We only use the currency of Applause !
So why pay $ as our most valuable reuseable resource in comeatre is people.

I got "paid" a $50 gift card to a local restaurant for directing a straight play.  I certainly wasn't expecting it; all positions (except musicians) are volunteer around here.

At Bloomington Rep, we pay as follows:
Stage Director (Me): $0, which I receive a salary as Artistic Director

Musical Director and/or Choreographer: $300 each

Resident Production & Design Team (Prod. Stage Manager, Lighting, Sets & Wardrobe): $250-$500 per person, per production, depending on the show. These position are hired on a season-wide 'contract' basis.

Production Crew, Workshop Crew and Actors are volunteers. A majority of our production running team, including our resident stage manager, comes from the High School Technical theater Dept.


Edited by lparks - 4/01/10 at 3:02pm

Totally varies in our town. The bigger professional theaters either pay equity wage or a fair wage.  Most community theater is volunteer only.   Last year we took on a big project of Babes in Arms and we felt it was important to pay key staff.  We set a budget to pay Director (that was me) and Choreographer $800 each, lighting designer about $500, Orchestra director about $300 and sound guy $200 but we were not able to meet desired budget but were able to pay 75% threshhold for these positions and I didn't really get paid - I donated mine back to the community theater as their portion and this was the music director's baby so he didn't take any money at all which would have made each of the others earn less.  We even had enough to give small token gifts to the student interns and pay all royalties and expenses.  It was the first time in a long time that any postions were paid.  The orchestra was all volunteer except teh director.  We really hope to do it again with our next spring musical but we never promise any payments - it is just a nice surprise when we can.  I tell them we will try to pay a stipend if I can and the more tickets we sell and the more ads we get enables us to do this and it is amazing how much they will help with these things when they know it will benefit them.

Edited by Theatermama - 8/06/10 at 10:38am

Call this my lack of experience - I do not agree that people should be offering box office shares (which is essentially what this is). That's about like telling the McDonalds worker you might pay him if HE sells enough Hamburgers. If your realistic marketing plan does not include enough income to pay people, then you should not make any mention of pay. If you do great, surprise everyone!

That is just my opinion on the matter, which can be applied to ANY profession, not just theatre.  Am I the only one who's see's it this way?

Edited by lparks - 8/09/10 at 11:18am