A tough choice for actors

In the last week I have been looking around the fringe theatre scene in Sydney. Often a vibrant and exciting theatre alternative to the mainstream productions. The one word that goes with most of the fringe theatre scene is “co-op”. Just about every show performed in our small theatres in any of our capital cities – are co op productions.**

In the last week I have been looking around the fringe theatre scene in Sydney. Often a vibrant and exciting theatre alternative to the mainstream productions. The one word that goes with most of the fringe theatre scene is “co-op”. Just about every show performed in our small theatres in any of our capital cities – are co op productions.**

For the uninitiated, this means, in short, the actors are not paid, until the end of the run, IF there is any money left over. This is a world away from  amateur theatre. But in a sense the needs and priorities of the actors are much the same. The actors involved need to balance rehearsals with still earning enough money elsewhere to be able to subsidise what they are doing. It is a  tough choice  for an actor, going into  a co-op production.

Over the years, many actors have sought my advice as to whether to do this or not. I find it hard to give a black and white answer. The very good co-ops, directed by experienced and professional directors can often be wonderful creative experiences. Yet it is always a risk as to whether the actors make any money at the end of it. There are so many factors that financially make it impossible for a co-op production to ever have any money left over to pay the actors. Actors need to know this before they enter this world.  The MEAA have strict guidelines for professional actors in regard to co-ops, and a good production will alert Equity to their production and follow their guidelines. But the guidelines are put down to make sure that IF there is  money it is shared around in keeping with whatever contract is set out by the actors for that particularly co-operative. But if there is no money left no one gets paid. If there is $5000 left over  and there are fifteen in the co op (actors, director, creatives etc) it doesn’t take much brain work to know how much money the individual takes home. Milk money ,as one actors once put it to me.

So why do it? Well the answer is very clear. It gives an actor enormous exposure. If the production is staged at the Darlinghurst Theatre, The Old Fitz, the Stables  or downstairs at Belvoir, you can be pretty sure your production will be professionally reviewed. The industry will see your work and it can be the first step in getting commercial managements or subsidised theatre companies to take notice of you. One very good reason for doing a co  operative.

Secondly, it can often be the chance to play the dream role you have always wanted or work in a show that may never get a mainstream production that you have always loved.

A good example of this, is the current production at the Darlinghurst Theatre of the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, cut back to a cast of seven in a tiny space with a small band,  it is a very good example of fine actors and an experienced director working to produce a show that is (a) much loved by many people and (b)has  sadly never been given a proper full scale commercial production.

James Lee and Frank Hansen who play the leads, are terrific actors who have (up to now) never been given roles of this magnitude and they rise to their tasks admirably. It’s wonderful to watch such pros being given a chance to play two of the most sought after roles in  modern musical theatre. Their faces have been everywhere in the press, on the cover of  SX magazine, and in fact they have been photographed by Kurt Snedden, whose photographic work is now much sought after both nationally and (with his recent shot of Bernadette Peters) internationally.

This is  wonderful exposure and experience for these actors. Sure, with a large cast and several musicians involved, even with the theatre selling out most performances, at the end of the season, these actors may only be taking home “milk money”, Yet the lift it will give these actors careers cannot be measured.

Yet there are other less favourable examples, where the actors walk away with no money and a bad experience to boot and bad press which they don’t need.

Doing a co op  is a tough choice for actors and requires a fair degree of risk. The only advice I give actors in these circumstances, is look at the product, want to do the play, know and like the work of the director and go along to the first auditions ,they will tell you a lot. The tone and manner of the way auditions are handled and the standard of the actors coming along can be big signposts as to whether to get involved or not.  Never easy, but often well worth the risks.

** Footnote- not all productions in small fringe theatres are co-ops. Some productions downstairs at Belvoir for example and productions within the main stage season at the Stables (the ones actually produced by Griffin) involve full payment of the actors.