How much does an average director make?

How much can you make as a theater actor/director/stage-manager?

• I'm 17 years old (female) and would like to peruse a career in theater. I'm very interested in acting, directing and stage-managing. I'm not looking to make millions or to be mega famous( though of course that would be nice :P) I just need to know if I would make enough to support myself. How much would you make as an actor/director and or stage-manager on a cruise line? National tour? Local theaters? Broadway? Camp director? High school director? I'd really like to know all of options and the pay. I'd prefer to hear form those who are in theater as a profession, but of course all our welcome. Thanks ahead of time!

• Answer:

  Broadway actors make about 1600/week, same on National Tour (give or take the per Diem) that may sound like a lot, but unless you are really lucky, you don't work every week of the year. Jobs are temporary. New York is a money drain so if you are on Broadway the 1600 isn't going far. You can do well on a tour if you share rooms and stretch the HECK out of your per Diem. There's only so long you want to live out of the two suitcases they allow you though. Laundry is a pain. If you mean a regional theater, if you're professional the pay can be anywhere from 531 to 800 bucks a week. These gigs are all short term and temporary. Sometimes they'll pay for your housing while you're out there though. Camp director salaries vary by camp, contact each for an idea. High School directors are usually just normal teachers at the school who volunteer their time to direct after school (drama teachers, English teachers etc) salary varies by state. Directors and Stage Managers work under different equity contracts, and make more. This is for professional theater only (major regionals, Broadway, equity national tours) - work can be just as spotty. I have no idea about the cruise line salaries, I've never worked there but I don't think that is equity. You can make a living doing this, it's just very hard and there's a lot of waiting tables or collecting unemployment between jobs.