 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-09-01 12:52
I have a question that perhaps some of our friends (perhaps John Moses) can answer. I recently had a discussion with someone who said that in the Broadway shows where a musician appears on stage they now must join Actor's Equity and are now considered part of the actors union and not the musician's union. Any truth to this? Is there extra pay for playing on stage?
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-09-01 14:00
Hi Ed:
You're asking a good question, but the answer is a little complicated.
If a musician appears on stage, he/she gets extra pay, about $68 a week for 8 performances. If the musician is in costume on stage, it's an additional $45 a week (this also applies to their subs). A musician rarely is required to join Equity. Only in cases where the musician is required to "act," is there a need for an additional Actors' Equity card.
I was asked to do the current production of FIDDLER. The solo clarinet part requires a costume, beard, makeup, and considerable acting on stage. It sounded like fun, so I was in the process of negotiating a sizable salary for all of that...then WICKED came along. Billy Brohn, the orchestrator of WICKED and many other great shows, asked me to accept WICKED because he needed me on the clarinet book (which is: Clarinet, Eb Clarinet, Bass Clarinet & Soprano Sax). I accepted the WICKED job, luckily for me it's a big hit. My good friend Andrew Sterman, a terrific NYC doubler, accepted the FIDDLER job. He's having a ball on stage, in costume, and acting with the entire cast. He's also very happy to be making much $$$, as he and his wife just had a baby! Perfect casting for FIDDLER.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-01 14:56
Then, there is mid-America musical theater. A few years ago, our Theater Guilde staged a revised version of THE BOYFRIEND with the orchestra appearing on stage and going through a costume change as the show progressed. Even though we were all AFM members, there was no extra pay involved for the costuming nor the on stage appearances (nor for the WW doubling, either). Nor do the actors have to join Equity, as their performances are strictly for "the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd"--and nothing more (no pay). Due to the cost of music rental and performance licenses plus the relatively small local interest in live musical theater, it is hard for local productions to pay for our musical servicies and break even.
Last December, I played for a local staging and "world premier" of a new musical HEARTLAND (music by Kim Sherman, orchestration by Bruce Coughlin, conductor Jana Zielonka) which featured an all NYC cast along with director Susan Schulman. Everyone--musicians, actors, stage crew--were paid at least scale for each show (I recieved about $75 per show plus doublers fee of $10 per instrument). But even with 28 local performances, the Madison Repertory Theatre--which sponsered the production--lost money due to "less than anticipated" audience attendance. So, good for the NYC Broadway theater scene and its 8 million or so fan base to draw finacial support from--here in the "heartland", its a different (finacial) story.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-09-01 16:34
Hi William:
It is distressing to hear the scale is low for out of town Broadway productions. If possible, get involved in your local Musicians' Union, and change the wages and benefits. It took us 30+ years here in NYC to get equal pay with the big orchestras, and now we have better benefits, a health plan, and a good pension.
Stick with it, you can do better and you deserve better pay and benefits if you fight for your beliefs through the proper channels with the Union.
Good luck, and you have our support from NYC,
PS For Ken Shaw:
"God made a few perfect heads...the rest He covered with hair."
(anon.)
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-09-01 22:47
Who's a handsome lad, then?
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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