Who makes the best money on Broadway?

[kzu]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 6:59am

I would guess it has to be Christina Applegate or John Lithgow. Anyone has any idea what do they get? I mean if they're not in Hollywood they must get much...

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 7:01am

I would imagine it's actually Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.

[pab]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 8:48am

The curtain hides actors' salaries

Posted: 11/1/05 at 9:05am

At the moment, I imagine Mr. Schwartz is fairly happy with his income.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 9:24am

As composer and lyricist of WICKED, Schwartz earns at least 4% of the box office gross. With three companies of WICKED currently running, that's well over $100,000 a week in royalties. Then add on the royalties from the regional, stock and amateur productions of all his other shows.

Supposedly, Lane and Broderick are earning $100,000 a week. On the other hand, Brad Garrett has taken quite a pay cut from the $500,000 an episode he earned on Everybody Loves Raymond.

[kzu]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 10:27am

Hmm, I wonder what Lithgow and Applegate earns then, i'd guess they are the biggest names there.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 10:29am

Christina is not making that much, they had to lower her pay once the show got to Broadway, since they lost so much money out of town.

I imagine Brooke Shields makes more.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 10:40am

I wouldn't say Garrett is taking a cut, as his series is over. He would be making $0 if he was counting on that money. Plus, hourly-rate-wise, it probably works out to about the same.

[nydirector2]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 10:48am

Matthew and Nathan made a reported $100,000 a week during their second Producers stint. Not sure how much they make now. I wouldn't count out Tim Curry in Spamelot(or the other guys for that matter).

Over all, though, I think that Richard Frankel probably makes the most. Either he, or Gerald Schoenfield.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 11:15am

Richard Frankel? Really?

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 11:24am

well Richard Frankel has Hairspray, Producers, upcoming Catch Me If You Can... the first two are currently big money makers.

David Stone isn't doing too bad himself... Wicked, Spelling Bee, upcoming Wedding Singer...

I'd love to know for sure, this intriques me.

[AlixEG1]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 11:32am

Originally Nathan made more than Matthew on the Producers. Are they know making the same amounts each?

[emo_geek]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 11:40am

I wonder how much Shoshana makes...

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:05pm

Shos makes $7,000 a week, but you didn't hear it from me.

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:06pm

It's a pretty paltry sum when compared to what Idina was getting.

[nydirector2]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:07pm

She makes NOTHING compared to people like Nathan and Matthew. Shoshana isn't a household name and not a ticket seller like those two. Huge pay increases don't come until your name is a big ticket seller.

[mleshawn]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:22pm

My theory is that although there are a lot of people trying to make a living by working on Broadway the main reason a lot of Big named stars work Broadway is not to earn money but to earn the respect. Perfect example is P. Diddy(or is it Diddy now) and Julia Roberts( 20 million a picture and an Oscar) or Hugh Jackman

I cant think of a harder job in show business than eight shows a week and keeping the same material fresh night after night and hopefully without the occasional cold or injury.
Updated On: 11/1/05 at 12:22 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:28pm

somebody posted this here once, and I will never forget it. Laurie Metcalf from Roseanne has said that theatre is what you do when you want to prove to yourself that you can still act.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:31pm

I think regarding people like Frankel and Stone (producers) it's all very difficult to know. Depends on how things are split.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 12:36pm

The stories about Lane and Broderick's salaries have been widely circulated and discounted by both men as being way over what they made in the 2nd run of the Producers AND in the Odd Couple. But whatever they are making, it is nothing compared to people who do movies and sports stars.

I always chuckle when people bring up salaries of stars on Broadway. Stunt casting of TV or movie stars does usually resquire a higher salary to get closer to what they are used to making. But with that exception, most of our well-known stage actors make NOTHING per year compared to basketball players and movie stars who make millions every year.

That's the sad part. For what actors spend on voice lessons, dance lessons, acting lessons, agents, head shots etc...most actors in this business make very little and when you compare it to the cost of living in NYC, it is pretty sad.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 2:16pm

Let's not compare salaries. Different kinds of business generate different kinds of money.

Perhaps Lane and Broderick aren't making sports/film star money, but they're making a helluva lot more than most of us.

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 2:33pm

very true, very true

[jasobres]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 3:02pm

Who makes the best money on Broadway or who makes the most money on Broadway? Money is not made on Broadway, the best money is made at the U.S. Mint.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 11/1/05 at 3:12pm

Yes, Rath, there are a lot of people that make money than me...that isn't what we are talking about here. And if you are suggesting that you can't compare industries, you may also be correct about that. BUT...are you saying that because it's a different industry a basketball player that is paid $10 a year is worth that much money? Is ANYONE worth that much money? Regardless of what they do, there are limits to reasonable salaries. My point is that when you compare the work that goes into the craft, and to keeping your skills sharp, any stage actor is probably paid less than any other highly paid professional. Even those that command the highest salaries. I doubt Azenberg is crying about the money he has in the bank right now from selling based on Lane and Broderick's name...so if you want to say that they are earning their keep, they are certainly doing so to a greater extent than the CEO who LOSES millions or even billions for a company in a year and STILL gets his 5 million a year. It's all relative.

And while we are on the subject. The Times had an article on the Odd Couple today and here is part of it:

'"You get the impression sometime that because it's sold out and it's sold so many tickets," Mr. Lane was saying, "it was as if we planned a sort of get-rich-quick scheme. When it was really about just wanting to do the play.

"I hope people realize," he continued. "We wanted to do the best version of the play we could do. That was our intention. Not, you know, riding the gravy train."

He smiled.

"And we don't make as much money as they say anyway."

Let that be a lesson, Greed-Blinded Reader. The show's the thing.'

Updated On: 11/1/05 at 03:12 PM

[zzannahk]

Posted: 11/2/05 at 8:41am

i dont know about everyone else, but i think $7,000 a week is probably enough to live on, i'd be happy with that