People Share What It’s Really Like Having A “Cool” Job

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“Actor here. I’ve been on Broadway and TV shows and toured. If you are watching a national tour of a musical or play, chances are those performers are not making great money. (Ensemble members who aren’t in principal tracks might be making $600–$1,300 a week plus per diem, which sounds pretty good on the higher end, but being on the road for six-plus months and living out of a suitcase/not being able to cook your meals, etc., gets really pricey.) If it is a nonunion tour, they are being paid maybe $300–$400 a week if they aren’t a lead, and they are doing one- to two-night stints, sleeping on the bus, and performing the next night in a new town. Being on a nonunion tour is not a nice gig. Very few union touring shows are out on the top-paying tier, but those that are make a minimum of $1,800–$2,300 a week.”

“The thing about being an actor is that Broadway obviously pays great (I think right now the minimum is $2,400 a week), and TV can pay great (you get a day rate that varies based on your credit, and then sometimes you get residuals, but that’s been greatly minimized, hence the strikes in the TV realm), but our jobs and income are wildly inconsistent. I’ve worked nonstop for three years straight in my field before, and I’ve also had massive periods where I am just not getting cast and I have to get a survival job as a waiter or something until the next performing gig comes along. Very, very few actors and performers become wealthy from their craft because of this inconsistency, even those who find a lot of success. Plus, most performers are paying their agents and/or managers a cut of all their income (10% for agents, 5% for managers), so that eats into their income. Most of us live very working-class lives. But when you do land a fierce gig that pays great, it feels amazing.” —Anonymous