The stagehands of Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees bring some of New York City’s most glittering stage effects to life, from the auditoriums of Lincoln Center to the theaters of Broadway. But their work comes at a steep price, even at venues where they do little more than load in orchestras and set up music stands.
Those high costs were underscored by a stagehands walkout that forced the cancellation of this season’s opening night at Carnegie Hall and called attention to the hall’s five full-time stagehands’ total yearly compensation, an average of more than $400,000 each. An examination of tax records, contracts and other documents by The New York Times found that hefty stagehand salaries at many New York nonprofit performance institutions are more widespread than was previously known.
At nine top such institutions that have contracts with Local 1, stagehands make up 36 of the 98 most highly compensated employees, or about 37 percent. The average annual total salary and benefits of those highest-paid stagehands, at places from the Metropolitan Opera to the Roundabout Theater Company, is nearly $310,000, according to the nonprofits’ most recent tax filings.
Stagehands loading sets at the old Met, which didn't have backstage storage Photo from Metropolitan Opera Archives
Backstage workers can earn more than the onstage talent. Five stagehands at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center were each paid more in total compensation in 2011 than the highest-paid dancer at New York City Ballet, filings showed. And, in 2010, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark paid its stagehands a total of $138,000 a week, while the principals and members of the ensemble earned slightly less than $100,000 put together, according to documents submitted to the state attorney general’s office.
Inevitably, there are many responses to such provocative topic, but the Times apparently didn't entertain comments (we, at SFCV, assuredly do — please speak your mind), but a similar article at Forbes magazine had retorts galore, including this from stagehand John Motsinger:
Please go get a degree, at the very least, in this field before you talk about the nature of my profession or how difficult it is. WE don’t just push a piano, we are highly skilled electrician with years of focus specifically for lighting a stage. WE are carpenters than could build you a house but instead we create an entire world on stage every 4-6 weeks. We rig thousands of pounds objects to fly in and out safely, without hardhats being used. (One of the very few industries allowed to do that actually) Because we are that damn good. So please tell me about the electrician that sets up a touring 400 lighting instrument show every day for months so the band can do their show and why they aren’t of value. Trust me these men are not random guys of the street but rather masters of their crafts who have earned the position that they hold.
