.



Now a show that is emphasizing a name - like Ben Walker in Psycho - I have no doubt he is making way more than $2300, but Elphaba is not making $520,000/year. Come on, guys. Let's get real here.



Also, calling me a fool...are we back to bullying?



Edit: I may be completely wrong here. I'm just saying I have seen these pay rates and I'm telling you what I saw. I even opened up my files from back then and double-checked to make sure I wasn't going insane. If you guys have actually seen otherwise and not just heard through the grapevine or through a friend or at the stage door, etc., then let me know.

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:33 AM

As part of my job, I also look at Broadway weekly salary figures. Saying that Broadway musical leads routinely make 2.3k as a base is untrue, and it was untrue even in 2011. Unless your paperwork is defining "base salary" as the Equity minimum, I'm not sure what you're looking at.