Whether you’re a triple threat dreaming of the Broadway lights, an aspiring cast member hoping to perform at the most magical place on Earth, or a stage manager putting on a regional production in your hometown, odds are that you’ll find yourself working under an Actors’ Equity Association agreement. In this article, we’ll go over the labor union’s major contracts protecting theatrical actors and stage managers.
Actors’ Equity contracts comprise collective bargaining agreements across different types of theater operations and locations. Individual contracts falling under the relevant collective agreement usually cover one of three categories of jobs: principal, chorus, and stage manager.
Beyond negotiating for safe working conditions, benefits, and job security, the union also ensures fair wages for members. Equity minimum rates differ based on the theater size and budget, number of shows and hours per week, performer tier, and travel required.
Most of the agreements are only accessible to active members through the Member Portal; however, you can scroll down to the Tier Structure Highlights section of the Guest Artist Agreement found here to get an idea of how the Actors’ Equity pay scale operates across different tiers.
How do I join Equity?
Not yet a member of Equity? Here’s how to join:
Open Access: Stage actors and managers who work professionally on a theatrical production within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction can join under its Open Access policy. Simply fill out the eligibility questionnaire, submit your application with proof of work and payment, and pay the initiation fee to join.
Contract: Those employed on an Equity contract can join the union while working under that contract. Some contracts may require certain lengths of employment.
4As: The Associated Actors and Artistes of America, or 4As, is a federation representing multiple performing artists’ unions. Members of at least one year in any of the 4As—SAG-AFTRA, American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), and Guild of Italian American Actors (GIAA)—can buy into Equity if they have at least one principal contract or three background contracts under their belt. For more information, check out our comprehensive guide to joining Actors’ Equity.
As detailed on Equity’s Contracts & Codes page, its agreements fall under one of four geographical categories: national, western, eastern, or central.
National agreements
Business Theatre and Events
Actors and stage managers are compensated on a daily or weekly basis under this agreement. It encompasses various corporate live performances aimed at promoting products or services, such as trade shows, conventions, and interactive presentations.
Cabaret
This agreement governs productions held in cabaret-style theaters where audience members primarily sit at tables, often accompanied by food and/or drinks.
Casino
Actors operating on a Casino contract can be employed in theaters or performance spaces within casino/hotel properties. The agreement includes seven salary tiers based on seating capacity, applicable to both full-length and tab-version shows.
CORST & COST
The Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST) Agreement pertains to resident dramatic stock productions and is used by both commercial and not-for-profit producers. It comprises four categories determined by certified actual weekly box office gross receipts. Similarly, the Council of Stock Theatres (COST) Agreement applies to nonresident dramatic or musical stock productions and features six tiers with varying salary minimums.
Dinner Theatre
Theaters hosting consecutive productions where meals are served either in the same room as the performance or in a nearby room fall under this contract. Each production must run for a minimum of three weeks, and the theater must operate year-round.
Guest Artist
Used by not-for-profit educational or community theaters that occasionally hire professional guest actors, this agreement features three salary tiers determined by the number of regularly scheduled performances.
LORT
The League of Resident Theatres (LORT) Agreement is used by not-for-profit, professional, regional theaters across the U.S. Five of the six categories are determined by actual weekly box office gross averaged over three years, dictating salary and personnel requirements. The sixth category (A+) applies to LORT productions on Broadway.
Midsize Theatres
Tailored for theaters located outside major metropolitan areas that seat up to 699 patrons and put on single productions, this contract calculates payments based on the theater’s potential weekly box office revenue.
MSUA
The Musical Stock and Unit Attractions (MUSA) Agreement is used with large outdoor amphitheaters that produce their own shows, tour on Unit Attraction Agreements, or engage in consecutive stock jobbing contracts.
Production
A broad contract that covers Broadway and first-class, non-touring productions, and is applicable to both commercial and not-for-profit producers, Production Agreements mandate minimums as well as per diem payments.
Small Professional Theatre
With 10 salary categories based on performance number and weekly hours, this is applicable to theaters outside of New York and Chicago with under 350 seats.
Special Appearance
Small community theaters outside of major cities hiring professionals for special appearances fall under this contract, which features two salary tiers based on seating capacity, box office gross, and the number of weekly performances.
Theatre for Young Audiences
An agreement that pertains to plays specifically aimed at children, this offers either a weekly contract or a per-performance contract.
Touring
Equity and the Broadway League created a unified touring agreement that includes higher minimums, paid housing, and higher per diems for touring productions.
URTA
The University/Resident Theatres Association (URTA) Agreement is aimed at colleges and universities that hire professional actors and stage managers to perform alongside students. It has four minimum salary tiers determined by weekly box office gross and the number of performances.
Western agreements
Bay Area Theatre
Offering six salary tiers based on box office gross, accommodating varying seating capacities, and weekly performance numbers, this applies to seasonal, not-for-profit theaters in the Bay Area with up to 399 seats.
Hollywood Area Theatre
An agreement that’s applicable to theaters with 599 seats or fewer that host productions in L.A., this comprises three payment categories determined by seating capacity.
L.A. 99-Seat Theatre
This applies to theaters in Los Angeles County with under 99 seats, setting salaries according to minimum wage standards.
WCLO
The Western Civic Light Opera (WCLO) Agreement is used by community not-for-profit musical theaters located in the Western region.
Eastern agreements
Development
Used for the creation of new works, typically before a Production Agreement is arranged, this comprises three contract tiers: Tiers 1 and 2 are restricted to two weeks, while Tier 3 spans from two to eight weeks.
Disney World
The Disney World Agreement pertains to theatrical performers working at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
Mini
Theaters with less than 100 seats in NYC fall under this agreement, which follows Off-Broadway work rules.
NEAT
Boston productions in venues with under 400 seats may fall under the New England Area Theatres (NEAT) Agreement.
Orlando Area Theatre
Theaters in the Orlando area can use this to hire individual guest professional actors for any single production.
Off-Broadway
This agreement applies to theaters with fewer than 500 seats in Manhattan, New York City, excluding those within the Broadway District. It includes five categories categorized by seating capacity.
Central agreements
Chicago Area Theatre
Theaters in the Chicago area with a capacity of 900 seats or less use this agreement, which features tiered contracts.
NOLA
The New Orleans (NOLA) Agreement sets minimum rates across four salary tiers, as determined by number of performances and rehearsal hours, for actors and stage managers used for performances in the Big Easy.