House Manager Duties

C. ESU THEATRE HOUSE MANAGER DUTIES

Secure and Supervise Ushers. Ushers should be recruited some two weeks prior to opening. A sign up sheet on the callboard will likely get you plenty of ushers. Your sign up sheet should ask for the usher’s name and phone number. Your sign may tell ushes that they may have one COMP for the performance they ushe. For each performance in Bruder Theatre, you need 8 ushers (1 ticket-taker and 3 seaters per door); for Albert Taylor Hall, you need 20 ushers (1 ticket-taker and 4 seaters per door).

Rules for ushers:

Arrive at the theatre 1 hour before performance (30 minutes before the house opens). DO NOT BE LATE.
Dress appropriately. You do not have to be overly “dressy,” but please no blue jeans or T-shirts.
If you are unable to usher, please find your own suitable replacement, or call the box office at 342-5374.
Ushers receive one complimentary seat for each performance they usher; they must stay for the entire show.
Please remember you are representing the university to the public.

Pre-Show Procedures. Arrive one hour and fifteen minutes before curtain. Check the house, alcoves, and lobby to make sure that everything is neat and in order. Turn on all the lights in display cases and lobby:

LIGHT BOOTH CIRCUIT BOARD
Circuits 17-18-19: Display case track lights
Circuit 23: Bullet lights at box office
Circuit 37: Wall picture lights

Also check the additional lobby lights at the box office.

Make sure theatre doors are unlocked. Make sure you have enough programs at each door. Extras are usually stored in the box office. Set up ticket stub holders. Place stub sleeves carefully in each one (tube sleeves are stored in the box office.) Check with box office manager to see about audience members with special needs (wheelchairs, visually impaired, groups, etc.)

At 15 minutes before the house opens (45 minutes before curtain). You need to train ushers. Remind them that:

Ushers are responsible for maintaining the house during performances; if there is an emergency (medical, weather, etc.) or if a patron has a need, ushers must be “on duty” and eager to help them.
Ushers are representing the university; they should remain pleasant, helpful, and courteous.
Learn the correct doors for patrons: Left Section, and Center Section seats 101-108 should enter house via the house left doors; Right section and Center Section seats 109-114 should enter the house via the house right doors.
No food or drinks are allowed in the theatre.
ALL who enter must have a ticket, including babies. If patrons do not have a ticket for a baby, and bring it into the theatre, ushers should note where they are sitting; if the baby begins to cry, ushers need to quickly and quietly ask the patrons to take the baby to the lobby.
No cameras or recording equipment of any kind are allowed in the theatre.
Patrons may leave them in the box office for safe-keeping and pick them up after the performance.
Inform the ushers if there are audience members expected with special needs (wheelchairs, visually impaired, groups, etc.)
Be sure your ticket takers know what the tickets for that performance look like, and also that they MUST keep one half of the ticket in the sleeve, and return the other half to the patron.
Make sure all your ushers have comp tickets from the box office, and that they are appropriately marked, and torn.

At 30 minutes before the curtain. Check with the Stage Manager, and when all is clear, open the house by opening the doors, getting ushers to their stations, and seating patrons. Be visible and available to troubleshoot; help patrons with questions, assist ushers if they need it, looking for food or cameras being carried into the theatre, etc.

At curtain time. Be sure the lobby and restrooms are clear of patrons. Communicate with the Stage Manager (either via the box office intercom, or in the booth), that the house is ready to be closed and the show may start. Lower lights in both alcoves. Quietly close inner and outer doors to the theatre. Make sure the ushers are seated near the doors at the back of all three sections of the house. Remind them to handle any problems in the house, or to come get you.

After the show begins. Work with the box office manager to count to ticket stubs and fill out the house manager’s performance report. Be sure to count the various kinds of stubs carefully. Leave the stubs and sleeves with the box office manager.

Be available to ushers if a problem arises in the house, or if the stage manager calls the box office through the intercom. Quietly seat any latecomers in available seats in the back of the house. Tell them they may take their reserved seats after intermission. Be sure to tear their tickets and count their stubs.

At intermission. Turn up the lights in the alcoves. Open the inner and outer doors. After the Stage Manager rings the bell at 5 minutes into the intermission, check the lobby and restrooms to be sure they’re clear of patrons. Communicate with the Stage Manager that the house is ready to be closed and the show may start again. Turn off the lights in the alcoves. Close the inner and outer doors.

After the show is over. Turn up the lights in the alcoves. Open the inner and outer doors. After the theatre is empty, close inner and outer alcove doors, turn off the alcove lights, check the house for programs and ticket stubs, move the ticket tubes to alcoves, and lock the theatre doors. After the lobby is empty, turn off the lobby lights in the light booth and at the box office.

Work with the box office manager to close the Gilson Room Gallery. Turn off the lights at wall and secure both doors. Set security system.
If you have problems, contact the Director of Theatre.

HOUSE MANAGER DUTIES CHECK LIST

45 Minutes Before the House Opens

_____Check the house

_____Check the alcoves

_____Check the lobby

_____Make sure theatre doors are unlocked

_____Enough programs are at each door

_____Set up ticket stub holders (use ticket sleeves)

_____Check with BO Manager about people with special needs.

_____Turn on lights in display cases.

_____Turn on lights in lobby.

_____Light Booth Circuits:

_____17-18-19: Display Case Track Lights

_____23: Bullet lights at Box Office

_____37: Wall Picture Lights

_____18-41-42: Wall Track Lights

15 Minutes Before the House Opens

_____Train ushers

_____Learn correct doors:

_____No food, drinks, or tobacco use in theatre

_____All must have a ticket

_____No cameras or recording equipment (leave in box office)

_____Inform ushers of what real tickets look like

_____All ushers have a comp ticket, appropriately marked and torn

When the House Opens/30 Minutes Before Curtain

_____Check with Stage Manager to Open House

At Curtain Time

_____Lobby and restrooms clear of patrons?

_____Tell Stage Manager that show is ready to start

_____Lower lights in both alcoves

_____Shut the doors QUIETLY

_____Ushers to sit in the back of the house

After the Show Begins

_____Count ticket stubs

_____Fill out house manager’s report

_____Seat latecomers in the back of the house

At Intermission

_____Turn up lights in both alcoves

_____Open doors QUIETLY

At End of Intermission

_____Lobby and restrooms clear of patrons?

_____Tell Stage Manager that show is ready to start

_____Lower lights in both alcoves

_____Shut the doors QUIETLY

After the Show

_____Turn up lights in both alcoves

_____Open doors QUIETLY

After the Theatre Has Cleared

_____Check the house for programs, stubs, trash

_____Move the ticket tubes to alcoves

_____Turn off lights in both alcoves

_____Turn off lobby lights in light booth and BO

_____Close and lock the Gilson Room

_____Close theatre doors and lock them

_____Turn off lights at both doors and secure them

_____Turn on security system

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Email bartrufj@emporia.edu

Updated 4/27/05 2:36 PM