PAY: i'm due payment, and the person who owes me is MIA. help?

[missliz]

So, I SMed a reading. It was, in short, disastrous. The director was disorganized and frequently went MIA, including for most of the rehearsals. The evening of the reading, he was present, but stepped out early to take equipment back to his studio. I never got paid, but we were doing another reading together that started rehearsing the following day, so I wasn't worried.

We started the first day, I reminded him, he said he'd pay the next time we were in rehearsal. Unfortunately, the next rehearsal we were informed by the producers that the reading was being cancelled. The director wasn't in that day, as he was rehearsing ANOTHER show in another part of the city. I texted him to find when we could meet up so I could get paid, and he shot back "I just found out my Broadway-bound reading was cancelled, can you just give me a minute to take that in?!" so I let it go. I emailed him a week later, with a gentle reminder and an offer to stop by where I know he's rehearsing. No response. Another text 10 days later- still no response. It's been 4 or 5 days since then and still- nothing.

He is getting ready to go on tour, so I know he's busy but also why I want to get paid before he leaves town. It's not that much money- about $50- but it's the principle. I'm not sure what the next course of action is. It was registered with Equity, if that makes a difference.

Edit added label to subject line-Rebbe

[Scott]

He is getting ready to go on tour, so I know he's busy but also why I want to get paid before he leaves town. It's not that much money- about $50- but it's the principle. I'm not sure what the next course of action is. It was registered with Equity, if that makes a difference.

1) Call Equity.

2) When people don't pay me, I plague them with phone calls.  All hours of day and night.  If you have his home phone number, even better.

3) Can you post his name here so the rest of us are protected from this scammer?

[missliz]

Just a followup- I made one last phone call where I said "if you don't get back to me by the end of the day, I'll be filing a report with Equity." Amazingly, THAT got him to call me. He's gone on tour but asked me to send him a paypal invoice. I did that the minute I got off the phone with him, and if this doesn't get filled in a timely manner, I'll be calling Equity.

[SMrose]

...and this is why I insist on 1/2 payment on first rehearsal (if SM) and on opening (if designing).  Good for you for notifying AEA--it is the principle and it sends a message!

[bethanyb5]

So i'm dying to know if you ever got paid!

I worked a show about a year ago where the director was supposed to pay me on closing night. He apparently forgot and had left but fortunately only made it to the elevator by the time I realized and I ran after him. Since then I always require payment before closing night. Most of the time I don't even have to say that they let me know in advance they plan to pay me opening night or something and I go with it but the few times they try to gloss over talk of money I tell them before closing night.

[kallulah]

Good call with Equity.  That's what they're there for.  And I like the paypal thing.  Very cool. I think I'll bring that up with my director. We're supposed to get paid 50 bucks a show and he's so overwhelmed with nothing that it will make things easy for him to deal with, no checks necessary.