The Omaha Community Playhouse, a staple for theater-lovers in the State’s largest city, will begin paying its performers and backstage crew for the first time in their nearly 100-year history.
Performers and backstage crew members who work every performance will be compensated for each production that they participate in. In the past, performances relied on volunteers. Executive director Katie Broman said there were many community members that wanted this to happen and was something that has been in the works for years. She said it will hopefully retain talent in Omaha, and potentially even bring in new talent.
Broman said compensation will vary from show to show, depending on the number of days the show will go for.
The compensation will be raised through fundraising, and the amount of pay for each production will be posted on the coordinating audition page. For the upcoming play, The Mystery of Irma Vep, onstage performers will each receive a total of $725 and full-run backstage crew members will receive $380. The play will go from October 8th to November 7th.