Thanks!
To all the contributors to this campaign! It's almost over and we'ved reached 20% of our goal, which is more than we had and is very Much appreciated!.
A Conversation
Has been been started, re-started or continued about the Basic Issue of extremely low if at all compensation. I have learned that more companies than I was aware of do try to give a stipend to the performers. The stage actors fee for the approximately 100 hours spent in a 2 Month process ranges from $100 to $300, up to the rare $500, not counting the 3 local(Austin, TX.)companies that have Equity contracts.
Once again Thanks!
Mick D'arcy
Local actors around the nation are starving for your support.
I'm Mick D'arcy and I've been acting in Austin, Texas for over twenty years. Like many others around this nation that nurture the cultural health of society I habitually lose money for doing the art I'm driven to feed the patrons with.
Designers, directors and crew typically get paid because production values are important. No one blinks an eye when they insist on getting paid for doing the work they love. The performers are equally important but the thinking here is "they do this work for love" and therefore don't need to be paid.
What we would like
Our aim is to be able to pay each actor at least five dollars an hour for the estimated one hundred hours they'll put into rehearsal and performances. With nineteen actors in the cast of City Theatres 2013 Season production of. "Much Ado About Nothing," that brings the total to $9500 for this production plus an additional $500 to cover the costs of perks and premiums for donors (such as programs, posters, and photos signed by the cast and tickets to the show). We'd like a total donation of $10,000. The money will go directly to the actors to help cover basic living expenses like rent, food, and transportation costs as well as compensation for time lost at work or with family. Rest assured it will be well spent.
Art is like a coffee and a pastry.
Think of the actor as your bartender, barrista or wait person, serving nourishing and tasty art to you, the patron. Most people don't hesitate to drop 50 cents to a dollar in the tip jar once or several times a day.
If we don't fully fund.
If the funding goal is not met, cost for the perks will come off the top and the remainder will be split equally between the cast members.
Long term cultural landscape goals.
If you're an actor's friend seeing the show for free with a comp, tip the actor!
If you are a regular patron, consider giving the little extra you might pay for a better seat to an actor instead -- at least once in a while.
Even if you can't afford to contribute to this campaign, if you love local theater, consider approaching your favorite local theater production company and ask them to regularly put out a jar for the performers, not just on a "special night" but every night, every run of every show and to educate the audience about the actors' reality.
The ultimate goal is to have every actor paid for every show!
A world of thanks to you!
