What do the non profits pay a "star"?

[PatrickDennis92]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 7:56pm

I'm curious what non profits like RTC or MTC pay their star performers, if anyone knows? I imagine they pay under market value, but I don't know that... and if that's the case, the performers are essentially allowing themselves to be "used", as their reduced salaries are really a gift to the organization and as such should technically justify a write-off, except it's impossible to say what their value is. Like, what do you suppose Emma Stone is making? Or what about someone less "famous" like Kristin Chenoweth later this year in 20th century? What would they pay someone like her?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 7:59pm

$657.45 a day

[Nateben2]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 8:25pm

I thought it was 657.57 a day.

In reality, it depends on the theater . . . and salaries are negotiated privately. Some non-profit pay everyone the same (let us say 10% of minimum), some negotiate a higher salary - but often, when doing non-profit, they know no individuals are getting rich, and everyone is paid less then a commercial project . . . so, they might feel out of place demanding a very high salary when others are getting paid minimum.

[IloveBroadwAY3]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 8:28pm

I would imagine that people like Kristin would do it for less they they usually do. Because they want to support the company and I would imagine this is how most start on Broadway

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 10:01pm

Support the community or win a Tony?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 10:23pm

Non-profit is not the same thing as "charity".

They get paid quite well. It's negotiated, but not that much different than what they'd get from any other contract. No one is performing from the goodness of their heart. (or almost no one)

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:10am

A reminder that Not For Profits make huge amounts of money. The Metropolitan Opera and the NFL are leading the pack with the highest priced tickets in the country and yes, THEY are Not For Profit companies.

It is interesting to point out that most Broadway Not For Profits pay the ensemble less than Broadway Production Contract minimums and yet the ticket prices for patrons remain the same as For Profit producing.

Apparently, producing Not For Profit is the best way for producers to make a bundle and pay the actors less than Broadway minimum.


Updated On: 1/25/15 at 12:10 AM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:39am

I think it's strange that the OP considers Kristin Chenoweth to be less famous...she's basically royalty for the Broadway stage.

[PatrickDennis92]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 1:53am

Well I used " " -- I don't think people would dispute Emma Stone as being more mainstream.

[mikem]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 9:13am

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but my impression was that Roundabout, MTC, and LCT all pay every actor the same union-minimum salary during the subscriber run, but that salaries are negotiated for extensions.

So I think Chenoweth is getting the union minimum for the first months of the run of Twentieth Century. I could see the salary issue go either way for Emma Stone (and for Alan Cumming's original run in this re-revival, given the special circumstances).

[Brick]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:36pm

SMALL HIJACK, for a correction:

Producers are not "making a bundle" for a non-profit. They are getting paid their salary, and that's it - whether it's a hit or a flop. Their incentive for having hits keeping the company alive, by keeping the budget in the black.

So, when audiences pay the same ticket prices as a commercial production, the producers aren't pocketing the amount nor paying back investors with the amount that is saved paying actors scale; audiences are paying to keep the company alive, paying money into the coffers of the organization.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:48pm

That's what non-profit means. The organization benefits from success, not individuals.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:49pm

Non-profit is not the same thing as "charity".

see also: Football League, National

[valeposh]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 12:58pm

And, out of curiosity, how much do other Broadway theaters pay their main stars, on average? How much does a Kelli O'Hara or a Sutton Foster or a Matthew Morrison get paid?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 3:08pm

5-10k a week gives a nice ballpark.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 1/25/15 at 9:39pm

Keep in mind, not for profits have subscribers and often they will pay less for tickets than someone who isn't a subscriber and not for profits usually don't have premium prices either.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 1/26/15 at 9:04am

All this talk about paying actors less than the union minimum, and no one has pointed out that nonprofits like Roundabout and MTC are on a different union contract. They fall under the LORT agreement with Equity, which has lower minimums and other concessions than the Broadway a Production Contract used for commercial productions.

They are not paying "below the minimum." They have a different minimum, and like any union employer, they are not allowed to pay less than that.

[FutureGM]

Posted: 1/26/15 at 10:53am

Hopefully this will help:

http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks/LORT_Rulebook_13-17.pdf

That is the current LORT Rulebook for Equity. LCT, MTC, and Roundabout have their own sections at the end.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/26/15 at 11:06am

But you also have to factor in other things. For example, a non-profit will cover the housing expenses of a star. Put them up in a hotel or corporate apartment. Or they use their influence to get discounted rates. Elaine Stritch used to be the queen of getting a good rate from a high end hotel like the Carlyle.

Plus, you also have to realize that non-profits aren't as poor as everyone thinks. For example, Lincoln Center owns the for-profit garage underneath them. They have ways of raking in the money while still acting like they don't have enough to pay above minimum.