How does one become an usher?

[BroadwayNYCGirl]

Posted: 7/31/07 at 11:39pm

I've looked on the union website and I can't find anything. I even looked on Backstage. Nothing. I think this woud be a great job and I'm curious how you go about applying. I know they're part of a union so I doubt I can apply at a theatre. Any help would be appreciated.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/31/07 at 11:44pm

I dont' have an answer but I'd love to usher as well!!!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/31/07 at 11:44pm

Buy a little black knee length skirt and a white blouse,
have a glass of white wine and show up and say:
"I want to be an usherette"
It could work, the pay is low.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/31/07 at 11:46pm

You pretty much have to know someone, though you can submit a resume cold. They prefer to hire people who have been recommended to them. But you can try sending your resume to one of the theatre companies!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 12:58am

I think for some shows you need to be in a union to usher. I think Chorus Line among others has a union policy.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:00am

You can sub 30 performances and then you're required to join the union. As far as I know, that's the official rule. Some people stretch those 30 out as far as they can (some go years without joining), but that was the deal last I heard.

[TheaterBoy7777]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 3:01am

Well it really helps if you are related to one or are really good friends with one but then at this time you are out of luck. Because I happen to be friends with many ushers and they refered me to the union and they let me fill out an application. But said they wernt looking for any new people with all of these shows closing soon and this was a good 3 months ago so its even worse now. So I would go to the union when shows start opening up again.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 4:27pm

I actually went to the union two months ago to ask. Right now is the worst time to try and get an ushering job, as everything's closing up. I was lucky enough to get an ushering job, but I'm not getting any shifts right now because a show of ours closed up. Those permanent ushers go into the sub ushering pool with the rest of us.

I'd say to go to the union in possibly mid to late October or early November, in the thick of when the new shows are popping up. Good luck!

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 6:28pm

can you get your equity card by becoming an usher-its techinically a Union contract...

[yankees1253]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 8:33pm

yeah, you have to be in the union...its hard to become one just for vacation breaks because those people are there like full time. you must know someone because thats the easy way but i know someone and my cousin who is part head of the union was going to try and let me work for a theatre this summer but they want someone for the whole year. its hard to explain. i will try for an internship for broadway.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 8:58pm

why are there so many requirements just to be an usher? You clean up, sell things, and lead people to their seats. I mean, I would love to be an usher, don't get me wrong. But why is it so hard to get that job? You don't really need a special skill or anything...

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:09pm

Are Disney's ushers at the New Amsterdam union, or does Disney not have to deal with the union because they have a long, long, long term lease on the house? I ask because many, if not most, of the their ushers seem very young considering the age of many ushers at other houses. I've always been under the impression that dealing with the ushers' union is just a sort of good old days holdover respected by the more established organizations like Nederlander, Shubert, and Jujamcyn.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 12:33am

is anyone going to answer my question?

[MaronaDavies]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 12:55am

why are there so many requirements just to be an usher? You clean up, sell things, and lead people to their seats. I mean, I would love to be an usher, don't get me wrong. But why is it so hard to get that job? You don't really need a special skill or anything...

It's not as easy a job as it looks--like anything else in customer service. Look at the message in the Mamma Mia "Ushers gone wild" thread from the ushers there. They're dealing with the public, they have to be able to handle crisis situations quickly, they have to be able to keep a cool head when things get stressful, they can't take it to heart when people treat them like crap, they have to constantly be on the lookout for all sorts of things during the performance, they have to be trustworthy enough to deal with celebrities and not go all fangirl/fanboy. It's not brain surgery but it's not a walk in the park either.

And AFAIK, ushers on Broadway don't "sell things." It's not like London.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 9:23am

Thanks, Marona. Exactly.

Also, ushers do not clean up. We stuff Playbills, hand them out, and lead people to their seats. But Marona is right on the money - you need to be able to deal with people, as well as stressful situations. We have to keep people moving, address their problems and concerns, answer questions, even provide restaurant recommendations on occasion. It's a lot of fun and it's a pretty easy job, but sometimes you get crazy situations (see the "Worst Audiences Ever" thread for my epic tale of The Nursing Home Visits For A Wednesday Matinee) that you have to deal with.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 12:44pm

Unless you know the head usher of a particular theatre, it will be very difficult. You would first be hired as a sub, and right before you reach 30 performances you will be required to join the union. Keep in mind, you would only be able to work the one theatre until you become a member. Once you are in the union, you can sub at other houses. However, so many theatres are dark at the moment it is very difficult to find work, as ushers with regular houses are taking most of the sub jobs.

I believe the head ushers at Nederlander theatres have a list of subs they call directly (though they also go through the union office), but I believe most of the Shubert houses are required to call their HR Dept. and put in a request for a sub.

And as was mentioned before, ushers do not clean nor do they sell merchandisce or concessions. They handle programs, seating and other crowd control issues. As for Disney ushers, that only refers to the New Amsterdam, and I am pretty sure they are in the union as well.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 12:52pm

thanks for answering! = )

if ushers don't sell things or clean up in theaters then what is the title for people that do?

also, is ushering a minimum wage job?

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 12:59pm

re: How does one become an usher?
Posted On: 8/2/07 at 12:33 AM


is anyone going to answer my question?

Answer: go on Star Search at a young age, have some hit records, make a bad movie, then cause a stir by playing Billy Flynn in Chicago.

[avab802]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 1:08pm

I know Roundabout ushers are not union, one of my friends used to work for them.

Theaters have a separate staff that sells the merch. The Disney shows all employ their own merch staff, so they work directly for Disney. Other shows use various merch companies, whose names I cannot remember right now.

There are also two (maybe more, but I know of two) companies that supply theaters with bar staff. But that's another situation where you pretty much have to know someone to get in.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 1:34pm

Keep in mind, you would only be able to work the one theatre until you become a member.
Question about this: I'm a sub, and have already worked at four theaters. I'm only up to about 8 shows. For the 30 shows, does the union count your number at one particular theater, or your number with one particular theater company?

avab802, they're still union, but only if they do the whole 30 shows thing. A friend of mine was an usher for 110 and didn't join the union because she didn't work enough shows.

All theaters have different merch staffs. Here are some I can recall:
Rick Steiner - HAIRSPRAY, JERSEY BOYS, GREASE
Dewynters - PHANTOM, LES MIZ, THE COLOR PURPLE, CHICAGO
Disney (of course) - MARY POPPINS, THE LION KING

As for bar staff, Theater Refreshments hires bar staff for theaters, and I believe Jujamcyn hires their bar staff by themselves.

It helps to know someone, but I've found that if you have the determination, you can get it on your own. A good friend of mine and I just pounded the pavement and went EVERYWHERE one day - every theater, the union, and offices, asking how we could get an ushering or merchandising job. We both ended up filling out applications at the New Amsterdam and with Jujamcyn. I got Jujamcyn, she got MARY POPPINS.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 8/3/07 at 12:07am

You can usher more than one house before you join the union and before you reach 30 shows.

And Lizzy, no, it's not minimum wage, especially not if you're on the early shift. It doesn't pay enough to be your sole job, particularly if you're paying rent in NYC. But it's a good source of extra income and a convenient second job.

The people who clean up are the cleaning staff - they come in after the audience has gone to clear all the trash.