Sometimes I am too eager to take a gig. I love my job and I enjoy saying yes to almost everything. In the past, I would just say yes without asking some rather important questions. At first, these questions seem trivial. Some of them even make me feel burdensome. But once I have accepted the gig and end up on show site in less-than-ideal circumstances, it’s too late. I have had to learn to ask these questions the hard way. I remind myself that I need to ask these questions sooner because the answers matter. This article can help you remember to pose these questions when the timing is right.
- What’s the rate?
I know, this question seems obvious; however there is much more to the pay rate than I often remember. I regularly forget that some companies pay full rate for travel days, and some try avoiding the cost. Some companies try to pay half rates for days off even when we are in a foreign city. The lost income from these days can add up. If we are not within proximity to our own refrigerator, we need to be fairly compensated for our time away from the food we love most.
- What are the politics?
Some people say that they aren’t into politics. This comment ignores the fact that everything is politics. Whether we are aware of them or not, politics are everywhere. I seem to get offered positions where someone has been let go because they “just weren’t working out.” The few times that I have remembered to ask this question before taking the position, it has saved me from heartaches and lost relationships. Simply by asking the question, I discover if the last person left because of miserable conditions or if their dismissal was justified. I like to know who I am replacing and why. I like to know who the boss is and what they expect of me. I have spent many hours trying to please the creative director only to realize that the artist is the real boss, and they want me to change every third cue for the last five songs.
- What is the vibe?
Out on the road, the people you live/work with will help define who you become. They can make your life agonizing or delightful. The vibe can be set by the artist or by the management. It is crucial to understand what kind of project you are getting into. I bounce back and forth between touring and corporate gigs, and the vibes are rarely the same. Cracking the whip and working 14-hour days is a common vibe on the road but frowned upon in the ballroom. It’s not confrontational to ask if the stage manager is a boisterous blowhard, but it could be as simple as asking if this is a family-friendly production or if this is a professionals-only atmosphere.
- How much is per diem?
I forget this one way too often. Per diem is not a bonus, it’s living expenses. I can buy an apple for 25 cents at my local market. In the hotel lobby, it’s $3. These costs start small but three Uber rides to get a $40 hair cut in the city will break your bank before you realize it. Make sure that your per diem is appropriate for the cities in which you are working. Don’t be afraid to point out that a $25 per diem in Little Rock is not going to cut it in Paris. Ask if your per diem will be paid in cash or if it will be applied to your salary. Per diem is supposed to be tax free money that compensates you for expenses, not part of your taxable salary. [Ed. Note: Per diem rates in the U.S. can be found at the U.S. General Services Administration website here: plsn.me/per-diem. Rates in other countries can be found at plsn.me/per-diem-2.]
- Will I share a room?
I haven’t had to ask this question in a while, but I can still remember why I need to ask it. Sharing a room sucks. We are adults. We need space for our things, and we need our privacy. In college, it was fun to occasionally have a sleepover, but as professionals, we need to rest on our own schedule and not be awoken by a roommate crunching on Doritos, watching infomercials, and ordering Ginsu knives until two hours before call time. On the bus, sharing living quarters is a given, but sharing a hotel room on days off can become a gray area. Feel free to ask if this is the type of production that will pre-book a hotel room so that you can check in at 10 a.m. or if they want a bus load of pajama-clad roadies sitting in the lobby waiting for their rooms to become ready around 3 p.m.
- What are my days off?
If you are accepting a tour, make sure that the schedule is readily available in advance as much as possible. Some tours can book shows on a moment’s notice and what was supposed to be a day off after a five-in-a-row becomes a one-off lounge gig in a C-market town. We wouldn’t accept an office job that pays us for five days even though we work six. We wouldn’t spend an extra two hours bagging groceries just because the shoppers were running late. As technicians, we seem to fall for this all too often.
- Is there a dress code?
This question seems like it is only necessary for corporate gigs, but it’s not. After accepting a tour, finishing rehearsals, and showing up to the first performance, I was told that the artist expects me to be in black pants and a black button up shirt every day. I don’t find the request unreasonable, but I had to get a runner to take me to Macy’s to get enough clothes to fulfill the entire run. I have plenty of black shirts, but they were at home in my closet. I could have saved myself time and money if I had known to ask that question earlier. Finding a last-minute tailor cuts into my bottom line.
- Can I offer free tickets?
This is the question that I am most nervous to ask. Simultaneously, it makes me feel entitled and vulnerable. I want to be able to share my work with the people that I love most. Sometimes, we roll into a town for a single show where our family and friends reside. Our only option to connect with loved ones is during the dark time before the show. Offering them a seat near the FOH may be the only way to share a few precious moments with our extended family. Some productions see the value in these brief encounters. Other productions see this as lost revenue. Asking the question politely can either end up creating meaningful experiences or a few moments of rejection. I suggest that it’s worth the risk.
