Poll

How much do you make from stage management?

I pay to do it (School)
$0 - $100 a week (basically volunteer)
$100 - $300 a week
$300 - $600 a week
$600 - $900 a week
$900 + a Week

Author Topic: Stage Management Salary  (Read 22984 times)

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MatthewShiner

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Stage Management Salary
« on: Jun 28, 2008, 07:01 pm »
Since we starting to talk about not getting paid enough for full time work, thought I would just sort of ask who is making what?
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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

BLee

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #1 on: Jun 28, 2008, 07:50 pm »
Technically I'm paying right now because I am going to school, but for my internship in California (starting July 1st!) I will make $1500 for 7 weeks of work, so around $750 a month. Not a lot, but I will end up making a slight profit even after my expenses. Of course it will only be enough for a tank of gas, but still...
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GalFriday

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #2 on: Jun 28, 2008, 08:31 pm »
Now that I have a house I have to fall in the higher category...no choice. At times I miss the freedom I used to have. Well, at least the real estate market is great in Vegas  ;).
"Now the best way to learn the theater, always, is to be a stage manager" - Stephen Sondheim

MatthewShiner

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #3 on: Jun 28, 2008, 09:32 pm »
Yes, there does come a point when you have a lifestyle that does require that higher pay scale.   I like paying my bills, putting away savings, paying rent . . . etc.
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GalFriday

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #4 on: Jun 29, 2008, 02:21 am »
Hi Matthew - I think I should have replied to your post re:advice for young stage managers....enjoy your twenties when you can take the gig that does not pay as well....housing included means much less when you still have a mortgage to pay. - D
"Now the best way to learn the theater, always, is to be a stage manager" - Stephen Sondheim

loebtmc

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #5 on: Jun 29, 2008, 01:08 pm »
My prob with your poll is the range for those of us who are NOT resident or prodn stage managers. This year alone, I worked two shows in the 300/wk range, one at 600/wk, one at 200/wk and one at 800-1300/wk (hourly contract w a base and guaranteed OT).  And as it happened, I worked the 200/wk at the same timea s the 600/wk, so what is my average? Well....this year was what it was, and next year will be different again.

I would LOVE to work regularly in the bigger houses for more money and better working conditions, but I have fairly constant work in the smaller/midsize spaces (and the larger spaces here want to grow their own) so I mostly take what I am offered. Weekly salary? There is no constant, and taking a salary cut (that tiny contract) in return for health weeks is enough of a draw to choose that work. So sometimes I work as an SM exclusively, and sometimes I have a day job. And yes, as we all do, I always work many more hours than the contract allows and usually don't get OT.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #6 on: Jun 29, 2008, 01:41 pm »
That's a good point . . . I guess it would be good to know what your average weekly for an average year - I just thought it would be interested to get a rough average, since it is often a question asked by young stage managers.

I know not everyone has a constant and are not blessed/cursed being a resident at a regional theatre or on a long running production contract.


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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

Trevor7

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #7 on: Jun 29, 2008, 02:31 pm »
I just graduated from college and am in NYC.  So I am doing off off broadway.  My show pay ranges from $100 a week to about $500 for a 2 month rehearsal and run.

Jessie_K

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #8 on: Jun 29, 2008, 03:26 pm »
I freelance in AEA and AGMA. My salary ranges from 600/week to 1300/week. I live in nyc.

MarcieA

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #9 on: Jun 29, 2008, 03:42 pm »
I freelance in NY as well, but I've been here for less than a year. I work mostly showcases, so I pretty consistently get just a $500 stipend for the two months.

Before I moved to NY I worked LORT & SPT contracts, anywhere from $300-$750/wk.

I long for the day I sign a contract again..
Companions whom I loved and still love, tell them my song.

Celeste_SM

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #10 on: Jun 30, 2008, 02:26 am »
I have a non-stage manager day job. But for my evening/weekend stage management gigs for a large community theater in California, I make around $300//wk.  I put myself on the lower end of the $300 line in the poll, since the rehearsal schedule varies and sometimes I work an extra week for the same pay.

centaura

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #11 on: Jun 30, 2008, 03:12 pm »
I had to do the math, since I am a yearly salaried position.  It works out to a bit over $650 a week, but that's every week in the year, with health insurance, paid vacation and a retirement plan.  My road house is owned by a municipality, so I'm a city employee.

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chops

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #12 on: Jun 30, 2008, 03:30 pm »
There is a wide range of pay for this field.  If you can find a nich in the industry you can get close to six figures a year fairly quickly.  But then again you will earn every penny. 
Peace,

Chops

sarahbear42

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #13 on: Jun 30, 2008, 06:39 pm »
I make a $250/week salary that pays for SMing plus a 9-5 job in the box office (we're all required to fill administrative jobs in addition to production positions...) Our pay is pretty cruddy... $1000/month isn't that bad straight out of school, until you look at it as the $3/hour that it generally works out to.

The job I start in September I'll be getting more like $350/week for just part-time hours... which will be rather more to my liking.

nmno

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Re: Stage Management Salary
« Reply #14 on: Jun 30, 2008, 11:29 pm »
Right now on a production contract, open ended run.  ASM minimum is $1600-ish/week, plus health, pension & 401K contribution.
However last year over 8 months, I did 6 weeks at $300/week (PA/no benefits), 9 weeks at $430?/week (with the cost of my commute and the extra money I had to put in for supplies et al, it would have been more economical to just be on unemployment), 3 weeks at $850 (LORT C) and 2 weeks of sub work at production contract rate.  The other 12 weeks I was on employment or just without income.  And once my current show closes, I could find myself repeating an 8 month drought like this...  You never know.