How much do actors make on Broadway?- Page 3

[romancegirl]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:09pm

ssfun,
I am going to assume that you are being truthful and asking for advice. That said I think the reason you find yourself mocked is that you are saying you are "too good" to work hard and the lead should just be given to you. It's like going to a fortune 500 company and saying I went to college and my family thinks I'm the greatest so make me CEO I don't work in any office lower than that.
This is why you are being mocked. Other than that I know of no successful performer that got into the business for money. There are much easier ways to make money.
I wish you luck.
Updated On: 11/16/07 at 03:09 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:19pm

From someone who has been in the chorus of many a show, I absolutely loved it.

[artscallion]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:23pm

If you want to keep your head from getting too big when you are a success next month, you can take $100.00 of your Broadway star salary, change it into $5.00 bills, take it on the subway and give it away to people who don't really need it. It won't change their lives but you'll feel even better about your success!

Make sure you come here to announce that you've done it. (a video would be nice) Then we'll know you've really made it after all!!!

[nealb1]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:24pm

ssfun90067, I love the fact that you are very passionate about your love for theatre. Good for you.

You seem smart enough to know the obvious.....many people, all over the world, have done leads in plays and musicals. Your situation is not unique. So, I'm sure you can appreciate everyone's position here on the board, on how that can come across. I love your naivety and your big dream ideas..........we've all had them, and it's charming to see that people can still be that fresh and innocent.

I've being doing regional theatre here in Los Angeles at many different equity and non-equity houses for many, many years..........leads, supporting parts, and ensemble..and, have loved every minute of it. I've worked with the absolute best....and, the absolute worst......ha, ha.... I wouldn't trade it for a minute. And, just because you are Equity, that doesn't mean that you are better or more talented than anyone else.

Good luck to you. By the way......just curious.......what leads have you played?

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 03:24 PM

[AngActing]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:36pm

>> If you want to keep your head from getting too big when you
>> are a success next month, you can take $100.00 of your
>> Broadway star salary, change it into $5.00 bills. . .

Wow, sounds cool! If only the people who did it were Broadway stars. But, they were aspiring and used their regular "day job" incomes (in no way near a Broadway star salary), just to be kind.

And hey, if these people did have a Broadway star salary, I am positive they would've taken a helluva lot more than $100.00 of their salary. In fact, I know it! They would've given away $100.00 to twenty people or more . . . as that is the plan [when they are Broadway stars or film stars].

>> take it on the subway and give it away to people who don't
>> really need it.

Yet, they take it! Interesting, huh? And many did need it . . . as they carefully chose a more needy neighborhood. And you are assuming they don't need it. And if they don't "need it" no one broke their arms to take it. But, you never bothered to check that out. You just assume -- which basically makes you close-minded and shallow.

>> It won't change their lives but you'll feel even better about
>> your success!

Sometimes it feels good to give, too . . . just to do it. No one had a goal to "change the lives" of the people, in a poorer neighborhood, on the train. It was a gesture about paying forward what one does have. None of claimed to be successful Broadway stars . . . we merely claimed to feel life is good, successful (no matter your income) and we all have something we can give and are glad to do it.

>> Make sure you come here to announce that you've done it. (a
>> video would be nice) Then we'll know you've really made it
>> after all!!!

Yeah, I would rather people who feel incredible about life, and enjoy encouraging others to utilize the gifts they have . . .be it $5.00, a hearing ear, a volunteer for any charity or an idea to make sandwiches for the homeless . . . should NEVER share it, but keep it secret so other people can feel like they are too poor or have nothing to give. No, don't let them (or us)encourage anyone to be kind! That would be wrong, obviously.

And I am sorry to have offended you so badly. I will gladly send you $5.00 if you feel jilted.

[artscallion]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:43pm

"I will gladly send you $5.00 if you feel jilted."


Could you make it $5.50? I wanted to get Taco Bell tonight.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:45pm

I'm confused about why so many members are responding to ssfun's posts. He is obviously a troll, I could tell from his second post in this thread.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:46pm

Oh, Oprah...do you see what THE SECRET hath wrought?

[nealb1]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:47pm

I find his innocence charming...we were all that wide eyed and fresh at one time in our youth.

[mominator]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 3:49pm

"I 'm confused about why so many members are responding to ssfun's posts. He is obviously a troll, I could tell from his second post in this thread"
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm maybe because it is fun?

[jasonfrazier]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:02pm

The other people on the board are absolutely right: as a true actor, NO role should be beneath you. Every role (that you actually DO get) is an opportunity to learn, grow and make contacts. Those aspects shouldn't be overlooked in your hurry to pursue "only leads".

[AngActing]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:13pm

>> Here are the parts that I played in middle school
>> high school and college...

>> Lord Boxington MY FAIR LADY
>> Mr Gladhand WEST SIDE STORY
>> Ambrose HELLO DOLLY
>> Will OKLAHOMA
>> Older Patrick MAME
>> Motel FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

>> I almost was the understudy to Cornelius in HELLO DOLLY
>> when I did it. Everyone said I was the best.

Everyone in your own small town . . .

Now, add about twenty or thirty more "lead roles" in shows; middle school to regional professional theatre, and you have mine!

Thus, babe, you are competing with people who have more than me . . .and years more than you . . . and much more professional credits.

Again, though, dear . . .come to NYC right away! Come win those Tony's. We'll see you at the auditions for non-union, and come early (I recommend 6:00 a.m. -- the call starts at 10:00 a.m. FOR EQUITY, though] -- and you can sign wait at 6 am to be the first on the list for non-union. IF THEY HAVE TIME they may see you by 5:00 p.m.

That's the reality, sweets. Oh, and that's for Broadway chorus roles. They may or may not see you, at the union call, either. And your list of leads mean nothing unless it was a top drama college -- or professional theatre. You will have to cut out the middle school and high school credits (they don't care).

High school and below mean nothing in professional theatre as far as size of the role. It just means you're not a beginner; and that is all they really want to know about anything high school and below. Well, unless you are a high school student currently.

Anyway, there are books you need to read . . . "Respect for Acting" by Uta Hagen; "How To Sell Yourself As An Actor" by K Callan and "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff to start.

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 04:13 PM

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:28pm

This thread has just crossed over to BEST THREAD OF THE DAY land. It might have won the BEST THREAD OF THE WEEK award, were it not for stupid deer.

[JKlock]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:32pm

I agree robbiej! I left to go to work, you know, where I make a lead actor's salary of $130 a week...came home and this thread is still alive and as entertaining as ever.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:35pm

This thread might have been fun if the guy were for real.

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:37pm

SSfun they are all just jealous of you! Don't you dare give up! You are gonna be the best! I wish I'd seen you play Will or Ambrose! Getting parts like that means you're probably the second or third best actor in your whole school! IF we can just keep the guy who played Curly and Cornelius from coming to New York to audition, the part is YOURS!

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:44pm

Jane...come here.

I have something to tell you I don't want the others to hear.

Shhhhhh....

What's fun are the posters TREATING ssfun as if he were real.

And that list of roles he posted is f*cking genius! I mean...Lord Boxington in MFL??? Rock on!

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:49pm

"What's fun are the posters TREATING ssfun as if he were real"

Yes, you're right. I can hardly believe so many people fall for this stuff when it happens.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 4:58pm

I LOVE this THREAD ...

Is this the effect of the STRIKE to posters here? I will make my own too !
Very interesting week !!

J*

Updated On: 11/16/07 at 04:58 PM

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:01pm

Cool story about my friend who made it to Broadway at 18:

My friend, Candace, just got done performing on Broadway as a Dynamite in Hairspray and she is 20. She was 18 when she went into the show. She is from Dallas and went to L.A. for a dance competition/conference thing and auditioned for the Hairspray tour while she was there. They offered her a role in the touring cast and she turned it down because she wanted to finish high school. Towards the end of her senior year she went to New York for a trip and while she was there she checked in with the Hairspray theatre to see if they still had her information. The person she spoke to said that they would keep her information on file and call her if necessary. After she left the theater, not 30 seconds after, she got a phone call and was offered the role of a Dynamite on Broadway. She moved to New York the next day at age 18. She only had 3 theatre credits to her name before that happened and none were professional.

[Eponine3]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:11pm

Here's the real deal love....

Working on Broadway goes far beyond just having talent. You also have to have the heart. The people who have careers on Broadway got them because once upon a time they got up at 5AM to take the train into Midtown in the middle of winter when it was cold to go stand on line to get on the list for a chorus call. They ate soup and PB and J Sandwiches instead of steak so they could afford that weeks voice lesson and lived in apartments with milk crates as dinning room tables because they couldn't afford anything else. They wanted to be on that stage more than anything else in the world and were willing to make the necessary sacrifices to get there.

They learned to take what they could get and use it to the best advantage. Perfect example of the "Broadway Fairy Tale" Would be Sutton Foster. She was the understudy for Millie and the girl playing Millie had to leave the show during its pre-broadway run. Sutton took over and wound up winning the Tony that year and has worked pretty much every season in something since.


So my point is that if you are serious about being a broadway performer look at each role and each audition as an opportunity. Don't ever think that anything is below you. Put your heart into everything that comes your way and use every opportunity you are given to refine your craft.

As long as you do that.. Your talent will shine through and you will get noticed and you will get the parts that you want.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:26pm

Oh God! It's killing me. People typing PARAGRAPHS!!!

Alright...mama's got to get to job #2!

[mominator]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:48pm

"I don't want to wait in line and audition for Broadway."

Either this is one of the best jokes ever, or you sir are just a jack a$$.

[JKlock]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 6:07pm

woah woah woah
voice lessons are not only for people who need to learn how to sing. where the hell did you get that from?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 6:12pm