DIS Walt Disney Co

By Pia Catton 

Disney's "Frozen" isn't slated to open until 2018, but it is already melting the status quo around one of Broadway's most contentious issues: profit participation for actors.

On Tuesday, Disney Theatrical Productions emailed actors explaining coming contracts that offer a percentage of future profits from "Frozen." The contracts address this month's developmental lab, a creative period usually covered by standard contracts with Actors' Equity Association.

Disney's offer increases the standard contract's terms by $400 in weekly salaries and adds the promise of 0.5% of net profits from the first three English-language productions for the first 10 years of profitability. The percentage will be shared by all actors who develop the show from the lab up to opening night.

"We're thrilled that, should 'Frozen' reach success, our Equity collaborators will share in the profit," Thomas Schumacher, president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions, said in a statement.

Disney's rare and early move -- before actors enter the studio to create the stage version -- comes at a time when profit participation has moved into the spotlight.

Last season, producers of "Hamilton" granted cast members inclusion through a deal announced after the show was onstage -- and after the cast asked for participation.

While Disney didn't elaborate on why the new agreement was offered, its email stresses its relationship to actors: "We place the highest value on the talent and contribution of both the performers and stage managers."

Those performers are potentially heading into a juggernaut: The 2013 animated film "Frozen" grossed $1.2 billion world-wide, according to boxofficemojo.com.

That said, there is no guarantee of a stage success -- or a windfall. But it does help prevent actors from feeling shortchanged later, a key challenge to producers today, said John Breglio, author of "I Wanna Be a Producer."

"If [producers] use the lab, and actors have contributed to the piece, it might seem unfair -- or the sheer success may make it appear unfair, as it did with 'Hamilton.' "

Write to Pia Catton at pia.catton@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 11, 2016 20:37 ET (00:37 GMT)

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