Here’s the fun part: Broadway pay is based on a “weekly minimum” system, not per show. So if you do two shows on a Wednesday? Same pay as one show on a Tuesday. Makes you think twice about complaining about your 9-to-5, doesn’t it?
How Much Do Broadway Actors Make Per Year? - Broadway Behind The
And get this—actors get overtime for rehearsals that run long, and they even earn extra for things like dangerous stunts or playing multiple roles. Someone jumping off a balcony in Wicked? Cha-ching. The union has rules for everything, including “rest periods” between shows. It’s like a sport with a bedtime.
Comparisons That Make You Go “Huh”
Let’s compare Broadway to Hollywood. A movie star like Dwayne Johnson might earn $20 million for a film. A Broadway star making $50,000 a week? That’s still only $2.6 million a year if they work 52 weeks—which they don’t, because shows close and actors get sick. Meanwhile, a Broadway pit musician (the orchestra folks) makes around $3,500 weekly. That’s more than most ensemble actors, but they don’t get applause. Weird, huh?
And here’s a fun stat: a Broadway usher earns about $15 per hour, plus tips. So the person handing you a Playbill might be making more per hour than your favorite chorus dancer’s 40th hour of work. Broadway is full of paradoxes.
How Much Do Broadway Actors Make Per Show at Sara Sterne blog
