Broadway Actor Salary Per Year
The Actors' Equity Association does not disclose average or specific salaries of stage actors working on Broadway or other theater districts around the country. The actors' union does disclose weekly minimums and benefit for members working in select cities, including New York City. The salaries of more famous actors working on Broadway are easier to obtain as producers are more willing to disclose these figures to the public.
Other People Are Reading
-
Minimum Actor Salaries
-
At the time of publication, the minimum weekly salary for a Broadway actor -- man or woman -- performing in any role is $1,653, according to the Actors' Equity Association. This is the minimum salary for any actor regardless of role or experience. The annual salary this weekly figure translates into depends greatly on the total run of the show the actor is cast in. A successful Broadway show might run the entire year and earn the actor a salary of $79,344, or the show could close after a disappointing opening night.
Additions to Weekly Pay
-
An actor playing a specific role in the cast, including a principal role or leadership position within a chorus, earns additional weekly pay. According to the Actors' Equity Association, an actor on Broadway performing as a Dance Captain earns an additional $330.60 per week while an actor performing in a principal role earns an additional $33 per week. These figures are minimum weekly pay additions, and producers are free to pay an actor more money if the production allows for a pay raise. At the time of publication, the overtime pay rate for an actor working on Broadway is $44 per hour.
-
Benefits and Retirement
-
An actor working on Broadway must usually be a member of the stage actors' union, the Actors' Equity Association. Membership has its perks in terms of guaranteeing an actor a minimum weekly salary for performing on stage, as well as health benefits and access to a pension plan and 401(k) retirement account. At the time of publication, the Actors' Equity Association contributes up to 6 percent of an actor's weekly salary to a pension fund and up to 3 percent to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Famous Actors on Stage
-
Famous screen actors often take roles on Broadway to provide a break from making feature films. These actors provide instant name recognition to plays or musicals, which immediately translates into increased ticket sales at the box office. As a result, producers are willing to pay very handsomely for film actors to play roles on Broadway. According to PayBill.com, Julia Roberts earned $150,000 a week for her role in "Three Days of Rain" while starring opposite fellow screen actor Paul Rudd.
-
