I won't tell you what I get, but it is not the highest figure disscussed so far.  Frankly I would do it for considerably less and probably even at no charge, even though in this system the director position does take on many of the responsibilities normally assigned to the producer.

Even though I am starting out with my own company, I have learned alot from the companies that I have worked for, both semi-professional and amateur.

The biggest thing is this:  if you want quality, you have to work for it.  I have seen disgusting work come from individuals who were getting paid.  They felt that since they were getting paid, they were better than anyone.

Money does not equate to higher quality all the time.

I did fall victim to dirty rotten blackmail from some musicians though.  I needed a keyboardist and drummer for a revue.  the ONLY people i could find required money for their services.  $500/musician for six performances.  Once the singers got word that the musicians were getting paid, they demanded pay as well.  Fortunately for me, they weren't as expensive.... they only cost me $75 each.  and there were only three others besides me.  Well, needless to say, the show was a financial flop because after having to budget their 'salaries'  i had no money left over for publicity.  I learned my lesson there.  NEVER let a musician bully you into it, and NEVER admit how desperate you are for a musician. *8-)

The one thing I am sure of (at least in theory right now) is that if one person goes without pay, they ALL go without pay!

My thoughts on paying people is simple....if the show makes money, and there is enough to pay EVERYONE, then why not share the wealth with the ENTIRE cast/crew/staff.  everyone put in immense effort, not just the director.  I will not promise my staff pay, but i hope that at the end of the run, I can throw some gas money into their thank you cards.

NEVER let a musician bully you into it, and NEVER admit how desperate you are for a musician. *8-)

Sorry, but I'm a theater person by night, but by day I'm a music educator and professional performer with various concert bands/symphony orchestras... and while I'd have no problem going somewhere and volunteering my services as director or whatever they needed me to do strictly theatrical wise... but, if someone comes to me to play a show, the first thing I'm going to ask after getting the dates and expectations for rehearsals, is whether or not it pays.

I've bluntly put forward to my board members that as much as I want to do a musical in the future, I won't be doing it unless we've got money in the budget to pay musicians and do it right, because that's how it's done.  I've got enough friends and professional connections I could probably get it done for free, but I won't do that.  And I've sat through shows that try to use the canned tapes and it loses the effect totally.

I know there's one local CT that hires musicians but then also asks/expects (?  I've not had a chance to play for them; the one time I was asked, my own theater had commitments that kept me away) you to donate the payment for one of the performances back to them as a donation of your services.  I don't have a total problem with this, although I probably wouldn't do it myself - my feeling is, if you say you're paying me x amount, then I expect to walk away with x amount - if you want the amount of one performance donated back, then don't tell me you're paying me the first amount.

Remember all, "All C.T.'s are not created equal".. What works in some areas does not work in others..