short term contracts, theater companies began to pay actors based on the length of their play's run, which was determined by ticket sales. This allowed managers to pay actors higher salaries so long as plays were profitable.

The Beatles song Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! alludes to a poster for one such event.

As a benefit for humanitarian causes

In its modern usage, a benefit performance almost exclusively refers to a fund-raising event. In this case,

1.Previous
3.Next