Questions about Worklight Productions

[blogan]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 1:36pm

Has anyone ever worked for Work Light Productions, and was it a good experience? I'm a musician auditioning for them and was wondering how their tours were.

Updated On: 6/25/13 at 01:36 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 2:28pm

I know a few people who did In the Heights with them and seemed to have a good enough time. From combining what they said, with stories I've heard about some other companies, and my own experience it sounds like they do a pretty good job at trying to treat their casts and crews like human beings, which is more than can be said for some other non-Equity companies out there.

In terms of quality, I thought In the Heights was maintained pretty well for a bus and truck that was well into its run.

[tourboi]

Posted: 6/23/13 at 3:08pm

More than can be said?

I don't know when you're last non eq tour was, but I work on both Eq and Non Eq regularly on the road. Troika, and NETworks have both been very good and comfortable touring options. I've yet to do Phoenix (but hear okay things) or Big League (which used to be terrible, addmitedly).

Non Eq touring (at least among the "big" two - Troika/Networks) is far from the horror stories you hear of years past.

In fact, in the last few years, the most comfortable tour I've been on was a Non-Equity, with Networks.

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 6/23/13 at 4:09pm

Have a friend on the 'American Idiot' tour produced by Worklight; she has a few quibbles (nothings perfect, right?), but for the most part she is very happy with them and is enjoying her experience immensely.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 11:22am

Does anyone have any idea (ballpark figure) as to how much they pay their musicians? Do you stay in hotels, or sleep on a tour bus? And how long are you in one town or I guess that depends on how the show does in that town?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 11:27am

Not trying to be snarky here, but this is info that Work Light should be happy to discuss with you.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 12:27pm

I'm absolutely sure they will be happy to discuss this. I'm auditioning, and my goal was to get AN audition. Not to ask a ton of questions. That will come.

So I thought I would take advantage of this forum in the interim to see if anyone has had any experience with these kinds of tours.

Thanks for your input.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 1:43pm

Moments like these, you wish Non-Equity Deputy still existed.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 5:19pm

Not entirely sure what it is you mean, but my feeling is it's directed at my inquiry in a negative way?

Would you care to explain what I may be doing wrong by inquiring?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 7:00pm

"Moments like these, you wish Non-Equity Deputy still existed."

I'm actually glad that site is gone. I realized that many posters on that site were just flat out ridiculous after seeing one critique for a company that "lied about how much you were getting paid, because they didn't tell you they would be taking taxes out of your paycheck" and then follow up comments by others about how horrible it was that information like that would not be told to you at audition.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 7:09pm

What, were the auditioners like twelve? How did they not expect TAXES to be taken out. ANY business discusses your pre-tax salary.

Sheesh. (but thanks for enlightening me to what "deputy" was!)

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 8:48pm

Well, it's possible they were talking about the per diem, which usually is not taxed.

As for Work Light, I've heard good things, although I believe they're looking for non-union musicians, so just be careful and read your contract closely and you should be okay.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 10:44pm

Thank you. I'll get a chance to ask questions on thursday when I audition. I've been doing cruise ships and would like to get back on terra firma with a decent gig.

I'm going to assume that they travel by bus, as air travel is costly. Anyone know if you sleep in hotels or tour buses?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 10:47pm

Speaking from my experience with NETworks the musicians would travel with the cast, so they would spend the night in a hotel and be on a bus during the day. I would assume Work Light would follow this model.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 11:27pm

Thank you. Can't hurt to give it a shot, and like I said I will find out more at the audition.

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 6/25/13 at 11:36pm

Per my friend in 'American Idiot':

Salary (of course) is taxed; but as of when I talked to my friend last week per diam was NOT being taxed.

They all sleep in hotels; travel bus by day. Apparently the number of weeklong sit downs in pretty great cites they've been having (weeklongs in Vegas, Pittsburgh, LA; etc) far outweighs the one/two nighters they experience.

[blogan]

Posted: 6/26/13 at 11:13am

Doesn't sound like a bad gig. Thank you.