Negotiating your Engagement Contract

Other duties are those beyond ordinary stage management duties and responsibilities identified in the relevant Agreement or engagement policy. In many cases, “other duties” are also listed in the Agreement, but there may be additional ones that you are asked to consider. If the Agreement identifies any “prohibited” duties, these cannot be added as another duty.

Other duties may not require additional payment if they can be accomplished within allowable work or prep hours. If they are likely to consume a lot of time, an Engager may also choose to pay an additional fee to cover those duties. There is no set fee for other duties, so it is up to you to negotiate a fair one.

Common examples of other duties are props repair and purchasing, or laundry.

Under some Agreements, running lights, sound, video and projections cannot be lumped in with the other additional duties, and does have a minimum additional weekly fee, although you can negotiate a higher fee if appropriate. Note that this rider language generally includes a from/to date provision — make sure the dates span the whole period when you are expected to handle this duty.

Ask for more money, especially if you have a track record with the company. Have a specific figure in mind and suggest it. If this is the first time you’ve negotiated a higher fee, consider simply rounding your salary up to the nearest $50 or $100 increment within reach.

Find out whether you will be considered an employee or self-employed for payroll. If you have a preference, the theatre may be willing to consider a change. The CTA stipulates that stage management are to be engaged as employees, but most other Agreements do not.

Ask for an accommodation allowance. If faced with an assertion that they “do not do this for stage management”, ask if this is something that the other Artists will be receiving. They may not want to tell you, but it opens up the notion of equivalency, and you can pursue that angle. If you suspect that your cost of accommodation will be high, ask them for a list of available housing options and their cost before signing your contract.

Do the same for per diems when on tour. Will the offered per diem cover the cost of sleeping and living in city X? Help them do the math, if need be. If certain cities are more expensive than the offered per diem will cover, will there be a top-up for those locations? Also have a look at the touring items below.

Be clear on whether the theatre expects you to use your own computer or printer for a production. If you have to use your equipment (i.e. not by choice), ask them to pay a fee to cover the insurance, the paper and ink cartridges it will need. Failing this, arrange to buy a printer cartridge on the company account.

Be clear on whether the theatre expects you to use your own cellphone for business purposes, particularly when on tour. If you have to use yours (again, not by choice), arrange terms for reimbursement if the added usage will increase your bill. Many cellphone plans have unlimited calling and texting within Canada these days, so an alternative to reimbursement may be to ask for insurance and replacement if your cellphone is damaged or stolen.

Clarify the rate of reimbursement for the use of your personal vehicle for business purposes, like picking up dry cleaning. Don’t ask if you will be reimbursed — your car does not come “free” with the stage management package. Many Agreements include a rate for the use of a personal vehicle, but it’s still useful to have the actual need to use it specified in a rider.

If the Engager is supplying housing, ask for single housing. Similarly, gear your per diem discussion toward single housing, if that will be the standard for actors on the tour.

Ask for single housing once per week as a minimum. Point out that, as a stage manager, there are some things that you need to do which require quiet or confidentiality.

You also have to be up earlier than the cast, and generally end up returning to the hotel later after work.

Ask for return airfare home on hiatus weeks.

Theatres are obliged to pay the travel expenses for getting to and from their “point of origin”, the primary location of the gig. If you plan to use your personal vehicle to get to the job location, clarify the rate of reimbursement.

Ask for parking money when a car is the only way to get there on time.

Ask for a cab chit (or reimbursement) for late tech nights when you would otherwise end up standing around a deserted bus stop, waiting for an all-night bus.

Ask about the staffing; will you have an assistant / apprentice? Find out when they start. Consider asking for an earlier start date if you think it important.

Ask for consultation (mandated in the CTA and ITA) in the hiring of the ASM or apprentice.

Ask about arrangements for an understudy SM / ASM, especially for long- running shows.

Inquire about any vacation policy for a long-running show.

Ask for time off for a special occasion (children’s first day of school, or your sister’s wedding for which you are a bridesmaid). There is no rule that says you can’t have a life outside of theatre.

Ask to be credited on the posters that are within the Engager’s control. If the entire company is on the poster, you should be listed there as well. This ought to be a minimum request for each contract. If the theatre says ‘yes’, make sure the info gets to their publicity department, or they are likely to just do the usual.

If it is to be a long-running production, ask for credit in the program even after you have left the production. This recognizes the fact that you did all the groundwork and provided all the paperwork. Likewise, ask for credit as the “original stage manager” if you expect the show to be remounted.

If this is a new show, ask the theatre to do their best to ensure you receive credit in any planned published version of the script. Frequently the publisher turns to the theatre for information regarding first casts, production dates, etc.

Ask for additional comps for the show, or for the company’s other shows. This is a good item to request in lieu of higher payment elsewhere.