The running costs for a big musical like Hamilton are typically said to be in the ballpark of 500-600k a week, right? And that includes ALL weekly salaries for everyone involved in the show (including backstage and front of house staff), costs for the theater ect ect.
So non of the actor can make that much, especially considering most of them were fairly unknown when they negotiated their contract and many in the ensemble probably don't get a lot more than the minimum. That is of course excluding actors with name recognition like Groff and Lin himself.
Like we all learned from the lab/workshop debate they do not get a share of the profits because they had a lab contract, but get a bit of a higher salary. But even a profit share wouldn't be that much.
At the end of day this is Broadway, not film or TV. There's a reason so many stage actors try to do some TV work here and there, and it's not just because of craft services
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
A share of 1% may not be a huge number, but for a show that is grossing well over $1,000,000 a week that can easily translate to anywhere from an extra $10,000 to $25,000 (or more) in a year while the show is running depending on how many actors are part of that share. Not to mention royalties from future productions.
Yup, of course that would have been a huge chuck of money for those actors, but still nowhere near what northlandfan was talking about, that's all I meant when saying "not that much" in my previous post.
People generally overestimate how much Broadway performers are paid.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
Scarywarhol said: "People generally overestimate how much Broadway performers are paid.
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I find the opposite to be true, actually. Many people seem to think that only actors in the upper echelon command big paydays. You'd be surprised how well some of the journeymen do. Never underestimate a good agent.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
40k/week for the Hamilton principals is way closer than 4k.
Lin makes six figures every week from Hamilton royalties alone. And then he also stars in it, gets royalties from In The Heights licensing, composes for Disney, and this little movie called Star Wars that might be a hit. He has more money than you and I will ever see, yet still has less than people who throw/kick/bat a ball around a field/court.
trpguyy said: "And then he also stars in it, gets royalties from In The Heights licensing, composes for Disney, and this little movie called Star Wars that might be a hit. He has more money than you and I will ever see, yet still has less than people who throw/kick/bat a ball around a field/court. "
LOL "might be a hit"? It's on track to become the highest grossing film of all time (without inflation).
I believe you missed the use of the sarcastic font
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
Don't be fooled by the "percentage of profits" lines. Tom Hanks famously tells the story of how Forrest Gump has made hundreds of millions worldwide in the past 20 years but still hasn't seen a penny of his back end. He keeps being told "oh well, we had to market this rerelease, but it's right around the corner" and they haven't turned a profit.
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/jonathan-groff-net-worth/
According to that Groff is worth 3 million.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
celebritynetworth.com is DEFINITELY a reliable source.
God, what is with all these inane threads lately? I swear it's getting worse. The cast of Hamilton is doing fine. Lin is not making $1 million per week, that would mean they wouldn't be making any profit. LOGIC.
Generally, 50% of the profits each week go to the royalty participants. If Hamilton makes $1 million and the running costs are $600,000, that leaves $400,000 profit, half of which would go to the royalty participants. I don't know who else receives royalties besides Miranda. Probably Chernow and The Public Theater, possibly some cast members from the workshop. Still, it's safe to assume that as bookwriter, composer, and lyricist, Miranda gets the bulk of the royalties. With his actor salary as well, my guess is that he receives a healthy weekly pay of $150,000-200,000. Enviable, but nowhere near $1 million a week. Of course, I am using general numbers and plenty of assumptions, so don't take this as fact. It is just an example.
@ Yero, sorry but ya got it wrong.Leaving aside pool reductions, 15% max is more like it.
Oh, really? All right then. Like I said, I don't know anything about the arrangement for HAMILTON, I was just making some guesses based on other agreements I've seen. I was also on the bus home after work, so my brain probably wasn't working great. I'd be really curious to see the royalty pool for HAMILTON.
"For example having recently seen Hamilton I thoroughly enjoyed the role of King George played by Jonathan Groff. When you consider that he is on stage for probably 10 minutes maximum throughout the whole show "
Off topic a bit but I was wondering if he will get a Tony nomination (Supporting Role) for only being on stage 10 minutes.
Stand-by Joined: 3/29/11
I think you are all forgetting about a little show called In The Heights, which ran for 3 years, recouped in 10 months, and Lin played the lead, wrote the music and lyrics, AND produced it as well. He was a multi-millionaire from that show alone and the touring productions. Now with Bring It On, Hamilton, writing a song in the new STar Wars movie, working with Disney for their next musical, he has many millions of dollars that will keep adding upon each other. DOes he make a million a week from Hamilton? No way. Does he make 100-200k a week from it? Yes. So after a couple of months from the Hamilton money alone he would have a million.
I wouldn't be surprised if both Lindsay k northern and Christine Dwyer are making as much as the leads over at wicked. They have both been with the show for quite sometime and Christine Dwyer was the lead at some point.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/10/15
Lin's gross weekly pay from Hamilton is usually just north of $100,000. that includes his salary and royalties but it's NOT his take-home pay. first remove his agent's 10% cut, manager's 5% cut, taxes and social security. for comparison Pacino was taking in about $45,000 per week during his run in China
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