For us, it depends on the size of the show and the work involved. Generally it's in the neighborhood of: $600 - director, $4-600 - set designer/ master carpenter/builder, $$4-500 - musical director, $2-300 - costumer, $2-300 - choreographer, $250 - lighting designer, $3-400 - rehearsal pianist.

We are a small CT with only 123 Seats doing seven shows a year...

Hi Carolyn, We produced plays elsewhere for 16 years.  We raised and spent about 1.25 million to restore a venue originally built in 1910.  It reopened in 1994 and our budget fluctuates between $210,000 - $250,000, depending on whether we do more presenting.  Our community theatre produces 5 shows a year.  We also do some presenting like big band, folk music, or other entertainment.  We also do a lot of rental business.  We will be doing less presenting this year because of the economy - less risk taking.  We're expecting to do more rentals.  When you looked at our web site and saw staff, we have 2 1/2 full time employees.  The others are coordinators for the different areas like: set, props, lights, costumes, etc.  They are paid stipends per show, refered to in earlier post.

At both CTs I'm involved with we provide a stipend for the set designer/builder. The only other regular stipend at either place has been for musical director or musician, and we use these rarely. Once in a great while in desperation one of the theaters reimburses lights/sound operators for gas. I am currently chairing one of those boards, and I'd like to be able to argue for more stipends, specifically for lighting designer, sound/light operator, and perhaps stage manager. The theater is not wealthy but is doing a fairly good business and has a good subscriber base. Can anyone suggest amounts and arguments? The biggest argument here is that techs are harder and harder to find and/or keep. The current Set stipend is $600, which also seems low to me.