Hey there! Today, we’re going to check out the results of the 2019 Stage Manager Survey, which was done by David J. McGraw and his team – these guys dive into loads of topics from stage managers’ salary scales, to the tools they use, to how often they nom on junk food, and even theft at work!
But first, you might be wondering – how much does a stage manager really earn? On average, about 19% of the 942 stage managers who took the survey earn between $501 to $750 a week. However, up to 20% non-union stage managers earn less than $100 a week. That’s surprising to me, as it seems more like a volunteer stipend. Are all of them full-time professionals, or could some be community theatre dabblers? Meanwhile, a quarter of the stage managers who belong to the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) earn between $751 and $1000.
Now, hold on, here comes the eye-opener: a larger percentage of male stage managers earn more than their female counterparts. You’d expect no gender bias in a field crowded with women; after all, there are quite many of us here. Nope! This bias exists, especially at the top of the field.
Let’s move on to internships. Many fresh stage managers start with internships or as production assistants. But you know what’s disheartening? Most of the internships are unpaid. We could talk on and on about diversity and inclusion, but until these opportunities become affordable for everyone, we won’t see fair representation.
Contract negotiations are an interesting aspect too. See the far-right column in the graph labeled “Never Succeeded”? That’s encouragingly small, indicating negotiation attempts often succeed – so don’t shy away from it!
There’s another thing that gets my blood boiling. When successful negotiations take place, majority of women get an up to 5% pay rise whereas, for most men, it’s a 6-10% increase.
Let me tell you from experience – sometimes employers have room for a higher starting salary than what’s offered initially, so don’t hesitate to negotiate. And don’t think that only money counts – sometimes other perks like housing can make a real difference.
Well, now you’re wondering – where do you find these jobs? Look no further – Facebook! Many openings are shared in various stage management groups there.
Now for the tech part. If you’re looking for a way to sharpen your skills during this time of social isolation, get acquainted with a software called StageWrite. There’s a lecture about it you can check out if you’re a member of the Stage Managers’ Association, or look out for webinars by the Broadway Stage Management Symposium.
Lastly, let’s not miss the funny side of being a stage manager: we apparently don’t lead the healthiest lifestyles, but hey, we love our jobs!
That’s a summary of some of the interesting highlights from the 2019 Stage Manager Survey. Now, go out there (or stay inside in these pandemic times) and spill all this awesome info to the world.