The stipulation MatthewShiner described is not something I would recommend a young stage manager push for. That is the type of thing that you can only ask for and expect to get once you reach a pretty high level of experience and expertise (which he certainly has).
True. And this is something you need to ask for mid-career and later, in an environment where there is a possibility where you are lo-balled on your contract and actors are wine and dined. If your theater is favored nations, then you would never mention that at all.
And to be fair, I only once ever pressed for that. (I typically, in non-favored nation theater start salary requests somewhere in the 10% to 20% over minimum range), but this theater was pretty all over the board in salary ranges, from minimum to production contract for big names, and sadly, board members would just jot out the money. It was disheartening to be told over and over, we don't have money to give you a raise, and see an actor, playing a very small role, get paid twice my salary. Luckily, I had a general manager and a board member on my side - right time, right place and, to be honest, the right set of circumstances - it could have failed, but I was offering them a huge service.
Just to give you an idea, at a different theatre, my first full year as resident PSM, we figure I saved the theater something like $70,000.00. (A huge savings was in how we had 2 SMs rehearse a show, but only 1 SM call and run a show). Between work weeks, travel, health care/pension, salary, and then just operation costs slashed - a resident stage manager is a huge asset to a company - so don't be too afraid to make certain demands given the huge amount of time, effort and energy you are going to pour into the company.
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