Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: How to pay musicians

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vkcstar
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Joined: 10/02/05
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Topic: How to pay musicians
Posted: 10/02/05 at 11:36am

I am researching how a not for profit theatre group pays the musicians.
Do you cut a check (stipend) to the musical director and the M.D. distributes the money to the musicians or do you stipend the musicians individually?
Do you call it a donation in your books?
Thanks!!

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Scott B
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Posted: 10/02/05 at 9:40pm

We pay individually. For instance, we just paid our accompianist and she was in shock. She had no idea we were going to give her anything at all. Had we been in a position to bring in other musicians we would have paid them individually.

A few years ago we basically hired the music director and told her she had $500 for the orchestra and she could do it any way she wanted. In retrospect it was probably not the wisest thing we've done and never would again.

Either way, it just goes in the books as an expense. It's not a donation.

This is always a poor subject for me. I keep hearing from people around here how musicians are never fully compensated for their work. BIG DEAL! NONE of our actors get ANY compensation.

I read websites for other communtity theatres where everyone from the director to musicians, to the actors are strictly volunteer and do not take pay or stipends of any kind. Someone send them to me ... please.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 10/03/05 at 3:29am

I would have to agree Scott!
Why is it these Muso?s, directors & others want gold bricks, overy time from community theatre?
When as a Licensed Electrical Contractor, the only time I put in request to cover the extra labour of a Trade Assistance I had to employ to completly rewiring a venue - the committee baulked & stated they couldn?t pay him, because they are a not for profit group!
So I ended up carrying the extra, along with donating all the materials & labour for the complete job - yet they paid their musicians for doing far less?
Unfortunately they tend to expect this from Trades people & others!
Also they go to great lengths, to contrive ways of paying them, so the recipient avoids paying tax!
I?m glad that there is a change coming about in the Rights Agent perspective, by hiring show CD?s for music & even choreography.
However I suppose we will have to wait for directors to be put on compact disc!
?What are we about??
This is Community Theatre - not an employment exchange!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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vkcstar
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Posted: 10/03/05 at 12:18pm

Thanks!!

BTW - I meant a donation to the musician not that we received one. I didn't want it to look like the grp "hired" an employee. I understand it goes in as an expense (now).

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 10/04/05 at 4:32am

Sorry VCSTAR!
I posted my reply in the wrong topic!
It should have been in the ?How much to pay the piano man? one posted by Nyria!
With yours, I would suggest putting it through as a ?Perdiem rate?, without there being any actual invoice as such to pay against. This then is a predetermined allowable production expense!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Author	Message
vkcstar Walk-On Joined: 10/02/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: How to pay musicians Posted: 10/02/05 at 11:36am
	I am researching how a not for profit theatre group pays the musicians. Do you cut a check (stipend) to the musical director and the M.D. distributes the money to the musicians or do you stipend the musicians individually? Do you call it a donation in your books? Thanks!!

	IP Logged

Scott B Celebrity Joined: 12/08/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 239	Posted: 10/02/05 at 9:40pm
	We pay individually. For instance, we just paid our accompianist and she was in shock. She had no idea we were going to give her anything at all. Had we been in a position to bring in other musicians we would have paid them individually. A few years ago we basically hired the music director and told her she had $500 for the orchestra and she could do it any way she wanted. In retrospect it was probably not the wisest thing we've done and never would again. Either way, it just goes in the books as an expense. It's not a donation. This is always a poor subject for me. I keep hearing from people around here how musicians are never fully compensated for their work. BIG DEAL! NONE of our actors get ANY compensation. I read websites for other communtity theatres where everyone from the director to musicians, to the actors are strictly volunteer and do not take pay or stipends of any kind. Someone send them to me ... please.
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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/03/05 at 3:29am
	I would have to agree Scott! Why is it these Muso?s, directors & others want gold bricks, overy time from community theatre? When as a Licensed Electrical Contractor, the only time I put in request to cover the extra labour of a Trade Assistance I had to employ to completly rewiring a venue - the committee baulked & stated they couldn?t pay him, because they are a not for profit group! So I ended up carrying the extra, along with donating all the materials & labour for the complete job - yet they paid their musicians for doing far less? Unfortunately they tend to expect this from Trades people & others! Also they go to great lengths, to contrive ways of paying them, so the recipient avoids paying tax! I?m glad that there is a change coming about in the Rights Agent perspective, by hiring show CD?s for music & even choreography. However I suppose we will have to wait for directors to be put on compact disc! ?What are we about?? This is Community Theatre - not an employment exchange!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
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vkcstar Walk-On Joined: 10/02/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 10/03/05 at 12:18pm
	Thanks!! BTW - I meant a donation to the musician not that we received one. I didn't want it to look like the grp "hired" an employee. I understand it goes in as an expense (now).
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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 10/04/05 at 4:32am
	Sorry VCSTAR! I posted my reply in the wrong topic! It should have been in the ?How much to pay the piano man? one posted by Nyria! With yours, I would suggest putting it through as a ?Perdiem rate?, without there being any actual invoice as such to pay against. This then is a predetermined allowable production expense!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Topic: How to pay musicians( Topic Closed)