How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
COOOOLkid
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/05
#0How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 1:06am
I've always been wondering... I know there's Equity minimum for the performer's wage, but how do everyone else that are not on stage get paid and how much are they involved with?
For example, do composer of the songs of the show get a percentage of the weekly grosses that the show make? What about lighting technicians? Do they just work on the lighting for the show at first, and once the show opens, are they not involved with the show anymore?
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#1re: How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 1:16am
well, i know stage managers belong to the same equity as the actors do. they get paid about min. $1455/per week i believe (don't quote me). not sure about the others.
could always google it.
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MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#2re: How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 1:41am
I'm not up to date on the exact wages these days, but the stagehand (technicians fall in this category) and musician union minimums are roughly in the same ballpark as the Equity minimum -- around $1500/week + benefits (and musicians who play more than one instrument are paid at a higher rate).
Playwrights, composers and lyricists royalties are based on a percentage of the weekly gross. It varies, with the big names (Webber, Neil Simon, et al) getting as much as 10%, but most get around 6%, I believe (the split between composer and lyricist varies and is sometimes negotiated, but the breakdown is often 4% for composers and 2% for lyricists, though some go 50-50). Given that Broadway shows gross at least six figures weekly (with some over $1 million), it can be quite a tidy sum.
Directors also get a percentage of the box office -- again, the numbers vary widely -- "name" directors have been known to make 5-10% (though most make less than that).
Designers also share in the royalty pool, but I couldn't tell you the numbers.
Anyone more up-to-date on these figures, please feel free to correct me.
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Updated On: 3/27/06 at 01:41 AM
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#3re: How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 1:43am
Holly, no kidding it's so hard to break even, everyone has a share of everything!
Another related question, would a director get a precentage for re-creating his staging (and choreographer) in international productions? Or is the person they send to put on the show the one who gets the share?
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Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#4re: How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:56am
For directors recreating their staging, it depends how the contract is written. This has actually been a very controversial issue lately - I don't remember the specifics, but there was a news item about a director who pulled out early, then went back and saw his work in the show, and sued the company, or something to that effect - anyone remember this?
Sidenote on the writers royalties: in smaller theatres, writers have been offered flat rate/lump sumps, as opposed to a box office percentage, obviously because there's not a weekly gross per se. I don't think this happens on Broadway though.
#5re: How much are the non-performers involved w/the show?
Posted: 3/27/06 at 10:01am
To add to what Margo and others said, everyone on Broadway from front of house to backstage is union (except apparently wig designers, which is odd, and I'm not aware if infrared, concessions, and souvenirs are union).
You can think of shows as production/rehearsal and performance. There are lots of people putting the show together before opening night and then after that, it's mostly people running the performances--though as Margo stated, the creative team is going to get monies.
Updated On: 3/27/06 at 10:01 AM
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