How Much Do Broadway STARS Make A Week?- Page 2

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 4/25/16 at 10:05pm

Well, back in early 2002, I was working for a company that was "in the running" to finance and distribute the cast album of a show, based on a late '60s movie. I went to a sort of backer's audition in a rehearsal space that was pretty remarkable. I remember looking at the contract and noticing the third "star"...and the biggest name prior to the show's opening...was being paid low 5 figures a week. For the one-day cast recording, all performers were to receive one week's salary. We eventually lost out to a major label...one that pretty much has wiped it's hands of Broadway for the most part today. The whole experience was a great learning lesson and the label we distributed at the time, has gone on to do tremendous things!!

[Mr. Musical]

Posted: 4/25/16 at 10:15pm

dramamama611 said: "givesmevoice said: "Dave13 said: "As I stated before in one of those threads, my understanding is everyone gets the minimum unless you are a name that sells tickets. Being a Tony winner or nominee sells tickets and is plastered all over the marquee. Other notable exception is well known movie actors or singers.  Other than that, most only get the minimum even the leading actors."

I've never been privy to information about anyone's salary, so the conclusion I'm drawing may be incorrect, but I actually feel like someone like Patti LuPone, whose work and fame are primarily in the theater, may demand a higher salary than someone like Catherine Zeta-Jones, who can afford to work in the theater for a smaller paycheck because she'll make so much more than that on her next film project.

 

"

That is not correct either.  A big movie star might be WILLING to take less for those reasons, but it its not a negotiation tactic.   If their name is going to bring in the money, their paycheck is going to reflect that.   (when is salary ever based on how much you might earn elsewhere?)

 

"

Based on my understanding, frequently stars who are "selling the show" forgoe a larger weekly salary and get a higher percentage of box office gross. Obviously this is entirely based on negotiations 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 4/25/16 at 10:49pm

Mr. Musical said: "...Based on my understanding, frequently stars who are "selling the show" forgoe a larger weekly salary and get a higher percentage of box office gross. Obviously this is entirely based on negotiations 

 

"

Another model (and perhaps a more common one) is a flat fee AGAINST a percentage of the gross, the star getting whichever is higher.

[dwirth]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:12am

Years ago, when the original La Cage was the biggest threat thing on Broadway (1983), I remember what I recall as a Time Mag article talking about how nice it was to see George Hearn hit it big after so many years - and stating that George Hearn was making something like $10K a week as Albin. I was unable to find this article online, but did find an article noting 2nd billed Gene Barry was making $7,500/week... 33 years ago. Anthony Quinn was making $50K/week in Zorba around that time, it says.

 

I recall hearing Glenn Close making $40K/week in Sunset a decade later. In between I remember reading Richard Harris making $100K in a Camelot tour. And, famously, didn't Betty Buckley want $20K-$25K+ a week for the Sunset tour... costing her the role?

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20086485,00.html

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:34am

So sexual is alive and well in theater. 

 

And the Elphaba I talked to was about 5 years ago, and she may have been inflating the cost. She has a nice apt next to 54 though. 

[Pasdechat]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 2:41am

Call_me_jorge said: "I asked this somewhere else, but this thread is getting more traction. I was wondering how much the star of a west end show would be making compared to the Broadway counterpart. Are the elphabas making the same amount or is it less in the west end since their equity minimum is also less? 

 

"

Don't know about Westend salaries, but I'm assuming salaries on Broadway will be (significantly?) higher.  Compared to e.g. Salaries of NYCB dancers, Broadway performers make so much more (e.g. Chorus ballet girls of Phantom earning more than soloists at NYCB). Credits given to the fact that those Broadway shows are (supposed to be) major cash earning machines, the salary level still strikes me as unusually high. With those salaries, every leading actor with a pretty constant job record must be a millionare almost. Since competition is so fierce, this seems explanatory, however b/c of the high supply of willing performers rhis also seems strange - so far for my econ 101. in Germany, actors in the big musical productions (think Really Useful Group, Wicked, Rebecca, etc.) would earn less than the lead's weekly pay in a month. So probably around 5000-10000 a month for the major lead, cast members probably maximum 2500-3000. 

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 3:46am

You would guess that leading and featured actors, would earn more than a stage hand and they earn north of $300k a year.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 5:14am

Basically I was told that after 6 months a particular musical theatre actress who recently left her show made over 1 million. Now there were taxes, manager and agent fees deducted. So if she made that and she was not worldly famous then Midler will probably rake in more. It is neither here nor there. You just never think of the theatre as being quite that lucrative and I am happy for her.

 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 7:00am

Phantom of London said: "You would guess that leading and featured actors, would earn more than a stage hand and they earn north of $300k a year."

This is completely false. A stagehand working on a Broadway show does not make that kind of money. There are a handful of "house guys" in NYC that do (this came to light recently with the Carnegie Hall strike), but not on Broadway. 

Though what with agent fees and lessons and classes that actors have to pay for, even the features actors often take home less than some backstage. 

[scampsweep]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 7:40am

I remember reading at the time that Elaine Paige was earning £25,000 per week (that's British pounds, not dollars - that's around $36,000) for Sunset Boulevard in the mid-nineties. That was a huge salary at that time and she was contracted for seven of the eight weekly shows. It was also reported she was getting £40,000 per week a few years later for 'The King and I'.  Her name is not so big now in the West End, but it was back then. 

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 07:40 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 9:26am

"For the one-day cast recording, all performers were to receive one week's salary"

This is the union rule, not any special circumstance. That's what they get for all Broadway cast albums.

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 9:37am

RentBoy86 said: "I know most Elphabas are making about 10K a week.

I would think anyone playing The Phantom is in the 10k bracket as well."

 

This is 100% incorrect on all counts. I have seen this figures myself and what you are quoting is absolutely incorrect.

 

Most leads are making $2300/week base pay. This is even when they are a Broadway name. An individual or their management teams will have to prove that they are worth more than the minimum for principals and are actually a draw. This typically doesn't involve too much negotiation either. It's pretty binary for most actors. Now other frills like car service, etc. are easily up for negotiation.

 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 9:53am

^^ that's not quite true. There are no-name principals out on SETA tours that make $5-$10K a week. 

Elder Price pays more than the Elphaba number that was mentioned earlier. 

There is PLENTY room for negotiation, very few features or principal actors work for the minimum. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 10:03am

theatregoer3- I don't know what figures you've been looking at, but no Elphaba has been paid 2.3k. They all haven't been making 10k a week (though many have), but they have all made at least 7.5k weekly with recognizable actors making more. It's a demanding starring role in a hit show.

Which leads me to: actors in blockbuster shows like Wicked will be making above minimum in most cases. The leads especially, regardless of whether or not they are "stars."

Top tier stars- name draws, Tony winners- will regularly pull in 15-20k, with truly big names drawing much more.

Second tier stars- recognizable names in the community but not ones who can sell a show- will regularly pull in figures like 5-8k weekly.

Actors may also have salaries increase based on award nominations, or if they've been with the show for a long time (through development, etc.)

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 10:03 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 10:05am

"Most leads are making $2300/week base pay. This is even when they are a Broadway name."

 

I have no idea where you're getting this. Not true.

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:33am

rikem said: "theatregoer3 said: "
Most leads are making $2300/week base pay. This is even when they are a Broadway name. An individual or their management teams will have to prove that they are worth more than the minimum for principals and are actually a draw. This typically doesn't involve too much negotiation either. It's pretty binary for most actors. Now other frills like car service, etc. are easily up for negotiation.

 theatregoer3 you are 100% incorrect (and a fool).  Broadway leads do NOT make scale ($i.e. $2300)."

 

Hahahaha! Guys, I have actually looked at the pay rates for many shows. As part of my job back in 2011 I received a full print out of every cast member's name, address, rate of pay - even social security numbers - for nearly every single show on the boards at that time.

 

It would be illegal for me to be more specific than I am right now (even though I am DYING to name names and figures), but the numbers you are quoting are ridiculous and not based on anything insomuch as what you assume or wish.

 

Now a show that is emphasizing a name - like Ben Walker in Psycho - I have no doubt he is making way more than $2300, but Elphaba is not making $520,000/year. Come on, guys. Let's get real here.

 

Also, calling me a fool...are we back to bullying?

 

Edit: I may be completely wrong here. I'm just saying I have seen these pay rates and I'm telling you what I saw. I even opened up my files from back then and double-checked to make sure I wasn't going insane. If you guys have actually seen otherwise and not just heard through the grapevine or through a friend or at the stage door, etc., then let me know.

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:33 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:37am

"but Elphaba is not making $520,000/year. "

Well no, because Elphabas don't usually stay in Wicked for more than 9 months.

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:37 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:07pm

As part of my job, I also look at Broadway weekly salary figures. Saying that Broadway musical leads routinely make 2.3k as a base is untrue, and it was untrue even in 2011. Unless your paperwork is defining "base salary" as the Equity minimum, I'm not sure what you're looking at.

 

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:36pm

Are you looking at what has been budgeted or what is actually getting paid? Because those can be two different things. I was looking at what's getting paid including fringe, etc.