OFF-BROADWAY

For all commercial Off Broadway contracts, the following terms are standard unless otherwise indicated. The side musician scale includes a guaranteed first double at 12½ percent (this premium doesn’t pay additional money; it is factored into the base scale). Premiums for rehearsals are 12½ percent for the first double and 6¼ percent for each additional. Additional doubles for performances also pay a 6¼ percent premium. The playing contractor and librarian premiums are 25 percent and 6¼ percent respectively. Orchestras of ten or more musicians pay 50 percent for the playing contractor and 12½ percent for the librarian. Musicians receive a vacation premium as of the 16th week of employment and thereafter in their weekly wages. Musicians earn one sick performance off for every 48 performances worked. Health benefits are $7.25 per service and are capped at $58 per week. Pension is 9 percent of wages. Musicians have identity of product rights for three years following the end of the production. There is a 3 percent wage increase as of Dec. 20, 2003 and Dec. 20, 2004.

Zanna Don’t: Local 802 reached a three-year agreement with Maria Di Dia Productions LLC, for Zanna Don’t at the 286-seat John Houseman Theatre. The side musician scale is $670 for an eight-performance week. All additional premiums for performances are calculated on a base of $595.56. The premium for the music director is 40 percent; the associate director premium is 15 percent. The synthesizer premium is 20 percent. The weekly rehearsal/audition scale is $725 for a 40-hour/six-day week. Hourly rehearsals pay $27.50, and hourly orchestra rehearsals pay $19.50, with a minimum two-hour call. There are four musicians in the production.

Dream a Little Dream: Local 802 negotiated a contract with California Dream Productions, LLC, Eric Nederlander, producer, for Dream a Little Dream at the 399-seat Village Theatre. The side musician scale is $750 for an eight-performance week. All additional premiums for performances are calculated on a base of $666.67. The premiums for the music director and the associate conductor are 50 percent and 15 percent respectively. The rehearsal/audition scale is $800 for a 40-hour/six-day workweek, with an hourly wage of $32.50. The hourly wage for the orchestra is $22. This production utilizes a large number of doubles and the employer has the option of guaranteeing a minimum of $900 for a workweek of 40 hours or less which would include all doubles. This option can be utilized for three weeks. The synthesizer premium is 25 percent. There are five musicians covered by the agreement and all have identity of product rights.

Showtune: The Jerry Herman Review: The union negotiated a three-month contract with Showtune Productions LLC, Peter Bogyo, general manager, for Showtune at the 147-seat theatre at St. Peter’s Church. The side musician wage for an eight-performance week is $550. Additional performance premiums are on a base of $488.89. Premiums are 25 percent for the music director and 10 percent for the associate conductor. The 40-hour weekly rehearsal/audition scale is $600. The hourly rate is $22.50, or $19 hourly for the orchestra, with a minimum two-hour call. The synthesizer premium is 12½ percent. Two musicians are in the production and both have identity of product rights.

Elegies – A Song Cycle: Local 802 negotiated a six-week agreement with Lincoln Center for Elegies, at the 299-seat Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre. The side musician scale is $238.53 per performance; second performances on Sunday are paid at time and a half. Premiums are 50 percent for the conductor and 25 percent for the associate conductor. The weekly rehearsal/audition musician scale is $875 for a 42-hour/6-day workweek. The hourly rehearsal rate is $34 per hour – $22 per hour for the orchestra – with a minimum two-hour call. Orchestra rehearsals after 7 p.m. pay $45.68 hourly with a minimum two-hour call. Rehearsal overtime is $22.84 for each half hour, or, after eight hours worked, $34.26 per half hour. Additional premiums are 12½ percent for first doubles and for serving as librarian, 25 percent for synthesizer and 6¼ percent for subsequent doubles. Musicians appearing on stage receive $8 per performance. Cartage pays $16 per round trip. Vacation is 5 percent as of the beginning of employment. Health benefits are $24 per service and capped at $54 per week. Pension is 9 percent of wages. There is currently one musician in the production who has full identity of product rights for three years.

WORKSHOPS

Suddenly Hope: An agreement was reached with Israel, Oh Israel, Intl., Inc., Bryan Byrd, general manager, for a workshop production of Suddenly Hope, at the Ripley Grier Studios. The side musician wages are $400 for a five-day/20-hour week and $800 for up to 40 hours over a six-day week. The music director premium is 50 percent. Musicians hired by the hour are paid $25 per hour and the music director earns $50 per hour, with a minimum two-hour call. Workshop presentations are $75 for three hours of performance or less. Overtime pays time and a half. Doubling pays 12½ for the first and 6¼ percent for each additional. The synthesizer premium is 25 percent and cartage is fully reimbursed. Vacation is 6 percent, pension is 8 percent and health benefits are $58 per musician per week.