Boy . . . and I complained in the other thread about somebody wanting actors to sign contracts. 

Director:  Gee, POB, we'd really love to have you play the Second Gravedigger in Hamlet.

POB: Cool. Thanks.

Director:  Of course, you'll have to pay $70 for the privilege.

POB:  Yeah, right, good one.

Director:  No, seriously, we need $70.

POB:  You gotta be @#$%ing me.

Director:  Of course, you could sell $70 in ads instead.

POB: @#$% you.  (Goes back to umpiring softball, where he actually gets paid almost enough to cover expenses of cool new gear.)

You need to get together with the folks from this thread:

http://www.communitytheater.org/discuss/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1571 - http://www.communitytheater.org/discuss/forum/forum_posts.as p?TID=1571

and meet in the middle.  They're reimbursing actors; your other group wants to charge them!

I am so grateful that people will actually take time away from their families, pay babysitters, rearrange their work schedules, and take vacation time to be in one our shows I wouldn't dream of charging them a penny.

Our theater gets underwriting, sponsors and sells ads to make ends meet. Years ago my theater use to make actors for their own scripts. I said, "Ridiculous! If we can't afford something as basic as  scripts for the actors we can't afford to do the show!"

Charge actors? Never.

Linda

I act in a small youth theater with almost no money. It costs $125 to be in a performance with $15 returned if you keep your costume in good condition. But that's a youth theater so it is different. Also, you get 2 free tickets to a show of your choice and discounted tickets for the shows for your imediate (probaby spelled wrong, I can't spell in the summer) family. So it really isn't that bad. My parents pay it everytime and say its cheap for the amount of hours we get.

Wishbone

Oh my, I couldn't imagine charging performers to be in a show.  Often it's hard enough to get enough people to cast a show and then to ask them to pay for it, we'd never get a show cast.

I can see charging a fee for "educational" theatre.  Like a tution if the project involves workshop time and eductional things, I've heard of this done in a lot of youth theatres.  That makes sense, esspecially when parents aren't affriad to fork over big bucks so Little Johnny can play youth sports or go to basketball (or whatever) camp.  A fee for the same experience in the theatre for kids seems reasonable.

I recently worked with a group in Florida that charged their performers twice.  They first charged a refundable script deposit of $25.00, and then a $10.00 costume fee.  Not truly a great expense, but still an expense.

But here is the kicker!!! The group also insisted that their volunteer performers sign a liability waiver before they would allow them to perform.  This was absolutely absurd, but other than a few dissenters, everyone complied.

In addition, every rehearsal was tainted by demands that the performers go out and sell tickets, and program advertising.  The top sales would be awarded a prize in the end.  A CD player (@$20.00).  Tickets sold for $20.00, and no complimentary tickets were distributed except for the preview night.

Fees for community theater productions are questionable.  You never know what people will pay to volunteer their time.  Some look at the fee as an assurance of a part, or as possibly even buying the role.  If you want the role, it will cost you $XX.xx to perform.

Just remember, there is a certain degree of whore in every performer.  While you may not get the actor you want for a role because the actor refuses to pay a fee, there will always be someone waiting in the wings.

Just a follow up to this topic, yet in a slightly different vein.

An Actor Fee is really not that strange a concept, since for the most part it is upfront.  It is the backend fees that seem to irk most performers.

In nearly every production I have been associated, there have always been the hidden fees of production.  I refer to the Cast Gifts.

For some strange reason, within most every cast, there is a potential gift giver that collects money for gifts.  The amount has always varied based on the size of the cast, but on average it has been in the $5 to $10 range.

For those unfamiliar with this event I will briefly describe. This collection is passed around in order that a gift or gifts may be purchased to thank the director and crew for their work.  Work, that in many cases they were paid to perform.

While there are varying opinions about this action, in many cases, the general concensus has been:  If you don't give money for the gift, you are ungrateful, and it gets around.

As a director and performer, I have always maintained certain principal guidelines for directing.

If I get paid, and my actors do not, I request that no thanks in necessary other than the best performace possible. Please nothing more than a card.

Depending on the size of my cast, I will generally take them out to a reasonable dinner or order in food for larger cast.  This generally runs about a third of my fee, and pays back ten fold.

For small cast, I generally insist that performer names are included on posters, and will frame copies for the cast (depending on Quality)

And most importantly, I always take care of my Stage Manager, who usually never gets paid, and never gets any glory.

As far as fees go, it is anyone's guess as to what actor's will pay.  Just make sure they are equitable.

Actors pay to preform? I have never heard of this in my area. does this mean that us techies can get them to pay us to turn the lights on?lol