What Shows Are Going Non-Equity for 11/12? — Page 4

I get it, theatre is about making money for presenters, producers etc. Actors are last on that list, and i just think its a bit busted.

To play devil's advocate, at least the actors get paid what they're due regardless of how many tickets are sold. The presenters and investors could lose money, and I gather that they often do. In that sense, I'm not sure it's fair to say that actors are the last on the list.

Also, while I understand that the touring life not the best choice for raising a family, $400-600/week, with basic living expenses covered out side of that amount, does not sound like a pittance to me.

Yes, the Tiered and SETA contracts do represent pay cuts from full Production contracts, but so do most of the other Equity contracts, including Off-Broadway, LORT, TYA, URTA, SPT, Guest Artist, and the list goes on (not to even mention the Showcase code).

And while it is a pay cut for some to take these contracts remember that without the creation of these contracts there wouldn't be any job to take. Do you think Little House on the Prairie, Chicago, 9 to 5, Next to Normal, or Mamma Mia would have been out the past couple of seasons under an Equity contract without the SETA being in existence? All of those would have gone non-Equity or not out at all.

Even before the economic downturn the shows going out under full Production contracts were having a hard time out on the road, hence the emergence of the non-Equity touring.

It would be great to see more shows able to go out under full Production contracts but I think we have to face the reality that unless it's one of the mega-hits full Production is just not going to happen anymore, it's just not cost effective. I know some of the old guard do have a problem with these modified contracts, and I understand that they are used to a very different way of life, but I personally would rather see Equity members still have the choice to be able to do a first national tour as opposed to losing these tours to the non-Equity market like we did with the revivals of Oklahoma, The Music Man, and the first national of The Wedding Singer.

Edited for spelling error.

Definitely not arguing that everyone is hurting right now. And that pay needs to lessen. However actors are hit pretty darn hard with Seta. It IS basically a non-union contract. There needs to be a something in between seta and the tiered tour. Yes the Full Production Tour is dead. That fact has been faced. What i worry about is that touring is going to be all together far too cost inefficient for professionals.

You can argue that the Seta is keeping jobs equity, i dont know if this evil is lesser tho.

Updated On: 4/13/11 at 12:50 PM

problem is that the tiers like the full prod. will soon also be obsolete. Why pay more when you can find a way to pay less.

Sorry for the delay i was away from my comp.

I'd much rather a show go out in its full form for 6 months of touring rather than 5 years in a cheapo, bargain basement edition with midi orchestra.

At any rate, this thread is depressing.

---

I'd much rather a show go out in its full form for 6 months of touring rather than 5 years in a cheapo, bargain basement edition with midi orchestra.

Yes, because that's how all Non-Eq tours run.

"I'd much rather a show go out in its full form for 6 months of touring rather than 5 years in a cheapo, bargain basement edition..."

Then you'd rather no tour because virtually no Broadway show (on any contract) can recoup in less than six months let alone on a full prod contract! If you were only able to book 24 weeks (6 months or so in your example), on a full prod contract, your guarantee (just to BREAK EVEN) would have to be SO high that no presenter could afford to bring in your show. This is why most tours go out for a year or so minimum.

Updated On: 4/16/11 at 01:05 AM

That is true. Non eqs have come a long way since the 90s.

But I've experienced ****ty sound on Eq tours. And in many cases, sometimes it CAN'T be helped because every single venue has different acoustics and the set up a show is traveling with might sound GREAT in one house, and awful in the next because they may not have time (with a one nighter/split week booking) to adjust accordingly.

tourboi m starting to believe you'll always argue for the cheaper option.

It's not a question of cheaper. It's a question of being realistic. If you've got a tour that has 40+ weeks booked, and nothing shorter than a one week stop, it's realistic then to spend a little bit more for a couple extra speakers and what not. You're moving costs and time aren't as limited.

If you've got that same time frame, but you're moving your show two or three times (or, gulp, MORE) a week... you're turnaround time is limited, and things have to be reduced.

How is that a question of cheaper? It is a question of logistics, and smart budgeting.

Further, if you have a show like WICKED, I do believe that the responsible thing to do is send it out full production contract.

If you have a middle of the road show like MEMPHIS which, despite winning best musical isn't even selling out on Broadway (it does fine enough, but it's still not a sell out) and you're sending that show (with a decent sized cast) on the road with no name stars... then a tiered contract is far more appropriate from a business standpoint.

Each and every show has it's own business plan, and model.

Not every show can be budgeted, and routed like WICKED or PHANTOM. The road markets just can't handle it.

"Spoken like a true producer. If youre making 650/800 a week, then youre bringing home around 400/600 dollars. Last i checked you could make that at burger king with NO degree and NO prior skill set. And yes your per diem is meant to cover your expenses, but really..?

I Got to read some of the SETA rules. And please correct me if im wrong... but it states something to the effect of 550.00 minus either 40$/38$ per day for single/double occupancy in provided hotel rooms (im paraphrasing). So lets say 550.00 minus 280.00(hotel cost). That leaves 270.00. Divide that by seven (days a week) and then three (meals a day). That leaves $13 a meal. Enjoy your mcdonals, dancers.

Unless you wanna room with a castmate like this is college, Then youll have a bit more. Sound like something Digarmo would go for?

So now whats left? 400/600 bucks a week with which to pay bills and live life. Is Subletting the only way to make that liveable? Can you provide for a family on that? Doesnt sound to great to me."



HERE IS THE DEAL WITH SETA TOURS. YOU STILL MAKE A VERY DECENT LIVING ON THESE CONTRACTS. ANY FIRST NATIONAL OR TOUR OF THAT NATURE IS TIER ONE WHICH HAS A MINIMUM SALARY OF 834 A WEEK. ON TOP OF THAT THERE IS A 6 MONTH RIDER THAT YOU SIGN BASICALLY SAYING YOU WONT LEAVE THE TOUR FOR ANOTHER JOB AND THEY PAY YOU ADDITIONALLY FOR THAT. ON TOP OF THAT YOU GET PAID EXTRA FOR FEATURES AND HAZARD PAY. ON TOP OF THAT YOU GET PAID EXTRA FOR COVERING PRINCIPLES WHICH PAY YOU AS IF YOU GO ON ONCE EVERY WEEK AND ADDITIONALLY EACH TIME THEREAFTER. SO YOUR BASE MINIMUM NOW LOOKS LIKE 1000 DOLLARS A WEEK. TO DEBUNK THE PER DIEM ASPECT. THE COMPANY PAYS FOR YOUR HOTEL SO NOTHING COMES OUT OF YOUR PER DIEM FOR HOUSING. IF YOU ROOM BY YOURSELF YOU GET 41 DOLLARS A DAY. 51 IF YOU HAVE A ROOMMATE AND 84 IF YOU FIND YOUR OWN HOUSING. 41 ISN'T GREAT BUT YOU CAN STILL MANAGE TO SAVE ON THAT ESPECIALLY IF YOU BUY GROCERIES INSTEAD OF EATING OUT ALL OF TIME. ALSO THE COMPANY HAS A DOUBLE DIAMOND REQUIREMENT OR HIGHER ON HOTELS SO IT IS NOT LIKE THEY ARE PICKING SLUMS FOR YOU TO LIVE IN. MOST HOTELS ARE FANTASTIC. SO AFTER TAXES YOU ARE LOOKING AT 1000 A WEEK TO EITHER BANK ALL OR SOME. AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE OVERAGES. NOW I KNOW NOT EVERY TOUR DOES WELL ENOUGH TO HAVE OVERAGES EVERY WEEK BUT WITH A POPULAR TOUR OVERAGES AVERAGE ANYWHERE FROM 200 A WEEK TO 700 A WEEK. ON TOP OF THAT WHEN THE TOUR RECOUPS PAY GOES UP 17% AND OVERAGE PERCENTAGE GOES UP AS WELL. SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ON A TOUR LIKE SOUTH PACIFIC, RENT, LES MISERABLES, MARY POPPINS, WEST SIDE STORY, ETC. YOU GET A GOOD CHUNK FOR OVERAGES EVERY WEEK. AND SETA MIGHT BE ONE OF THE BEST CONTRACTS FOR OVERAGES BECAUSE THE GUARANTEE IS LOWER WHICH MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR PRODUCERS TO MAKE A PROFIT IF TICKET SALES ARE STRONG. PLUS THE PRESENTER IS BETTER OFF AS WELL BECAUSE THEY GET A HUGE BOOST IN SEASON TICKET SALES. PLUS THEY AREN'T LOSING A TON OF MONEY ON THAT PARTICULAR SHOW BECAUSE THE GUARANTEE IS ASTRONOMICAL AND TICKET SALES WONT COVER IT. PLUS IF YOU ALSO THINK ABOUT IT, BROADWAY MINIMUM IS ABOUT 1600ISH A WEEK BUT YOU DONT GET PER DIEM. AFTER TAXES YOU ARE LOOKING AT 1200 A WEEK. WITH COST OF LIVING BEING SO HIGH IN NYC YOU ARE LOOKING AT SPENDING 600-1200 A MONTH ON AN APARTMENT WITH UTILITIES ON TOP, SPENDING 100 DOLLARS A MONTH ON A SUBWAY PASS, AND SPENDING MONEY ON FOOD. IT EVENS EVERYTHING OUT AND MAYBE GIVES A LITTLE MORE ADVANTAGE TO BEING ON TOUR. ONE OF THE FEW MAIN BENEFITS OF NOT BEING ON THE ROAD IS HAVING A LIFE, BUT REALLY WE TOUR FOLKS AREN'T SCROUNGING FOR PENNIES. WOULD I LIKE EVERYTHING TO BE PRODUCTION CONTRACT? SURE. BUT REALLY I THINK THESE SETA TOURS ARE A FAIRLY GOOD ALTERNATIVE FOR A SHOW GOING NONEQUITY INSTEAD. IT IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO GET A JOB IN THE EQUITY WORLD AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE WHAT WE GET. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FUTURE OF TOURING UNTIL THE ECONOMY TURNS AROUND. IT'S NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE BUT A LEAST IT IS STILL STAYING IN OUR UNION.

ONE LAST THING SETA IS FOR SHORT ENGAGEMENTS MEANING 1-2 WEEKS NORMALLY. WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THAT IS THAT IF THE SHOW DOES REALLY WELL IT STILL HASN'T OVER-SATURATED THE MARKET MEANING THE SHOW COULD COME BACK A LOT SOONER AND DO JUST AS WELL. THAT GIVES A LOT MORE LONGEVITY AS OPPOSED TO THE "1 YEAR" AND THEN GO NON EQUITY.


ALSO SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS, WANTED TO DISTINGUISH FROM THE EARLIER QUOTES!

Updated On: 4/27/11 at 03:47 AM

I dont know about all that. How is memphis going out for 750 if the minimum is 800+. Also youre banking on alot of "ifs." If producers decide to put you on a six month rider... they dont have to. IF youre covering a lead... in which the bump for a production tour is around 30 something per week and an 8th of your salary IF you go on. I dont know the rate for seta. I also think your idea of taxes is a bit off. Bway folks making the minimum and claiming 1 deduction walk away with about 900. And a touring person making (even 800+) is still walking away with around 500. Features and hazard pay are all ifs. So once we are done with all the ifs and taxes i think we are right back where i started.

Listen if you love it, go head and make that money. I dont see it in the same light as you. I just worry that we wont get the same quality show on the road. Anywho.



I asked to be corrected if i was wrong about the hotel monies, i still dont believe im understanding it correctly. I wanna see a seta rule book.