Volunteer Ushering

I was a regular volunteer usher at a couple of theatres here in DC for several years after I retired. I also used to volunteer usher at a few off-Broadway houses when visiting New York. Sadly none of those theatres are still around. If you can find them, it's a fabulous way of seeing the shows without buying a ticket. The only time I had to stand was when the house was completely sold out. Every other time they found a seat for the ushers to use.

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Thanks for the information It sounds like a really cool idea I heard about it but never really knew what it was about.

Do they ever turn into real jobs if they like and think that the person is doing a good job?

thats cool can you put it on your resume if you work there enough times im thinking you can but im not to sure.

Thats great to know thanks a lot I am definitely going to look into volunteer ushering it seems like a fun thing to do.

I usher at most theatres in DC that use volunteers.

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Does anyone know of any theaters in New York City that would let minors volunteer? By minors I mean 14 year olds. I know there probably isn't many but I would like to volunteer this coming summer. I will pretty much take any job I can have in a theater.

When I was managing an off broadway theater, I did use volunteer ushers but the minimum age was 16.

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I think they were inquiring about NYC.

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I thought I"d pass on this experience I had with the younger volunteer ushers.

I once had a couple of young girls show up for ushering over an hour early. They had claimed to be 16, and I never asked for any proof. I told them that they could either come inside the theater and hang out there or come back later for their shift. They opted for coming back later.

Well, they came back too late for their shift, and I told them I couldn't use them, as walk-in was over. They begged me to let them stay until the show was over because they 1. lied about their ages, and 2. were hanging out all over town and 3. They were being picked up after the show by their parents, and would be in trouble if they weren't at the theater.

Another time, I had a few young ushers who were star struck and that was their only reason to be at the theater. They were running up and down the aisles to each other to scream about seeing someone famous and tried to get autographs while ushering.

I know-not all teenagers are like that, but after a few similar incidents, I stuck to using the adults.

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Thanks for posting that, KC. I knew that the Kennedy Center used paid ushers but I thought they might have changed.

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At some theatres you can be asked to work at a refreshment stand (selling snacks, drinks) or issue hearing devices, check coats, or check tickets. Others only want you to usher.

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