I have not worked at this theatre. Most likely, I nevef will. Honestly, I dodged a bullet.
Yesterday, 06/25/23, I was offered Avram the Bookseller & Bottle Dancer track in Fiddler on the Roof, a track I had previously played in 2017. I was offered $400/week with housing & transportation included. This offer was made by Todd Booth, the executive producer who often directs the shows, but this time was playing Tevye. When I told him I was based in Orange County, CA, he started complaining about how expensive it would be to fly me out & even tried to reduce my pay to $375/week to compensate for flying me out. That was an orange flag, at best. I asked him when he needed a decision and he said, "Yesterday". I jokingly asked him if he had beeen trying to contact me and I wasn't replying, to which he said yes. I was shocked to hear this. I originally told him I would have my decision by the end of business day EST, but I then texted him to say I needed a full 24 hours to make my decision. After telling him I needed 24 hours, he offered understudying Motel as well via text message.
I submitted for Fiddler via their online form & email on May 30th. I checked my phone history yesterday and just now. I didn't and still don't see any recent calls labled as a Florida number since May 30th. I definitely didn't recieve any email from him or the theater. While I can't be 100% positive, I think he was lying to me about previosuly attempting to contact me in order to create a false sense of urgency.
Today, 06/26/23, I called him with my counter offer, which is as follows. Please note, these were all high balls, the best case scenarios with plenty of room for back and forth communication and compromise:
$550/week salary
Guarenteed matinee performances as Motel (2/8 performances a week)
My own room (Even I didn't have much faith in this one, but you have to ask, or you'll never know)
Additional $100/performance for every night I go on as Motel (not to include any guarenteed performances)
Like I said, these were my high balls so there would be plenty of room for negotiation. I was immediately told and this is almost a verbatim quote, "I think we should no longer communicate." I said, "Thank you. Have a good day" and hung up. This phone call happened within the last hour.
I had been in communication with someone I briefly went to college with who has worked at this theater numerous times. When I told them the offer was rescinded and informed them what I wanted within my counter offer, they reassured me that the pay I was asking for was reasonable, everyone since they've worked there has gotten their own room and they suspect the pushback came from the understudy part. "They usually pay $50 or so more per performance if you go on." Fifty dollars was my low ball, but there was no attempt by Todd at all to negotiate.
At most, this theatre is a giant red flag. At least, the executive producer, Todd Booth, is the red flag and again, he usually directs the shows. Procede with caution or simply stay away.
Actors: don't settle for bad treatement. Fight for what you want & your worth. I did not feel a sense of loss when the offer was rescinded. I felt relieved that I stood up for myself and avoided a situation where I clearly would've been treated poorly. Take care of yourselves.