Now if they don't know what to pay me - I will set my price and as always I CAN negotiate downward much more easily than I ever could upward.  SO if I'm asked, I will give them a price for MY involvement at least at a $1,500 bucks. Then if they can't afford that, then I have to decide first if I WANT to do it and also how I can accommodate their budget and still get the job done.  I usually ALWAYS opt to oversee EVERYTHING related to the music end of things - vocal direction, music direction, working with the chorus and soloists, working with rehearsal and audition accompanist, working with hired musicians, conducting, etc.  As MUSIC DIRECTOR - with THAT title - I expect it to be what it should be and what the director wants and the only way to do that is to have complete control over the whole shebang.  I've even played IN the orchestra on keyboard from time to time and earned as much as $350 more to play the show.  So it can be lucrative for music directors - especially good ones - and believe me they ARE few and far between.  You really do need someone well versed in musical theater styles and so forth. I've been an actor, director and techie so I've put in a fair amount of time learning this as well as having the music background I have been lucky enough to get.  If your music director is expected to hire the orchestra or whatever size group is going to play the show, AND if you expect the music director to pay the players (often the case) then the budget will have to include those who play the show as well.  And then, is the music director expected to conduct the orch??  Another question and issue that should be negotiated in the price given.

 

It's a difficult question to answer.  But you asked for a ballpark figure - and I gave you what I've earned before although I always wound up doing more work just because that's the way I do things - give them more than they pay for.  Unfair to myself? I don't think so.  Makes for return gigs when you do that.  Now as to the choreographer - we've paid as little as $100 bucks up to and including $500 bucks for a choreographer.  Again however, it depends upon the complexity of what's needed and their involvement in putting it together including their time investment.

 

Hope that gives you some ideas.

 

 

TonyDi

 

HOPE that answers your question

 

TonyDi

 

(Full disclosure - I volunteer with KC Stage.)

 

But it does talk about how much average pay was for community theatre jobs (Director, Music Director, Choreographer, Accompanist, Designers, Stage Manager). The biggest isssue was with the budget of the theatre as a whole.