Orchestra Pit

ok how difficult is it to get a job playing in the pit and about how much do you make? thanks

You usually get pit jobs through who you know. Try finding the musicians' union website for salaries.

Here's the union website. Just go to the "contract info" link on the right for base salaries.
Local 802

thanks for the site plum

And to think being a pit musician used to be my dream job. :)

In the Playbill for every Broadway musical, you'll see a credit for "Music Contractor". For years, most shows have used the same person - a guy named Seymour Red Press. He is responsible for hiring the original group of pit players and finding permanent replacements. If a musician has to miss shows for illness, vacation, or another shoprt gig, they sometimes find their own substitute - of course, the replacement must be in the union, and the regular player has to vouch for the fact that they'll be able to play the score withouf screwing up!

Maybe try getting a tour job--that can often lead to better connections AND many of those jobs are listed in playbill.com, backstage, et al. and are a little easier to break into

How difficult is it to join the union? I know in Chicago it's relatively easy (I think Equity is probably the most difficult arts union to get into). I think you just sign up. And I know in Chicago the majority of musicians in the pit must be local. But what is it in New York?

I know a cellist who played in Broadway pits for a while. You have to be very trained to get a job in a pit, most likely a conservatory graduate, and it isn't a very challenging experience for someone who is high up enough in the performing world to get the job (shades of Groucho Marx*). It's the same thing every night, always exactly the same. He called it the most miserable work he's every done. But it's hard to find any professional performing work, so yous takes what yous can gets.

*"I wouldn't want to join any club that would have me for a member."

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