bills, bills, bills #14

A week in the life and wallet of a Broadway stagehand

Bills, Bills, Bills is a monthly series of anonymous money diaries from theatre workers curated and edited by Jenna Clark Embrey. The full archive is available here.

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editor’s note

This month’s column is the first to feature a Broadway worker and it’s a great example of what a living wage looks like in New York City for someone under 30 with no dependents. As is usually the case with the theater workers we’ve featured in Bills, Bills, Bills, there is some magic to how their life and career works—in this case, it’s no student loans and a unicorn of an apartment and a partner to split bills with. It should also be noted that this is our first columnist who is heading to a show every evening (and twice on Wednesdays and Saturdays), which of course has its pros (leisurely mornings!) and cons (leaving gatherings early because you have to be at work at weird times and on weird days). If you enjoy cats and ice cream and off-peak subway rides, this one is for you.

This month’s contributor has opted to donate their honorarium to Flatbush Cats.

Age: 27

Job/Position: I am an IATSE union stagehand. I joined the union when I started working for a Broadway show last February. Currently I am the Head Sound for a Broadway play with a limited run.  I maintain the sound system and design in a daily capacity. I run the show every day, following a track that I developed myself that entails checking the sound system, mic-ing talent and practical props, and mixing the show, taking cues from the stage manager for sound effects. This is a very sound effects heavy show and a very light mix, so it has been very chill.

In addition to working in theatre full-time, I am also a watercolor painter. My commissions are always $100 cash and I do these whenever I have time. It’s a little hobby that people saw value in, so it gives me a little extra cash on the side. I honestly don’t know how much I make from these commissions in a year because it varies, but this year so far I’ve done three and I have six more to do.

Yearly Income: My annual income fluctuates due to the freelance nature of my work. When I am on contract for a Broadway show, I make about $80/hour. My current contract pays me $2,550/week. That includes 8 shows. If we have a rehearsal or a work call outside of our regular show calls, then I get paid $75/hour at a 4-hour minimum. My weekly pre-tax income often ranges from $2,550 to $3,000 a week.

Last year, my income was $82,000. I do not know what I will be working on in the fall, so that plays a huge role in my possible income. If I get another show with a union contract, I could make over 120K this year, but if I don’t and I end up freelancing a lot more (Broadway, Off-Broadway, corporate work, etc.), then I will likely make 90K.

I live with my partner, so we share a lot of monthly expenses like food. We split bills evenly, but I make a lot more than he does; he works in the television/film industry. I try to pay for shared stuff out of my own pocket, like dinner out, or a cab ride home.

Debt: I have very little debt. I have one credit card that I opened in college and I always pay it off before it reaches $1,000. I never pay it off fully. My dad told me to keep some amount on credit cards, since paying it off fully means that the credit company can’t make any money off of you and they don’t like that. I have no clue if this is true, but I guess it works for me, because my credit score has only ever fluctuated between 770-810.

I do not have student loans. My parents were adamant about education and they paid my way and my sister’s way through to the end of college. After that, we were on our own and I have never received money from them since. I am eternally grateful for this start in life. It has allowed me to take opportunities freely without worrying about debt.

Savings: I just recently opened a Roth IRA, and I have Annuity and Pension accounts through my union. I also have a regular savings account, and a high yield savings account. Most of these accounts were opened in the last year, and the Roth IRA was opened this month.

• Roth IRA: $2,150

• Annuity: $6,063

• Pension: $1,648

• Savings: $5,000

• High Yield Savings: $17,657

Every week, I have my accounts automatically move money from my savings into my Roth IRA and into my High Yield Savings. $100/week goes to the IRA, and $300/week goes to the HYSA. Pension and Annuity from my union come out of my paychecks.

Checking: $1600

Monthly Bills:

• Rent: $500. Okay, this is where things get kind of wild. I have a very lucky housing situation, one of those crazy New York stories that you only hear about and never experience. Long story short, my boyfriend got very lucky and ended up in a formerly rent-controlled one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for $1000/month. We split the cost.

I split the following costs with either my boyfriend or my family (phone).

• Con Ed: $50

• Internet: $35

• Phone: $50 

• Cat food/supplies : $50. We have two cats that claim they are always starving. 

• Subscriptions: My family and I share streaming subscriptions. My mom pays for Netflix, I pay for Hulu and HBO, and my sister pays for Disney+ and we all share. My boyfriend’s family pays for Amazon.

  • Spotify/Hulu: $11. I am addicted to music and watching King of the Hill, so this subscription is invaluable.

  • HBO Max: $16

• Discord: $5

• DropBox: $12 (essential for work)

• Apple iCloud Storage: $0.99/month

• GrubHub Plus: $0. This is free through my bank and gives me $0 delivery on every order, which I just funnel back into the tip.

• Lemonade: $0. I normally have renter’s insurance but my boyfriend pays for both of us through his account.

• Donations: $25/month to Flatbush Cats. I love cats and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) work in NYC is so thankless. The least I can do is donate to keep their operations going.

Yearly Expenses

• I pay for an accountant (last year I had 16 W2’s), I had a referral coupon, so the total came out to $250. I also ended up owing about $650 between NY state and federal taxes.

• I get my health insurance through my union, which has no immediate expenses.

• My largest expense outside of rent is actually tattoos. I have a lot of them, mostly from two specific artists who have become dear friends of mine. I have a $500 tattoo booked later this month. I often get one or two a year, and maybe spend $500-$2,000 a year on tattoos in total, depending on the size or intricacy. This is something I don’t think twice about because I love the art, and I love giving my money directly to fellow artists. This year so far, I have spent $1000 on tattoos, with the next $500 one bringing me up to $1,500 total.

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Monday 

Today is my day off! Happy Monday. I wake up around 10:30am but don’t get out of bed until 11am. It is BEAUTIFUL out today, so I promise myself I’m going outside. I make a latte at home to start the day and eat some cereal. Get dressed, pack my saddle bags, and I’m out at 1pm.

On my way to the park, I stop by a local café and buy a chicken panini. I tip as well. ($17.66) When I get to Randall’s Island I’m starving so I sit down at a picnic table and eat half of the panini, saving the rest for later. I lounge around on a big blanket I brought, read some of my book, and sunbathe (after applying one metric ton of sunscreen). At 3pm, I get up and bike around the whole island, and then cross the pedestrian bridge back to Manhattan. I’m home at 4pm.

I bring my bike into the apartment and I’m suddenly craving red meat. I text my partner, asking if he can make steaks tonight. He agrees so I run downstairs to our local butcher and grab two flank steaks. It is so awesome living next to a real butcher shop ($26.56).

I’m hungry again, so I eat a bit of the leftover pasta that my partner made on Friday. I unpack my saddle bags and take a nap until he comes home.

My partner comes home and wakes me up. He gets right to cooking the steaks. I make some asparagus that we already have as a side. My partner and I talk about Breath of the Wild: Tears of the Kingdom that’s releasing on Friday this week. I realize I haven’t pre-ordered it, so I hop on my Switch and purchase the game ($74.53).

We have some ice cream and my partner goes to bed at 11. I put on King of the Hill and fall asleep by 12.

Total Spent: $118.75

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Tuesday

I’m awoken at 10am by my front door opening??? It’s my partner, he’s home from work. The WGA strike is picketing his workplace today, so his co-workers cheered on the picketers, then turned around and went home for the day. On their way back to the train, they all picked up breakfast sandwiches to at least get their paid lunch for the day. We split the bacon, egg, and cheese on a sweet roll. It is divine.

Since my partner is home, we decide to go for a walk through Central Park. Before we leave, we have leftovers for lunch. I heat up my leftover panini for my partner and I have some Mexican food that I got for lunch on Saturday. We walk for a few hours and get back in time for me to get ready for work and pack my dinner (leftover chicken pasta).

It’s Tuesday, so I have an evening show call at 6:30pm for an 8pm show. I make my way to Times Square via the subway and swipe using OMNY ($2.75). I eat dinner during some down time in my pre-show. We run the show, I shut down the system, and then I’m on my way home around 10pm (another $2.75).

I’m hungry again on my way home, so I stop by Taco Bell and pick up a Quesarito and some chips and queso for my partner ($13.24). 

Total Spent: $18.74

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Wednesday

It’s a two show day today! I wake up at 10am and make coffee. Allergies are really kicking my butt today, so I take a Mucinex DM and get ready and then I’m on my way to work a little early. I pack lunch, more leftover pasta. 

I get to work, eat lunch (breakfast?), and we run the first show.

For dinner, I’m meeting my friend. We meet at an Ethiopian place (vegetarian!) near both of our theaters. He pays for dinner and our coffees after, which is super nice and unnecessary. I promised to get it next time. My call isn’t until 6:30pm, so we walk back to his theater and he gives me a backstage tour and introduces me to the union house head and other full-time staff. We hug goodbye and I head back to my theater with enough time to take a quick nap, then run the second show.

In pre-show, I purchase some work supplies on Amazon. These are for me, but I will use them for the show, so I buy with my personal card ($14.16).

Since my allergies were horrible today, my partner buys more Mucinex since I got it last time. I get home and shower and we head to bed around 11pm. I’m not tired so I scroll through social media and get influenced to buy a romper, which I have been wanting for a while. It is 100% cotton from a sustainable, fair-wage company. I’m trying to buy less clothes, with higher standards. I stopped fast fashion a while ago. I buy the romper, and a few pairs of socks too, before calling it a night ($116).

Total Spent: $135.66, including two subway trips ($2.75 each way)

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Thursday

I wake up around 10am with horrible allergies again, my nose clogged. I make myself a latte at home and crawl back into bed and blow my nose in between sips of coffee. Finally get dressed, extra comfy today, and am out the door at noon.

Today we have a put-in for our lovely understudy. Unfortunately I feel awful today so I order a lunch sandwich and another coffee for free Grub Hub Plus delivery to the stage door ($20.47 including tip). I scarf down half the sandwich and chug the coffee before prepping the understudy’s mics and testing the sound system. We run the show, and our understudy did great. I so admire their work. Understudies and swings make the impossible possible.

Dinner is provided by stage management today as thanks for all of our hard work. I grab a huge quesadilla, guac, a steak taco, and devour it all. It’s pay day so I decide to put some of that money towards my credit card bill that I've been ignoring. A $700 payment brings it down to a balance of $300.

Later on in the day, it’s time for a Payday Impulse Purchase! A vintage shop in New Jersey is selling a beautiful walnut mirror that we're going to use to fill our street-facing wall. We split the cost, which includes curbside delivery ($200 each).

I get home and download Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 eagerly. My partner picked up some beer on his way home so we crack them together and snuggle up.

We stay up and I watch him play through the tutorial section. We’re both asleep by 1am.

Total Spent: $225.97, including two subway trips

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Friday

I wake up around 10am. I finally have some free time today, so I commit it to chores. I get ready, head to the grocery store, and pick up some essential groceries and cook ($46.40). I spend the afternoon making meatballs, salsa verde, and peach tea infused with extra mint from the salsa, with lemons. I finish up, get ready for work, and I’m out the door at 5:45. I eat my leftover sandwich from yesterday for dinner at work. After the show, I have drinks with coworkers in the green room for a half hour, then run home to hang out with my partner.  We stay up playing Legend of Zelda. We head to bed at 12am, and then we go to sleep at 1am—wink.

Total Spent: $51.90 total, including two subway trips 

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Saturday

I wake up around 10am, make coffee and spend the morning with my partner. I lose track of time and get ready for work at the last second and rush out the door. I forgot the leftovers I had packed for today and don’t have time to run back, so I pick up croissants ($12.40) from a bakery down the street before hopping on the train. 

We run the first show, then for dinner break our producer has bought everyone pizza! I spend dinner break working on some of my pet portraits. I try to paint in between shows, since it’s the best time for me to focus. We run the second show. I weave my way around the Saturday night Times Square tourist crowd and hop on a train home. 

My partner's cousins are in town, so I meet them at a restaurant close to our apartment. The kitchen closes soon so we order quickly, eat, and head back to our apartment to hang out a bit longer. We accidentally tipped them on top of the 20% service charge, so our bill is bigger than expected, but we all agree that service workers deserve it. My partner's cousin pays, but I Venmo him my portion ($50). At around 1am, we’re all exhausted, so we exchange hugs goodbye and then my partner and I head immediately to sleep.

Total Spent: $67.90, including two subway trips 

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Sunday 

We wake up a bit before 9:30am. We’re trying to meet my parents at 11am for Mother’s Day. We make lattes and get ready quickly. I realize I definitely need to eat something or else I will be very cranky, so we stop by a coffee shop and I buy us some pastries ($12.65). We meet my family outside the museum. My parents are members so my mom has already got all of our tickets. We explore the museum and I say goodbye at about 1pm and hoof it to work. At this point I’m starving again but I realize I don't have time to grab something, so my partner offers to grab food and drop it at the theater. He is the best.

I get to work and while I’m in the middle of preset for the show, my partner calls me to say he’s here. I run out and he hands me a chopped cheese and an iced coffee. I give him a big thankful smooch and run back inside. After the show, we have a small champagne toast in the green room to thank our PA who is going off to tour. Then I head home. 

When I get home, I heat up the meatballs for dinner, crack a beer, and sit down to watch my partner play more Legend of Zelda. This game is. so. good. We decide we absolutely need ice cream, so we head to our local small biz ice cream shop, stopping first at CVS so I can buy some medicated acne patches and other skincare. My skin is always a wild card and this week has been hellish ($28.14).

We get to the ice cream shop, my treat. We get waffle cones and our choice of ice cream (chocolate addiction for me and space cake for him). The total is $16 for the ice cream and I leave a $4 tip ($20). We end the night by playing Legend of Zelda and eating ice cream, then head to bed around midnight.

Total Spent: $53.64, including two subway trips 

Total Weekly Spending: $672.56