Fun Facts of Broadway

This title can be a little deceiving. Talking about the technical side of Broadway can be interesting, but hardly ever fun--unless you're the kind of person who likes that sort of thing. But for this post, I thought I might dab a little into the practical production matters of Broadway shows and what it's like to find work as an actor.

Production Costs

Broadway shows cost a lot. Not just to get the shows up and running, but to keep them running. Hundreds of dollars spent on shows in any one season. Each season is a little less than a year, give or take. Musicals cost more than plays, because of all the elaborate settings and costumes. According to Ken Davenport of theproducersperspective.com, the Broadway League recorded the numbers, and in chart-form they look like this:

(Photos courtesy of theproducersperspective.com)

 

Theater's Impact

With all the money that's spent on shows, Broadway earns a great deal of money in return each season. A great deal. Are you ready?

They earn billions of dollars each year. Each season, they earn over $1 to $2 billion dollars. They contribute billions of dollars to New York's economy, what with all the jobs they support and the tourists that come all year round to stay in the hotels and shop and see the shows. I don't know about you, but for me this was pretty surprising. Billions of dollars--that's a lot!

How Much Actors Make

When one thinks of an actor, and how much he makes, they are more than likely thinking of A-list actors who make millions of dollars a movie. They probably think the life of an actor is that fabulous all the time.

Actually, it's not.

The life of an actor is a rigorous, exhausting one. To make acting a profession, one needs to have the real passion and determination to stick to it. Actors are often unemployed, as their profession is extremely competitive. When they do land a job, they work long hours at different times of day, and nearly all the days of the week. Actors for TV usually earn $700-$2,000 for a regular work week. They earn more if they rerun the show or if it appears in other places of the world. Broadway actors usually earn $1,500 a week, and off-Broadway actors earn $500-$900 a week. Regional theaters pay their actors about the same as off-Broadway actors.

Granted, these are good earnings. But it's very unstable work.You may have heard the phrase "starving artists" before. Actors are no exception. With their long periods of unemployment and the difficulty of landing roles, I would imagine they would probably be living in a small apartment in the city with three roommates, living on a steady diet of Ramen noodles and Spaghetti-O's. Or maybe not, I wouldn't know. But the idea remains.

So, there you have it. Just a few facts about the Broadway business.



Sources:

http://www.theactingcorps.com/Site/acting-just_the_facts.htm

http://www.broadwayleague.com/index.php?url_identifier=nyc-grosses-11

http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2012/06/whats-the-average-cost-of-putting-on-a-broadway-show.html

http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2012/06/what-was-broadways-economic-impact-on-nyc-in-2010-11.html