From: GAzPuppets-AT-aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 14:13:43 EDT
Subject: Re: PUPT: Money



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In a message dated 8/31/2002 10:32:25 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
liz-AT-etherboy.com writes:


> Come on all
> you shy folks out there.  You don't have to tell us exactly what you 
> charge, if that is unsettling, the goal here is to find out how you come
> up with your numbers.  What is the magic calculation that you work with?
> 
> Although; Brid brings up a good point, I have always wondered why it
> seemed that most folks charged less for their workshops than their
> shows. 

Prices charged have to vary a lot between communities, as does the cost of 
living.  

When we first started we always considered the theater an equal partner with 
the performers.  In other words, if it was a one person show, half would go 
to the performer and half to the company.  For a two person show, each person 
and the company would get a third.  It built up money in the bank for the 
company in the early years.  The downside was if someone was busy building a 
show and not performing, they didn't get paid.  

Now most everybody's on salary so they get the same paycheck no matter how 
much or little they perform.  Everybody on our staff pretty much works their 
butt off and are very versatile and quite cheerful, too.

In Phoenix our prices start at $150 for an easy set-up 1 person show.  Then 
it's $250 up to $400 for a 2 person show depending on set-up difficulty.  
$750 for our biggest show with 4 puppeteers.  There are price discounts for 
back-to-back shows.  And we charge extra for outdoors or working through a 
booking agent. 

We charge one-time workshops just like a one person show.  I figure if they 
weren't doing a workshop, I could book the puppeteer to do a show elsewhere 
so charge the same and it's just as much work, if not more.  

Arizona's arts commission, which funds most of the residencies we do, 
stipulate  $37.50/artist/hour for workshops, with 4 hours per day.  We insist 
on working with two people to a classroom, so 2 people will bring in $300/day 
for the company.  We can charge whatever we like for the shows we do at a 
residency.  We don't actively solicit residencies unless it's a school or a 
community where we'd really like to work.  

Hope I don't sound too cynical.  To quote Jonathan Swift, "A wise man should 
have money in his head, but not in his heart."

Nancy Smith
Great Arizona Puppet Theater
www.azpuppets.org

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