I've always wanted to know so hope you get some replies. I remember who the first person was to receive A$10.000 a week in Australia and that was probably 15/20 years ago so what must it be now? Silly of me to assume-I instantly thought you meant leading performers.
I think it is highly inappropriate to make public someone's salary.
To generalize it a bit:
Any actor on Broadway is likely on a Production contract, and at MINIMUM they are required to make $1,807/week. The salary is often increased more than minimum due to a variety of reasons (AEA regulates that actors get an specified increase in salary for reasons of understudying, being a dance captain, extreme risk, scenic changes, etc.). And of course, an agent can often get their client a better deal.
For an actor playing a featured role, they will typically make anywhere between $200-$2,000/week higher than minimum.
Leading actors typically make at least $5,000/week. In addition, it can be negotiated that they also receive a percentage of ticket sales.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
Didn't Lane and Broderick make 100k a week when they came back to The Producers?
Incidentally to answer the original post the bare minimum any actor on broadway currently makes per performance is $135.88 (equity minimum divided by
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
woops got a little dyslexic there, i did the math for 1087 instead of 1807
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
"EDIT: Just figured out what $8,000 a week would be over a year and I take back what I said, that's quite the sum!"
Well, you also have to factor in that actors don't often work every year. So, it's often a feast and famine business. So, when you work, you save, and you never know long it will be until you're next great gig. Annual salaries only exist as a concept to people who work every year, whereas after any show, many actors won't know when their next payday is...
So, using Alice, sure, she lucked out, got in a great show and did 16 months on Broadway, and then a 9 month tour (where she probably made more), but then what has her salary been since the N2N tour ended in July 2011?
Also, I'm not sure I would trust Syesha's weekly salary if the source of the number is the person suing her is a former manager who didn't bother with things like paperwork.
Contracts aren't necessarily re-negotiated after a Tony win (or nom), those things are usually in the initial contract. The producers have no reason MID contract to re-negotiate. A contract is binding, and producer's arene't going to pay more, if they don't have to!
All sorts of things get negotiated, too. I remember something about Gavin Creel's contract for Hair. (I'm working on memory here, so while details might be wrong, the genereal gist of the info is correct.) The producers were being REALLY cheap and wertr willing to only pay scale. Creel agreed to it but only with a very short contract, so that if the show WAS succressful, he could renegotiate for a more appropriate salary. Twas a good call on his part. (Gee, I wish he'd come back to the States.)
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These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Just want to point out that in addition to union fees (2.25% of salary) and taxes, most Broadway performers lose around 25% of their salary in commission to their agents & managers. If they only have an agent, it's 10%, but if they have both and you factor in the other deductions, actors are probably actually walking with half of they money they are getting paid.
I am impressed whoever fought for these minimums because they are not too bad and important given (as discussed) this profession doesn't offer stable work. The USA has a ridiculously low minimum wage. This industry in particular I think would attract people who would work for very little or nothing to star on Broadway and I'm sure producers would take advantage of the lowest bid if they could. Thank you AEA!!!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000