Ushering?

[Deannaizme]

Posted: 5/27/03 at 7:03pm

I have a question; I'm not sure if the folks on this board can help or not.

Basically, I want to see more shows than I can afford. So I'm thinking about volunteering as an usher at some of the shows I'd like to see. Does anyone have any experiences with this, both pro and con? How would one get in touch with the theatre managers here in San Francisco to sign up?

Thanks.

~Deanna

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/27/03 at 7:07pm

At each theatre company or venue, find out if the ushering staff is volunteer or not.

If volunteer, find out how to sign up (should be no problem). You come to your scheduled shows, usher, watch act one, usher intermission, and watch act two--some places may want you to work after the show getting people out. It can be really easy with problems being that you aren't guaranteed seating---and only in designated areas. You may have to help usher inside through the first number or two.

If they are paid ushers, you may not be able to get in on this. And if you do, you may not get to see the shows, which defeats the point, unless they offer comps to come back. I don't know how this works really.

Hope this helps.

Updated On: 5/27/03 at 07:07 PM

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/28/03 at 2:38am

If you want to see shows for free, here in England if you work for a box office you can usually get seats to any show for free. It's great..

.. for example, a friend of mine works out of London and he managed to get FOUR best orchestra tickets for me and my friends to see Ragtime in London completely free and he didn't even work at the theatre it was on.

[Deannaizme]

Posted: 5/28/03 at 11:34am

Thank you both for your responses. I wish I could see all the shows I would like to, but that's not possible in today's economic climate. :)

~D

[DofB5]

Posted: 5/28/03 at 8:25pm

Tell me about it. I always have to choose between getting a seat where I can see the play (which means paying the highest price) or sitting in peanut heaven and watching a blurr but being able afford more shows.

I usually pick the more expensive seat because I figure it's better to know what the heck is going on with a show I haven't seen before but then I only get to see one or two shows a season! I might be able to get away with the cheep seats for a returning show but it's just not as much fun.

Just looked at the prices for this years "Broadway" season at TBPAC the other day and my wallet did it's ET impression---"Theater, Ouch!" :) I know I'm going to see Le Miz but I'll have to think about which others I can afford.

Wish I had the option to usher but talk about the blind leading the blind. I can just see myself tripping and providing a whole new kind of floor show. :) But then, who knows, I might get asked to go on tour with whatever show.

I want to see JC:SS just to see if it's staged the same way as the one I saw a few years back. JC with a hair trigger mike under his arm. LOL!

D

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 5/28/03 at 9:53pm

The Roundabout Theatre Company in NYC has volunteer ushering policies for all its Broadway shows (including those at the American Airlines and Cabaret). I think you can go to the AA and sign up any day, but for Cabaret you have to come in on a Saturday.