Hi Nick,
I receive a small supplement to produce "drama activities." I do one full-length musical in the spring as one of those "activities." I try to make that show as practical as possible by structuring my lesson planning around it (script analysis lessons, tech theatre, and even business/marketing). This is one of the reasons my administration has been so supportive of our program.
I am lucky to have a wonderful choral director that enjoys working as our music director. I pay her a flat fee (based on the previous year's ticket sales). She often donates a portion of that back to the program because she's just that good.
In addition, one of our English teachers loves musical theatre and plays piano at her church. She approached me several years ago and volunteered her skills. She functions as our rehearsal pianist, and plays in the pit when we can afford a live band. I pay her a small honorarium of a couple of hundred dollars. She also helps recruit other adult musicians to flesh out our pit and I pay them a couple of hundred dollars for doing so. Again, they often donate some of that money back to the program because they have so much fun working with our kids.
Our choreographer is a professional dancer and instructor. Many of my students have studied with her since they were little. She comes in a couple of Saturdays and lays out the large production numbers. I have a couple of students function as Dance Captains to run the dance rehearsals once she teaches them the choreography. I pay her a flat fee as well.
Because I have heard too many "horror stories" about booster clubs gone awry, I make sure that my administration is involved in all of the decisions regarding these payments. In over 15 years, no one has said they won't do the shows because they felt the money was too small. As professional performer myself, I understand the necessity of being fairly compensated for one's work.
Good luck with it!!!
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Josh Ruben, M. Ed.
Fine Arts Head
Northwest Whitfield HS (dba, The Northwest Theatre Co.)
Tunnel Hill, GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-11-2023 19:12
From: Nick Hoffa
Subject: how do you pay your music directors and choreographers
Hey everyone, we are in the process of trying to rethink how we compensate our musical director/ choreographer. Would be helpful to have a sense from the community so we can go to admin as informed as possible. Have a few seconds to answer a few questions?
a) Are your musical director / choreographer already part of the school staff?
b) If yes, is participation in the musical part of their job description or an add-on?
c) Are they paid from the district (stipend, etc) or does it come out of your production budget for that particular show?
Thank you in advance.
Nick
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Nick Hoffa
Drama Director
South Pasadena High School
CA
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