We offer two (2) comps for all actors and crew.  Directors, musical directors and producers receive four (4) comps.  It's the least we can do after people spend so much time away from their families during rehearsals. 

Our intimate 60 seat theatre doesn't seem to be losing any revenue by offering this benefit.

We've never done it, but I think comps for cast members is a great idea.  We do occasionally give comps for free publicity or BIG favors for stuff loaned.  I am glad you posted this question. I think it is one of those things that you don't think about. 9 times out of 10 there are seats empty, especially opening night, and we could give a couple of tickets to the cast members for their families. We don't own our own building. We have to pay $250.00 rent per show plus 10% of our ticket sales for the space we use. The venue doesn't care if we give out comps, we just haven't ever done it.  

Cast members get 2 comps for opening night at one theater, but they usually sellout most performances. Opening night is usually the the lightest night. The other two theaters give 2 comps for any night. It is 2 comps for everyone actors, tech  and staff.  I have also been known to swap tickets for work. I know a great seamstress with small kids. She really can't afford tickets for the whole family. She makes a couple a fancy costumes and the family gets to see the show. It is win, win.

Linda

One of the nicest perks (besides comps) for the performers that didn't cost the CT a nickel was a thing called "Star Parking." 

The loading dock behind the theater was a "No Parking" Zone during the day, but at night-time the theater wouldn't be expecting deliveries so they would place all the performer's names in a hat and draw out two. 

Those lucky to have their names drawn were given official parking passes to place on their dashboards allowing them to park free behind the theater for that performance.  What a luxury it was to know beforehand one wouldn't have to scramble for parking -- or worse; pay in a lot.

Depending on the size of the cast, the permit was good for one night or one weekend of shows.  And if it was a particularly large cast, once a name had been drawn, it was not allowed back in the hat -- giving everybody a chance for at least one night of hassle-free parking.

No royalty charge involved, as we write our own fundraisers. We haven't lost a ticket sale yet, as these are people who couldn't get tickets or couldn't make the show because of scheduling.

We've done the tech rehearsal thing for regular shows at times (never thinking about royalties) but rarely managed to attract an audience larger than the cast. Frankly, the royalties thing kind of falls into a grey area, at least in my mind, because my rehearsals are open... meaning anyone can come in, have a seat and be tortured along with the cast. Not sure the royalties thing comes into play.

I had an interesting conversation this afternoon at a production meeting. The discussion was about opening dress rehearsal to family and friends. No problem. My rehearsals are always open too. I figure they are going to perform in front people eventually. They might as well get use to it. If someone shows up to rehearsal often enough, I put them to work. The conversation started with keeping the invites informal, "Ask some people who might not be able to see the show otherwise, and keep it casual" Then they thought they would ask for donations. You know, put out a bucket with a sign, "Donate to our roof repair fund." Then they thought they would have tickets printed 2 for each cast member, so there wouldn't be too many people invited. The they thought, "Instead of a donation, how about 1/2 price tickets?" Then they could they make some money. That is when I stopped them. They went from an informal audience to selling tickets to dress rehearsal in five minutes. It's a fine line.

Linda

My theater used to give away 2 free tickets per actor per show. However, they don't do that for all of the shows.

Ellen Marie

Our theatre opens the final dress rehearsal to friends and family.  And each cast and crew member are given 2 comps to be used on opening weekend only.  Cast and crew can "earn" additional comps if they come on the big set day and help out for 4 hours (1 comp for 4 hours). 

Susan 

Tell me about this...how do you do it? what is your annual fundraiser?? We are in great need for more effective fundraising ideas, with a cast of about 60 students aged 6-19 the fundraising is a difficult part of our group!

Our actors are allowed to see one other performance for free.  No comps are given to them.  Friends and family are the main source for our ticket sales as well.  We do offer ticket comps to the board of directors and high scale donors.  We budget for about 20 tickets per show to go to Networking efforts and recruitment opportunities.

Jenniz,

We do a cabaret-style satirical sendup of our home state and whatever happens to be going on, writing our own songs and creating the show from scratch. We generally have 24-28 songs, 6 or so running gags (3 appearances of each), assorted foolishness during the songs and light patter in between. We also gather together all kinds of give aways to raffle off during each performance, sell ads are displayed during the intermissions and covert the auditorium to cabaret seating and serve drinks at the tables. From a 6 week rehearsal schedule, we spend 5 or so weeks just learning songs and making them sound good, then a week or two inserting bits, gags and humor. We rely heavily on cast members with good improv skills, a music director who is second to none, and a couple of yahoos handling MC duties who can keep a show moving no matter what happens. And that's as close as I can come to describing what we do... it's kind of like a Delaware version of the Capitol Steps, but with elements from the fundraiser concepts that preceded it at our little theater. As a group, we've been developing this series of shows for over 30 years, changing things and growing with the times and the available talent.

It's a huge undertaking for the three of us who create it, so huge that we take a sabbatical from it every 3 years, otherwise we'd go insane.