Across Broadway websites this week, news has surfaced that more than 1,000 members of Actors' Equity Association have signed an open letter seeking, what Playbill.com calls, a "historic" pay increase.
Actors' Equity is the union that represents actors and stage managers in the U.S. and is negotiating a new contract that expires on November 6. The main grievance is actors cannot make a living by working Off-Broadway. It would be hard to disagree based on the current wages.
Playbill reports that Off-Broadway is defined by the seating size of the theatre (100-499 seats). For theatres with 100-199 seats, pay starts at $593 per week and theatres with 100-499 seats, pay starts $1,057 per week.
Some will argue that acting is for the starving artist. But the pay increase also means help for the survival of theatre that is not defined as Broadway. The productions that play Off-Broadway often cannot be economically staged at or have the large audience needed for a Broadway theatre. Also so many Broadway shows were transfers of Off-Broadway productions including the hit musical 'Hamilton'.
Playbill reports that Off-Broadway is defined by the seating size of the theatre (100-499 seats). For theatres with 100-199 seats, pay starts at $593 per week and theatres with 100-499 seats, pay starts $1,057 per week.
Some will argue that acting is for the starving artist. But the pay increase also means help for the survival of theatre that is not defined as Broadway. The productions that play Off-Broadway often cannot be economically staged at or have the large audience needed for a Broadway theatre. Also so many Broadway shows were transfers of Off-Broadway productions including the hit musical 'Hamilton'.
Listen to the plea of actor Nick Westgate in the video below. Click HERE to watch more videos from the Fair Wage Onstage YouTube Channel.
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