Ushering

Right, am I not getting something here? Can someone explain the concept of 'ushering' to see shows for free? You mean ushering as in 'show people to their seats'. If so, why aren't people paid to do this for a job? Why can just about anyone do it? I really don't understand. In England actors do it between jobs to get quick cash and still go to auditions in the day.

Actually, Westo, it requires a large amount of skill and attentiveness.

The curtain has gone up and what do you do if:

1. A gentleman comes up to to you to say that two people are sitting in the two middle seats, 117 & 118, in row H, the exact seat numbersd printed on your pair of ticket stubs; or

2. The Overture has started and a lady in the first row has fainted and is out cold on the floor, and patrons are screaming and jumping up from their seats; or

3. Everyone has filed back into the theatre for the start of the second act, and suddenly the fire alarm goes off; or

4. The male couple in the side box, Stage Right, have begun to argue loudly, and break out into physical fighting; or

5. The female patron in the first row of the Mezzanine is yelling out to the young male lead, and she won't quiet down.

Just a few examples of things that ushers need to be intelligent and discipline and skilled enough to handle.

Ushers on Broadway are paid. Regional Theaters, though, generally just use volunteers. And as for all the stuff Jose listed, at theaters I've worked at those incidents are handled by the housemanager, who is paid.

Updated On: 11/6/04 at 10:32 PM

Ushering isn't brain surgery, but it involves a bit more training that one would initially expect. I was an usher at Cirque Du Soleil a few years ago, and it's not that easy. A lot of it is more to do with being on your toes (literally and figuratively) all the time, and dealing with asshole patrons, even though it's not mentally taxing work.

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I seem to have under estimated the art of leading people to their seats.

As an usher in a large community theater, I can say that things aren't too tough. When weird situations arise, it generally -is- the house manager who takes care of things, since we ushers are all kids between twelve and eighteen. There are, of course, sticky situations that we take care of, sometimes in the wrong manner. xD For instance:

The theatre is all stadium-style seating, so everyone, save the front row sides and orchestra, is looking down on the stage. The center orchestra is twelve rows, and at the top, there is a wide walkway with a nine-row balcony above it. About three years ago, an older lady fell nearly all the way from the top of the orchestra, down to the stage, and into one of the monitors, halfway on the stage, halfway off. While some ushers stared and some ran down to her, one kid stood above her and said:

"Excuse me, ma'am, but we're going to have to ask you to get off the stage."

-Shakes head-

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Creepiest. Clowns. Ever.

I've been ushering for a little over three years at my regional theatre that brings in the national tours, symphonies, operas, etc... well we definitely get paid and yes ushering is a fun job, BUT NOT JUST ANYONE CAN DO IT! You have to have the right personality that can deal with many different types of people. And gosh, there is a whole other training process for those darn Gospel touring shows that come in. I wish one day they would make a documentary in the life of an usher. That would be fun.

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I usher at a theatre, and I get paid for it. It's not the hardest job I've ever had, but it has potential to be much more stressful than the money is worth. Keeping old, rich people happy can be incredibly challenging. On my 1st day alone I got to deal with obnoxious school kids on a field trip making faces at the actors (almost causing the show to be stopped), multiple ancient Americans bitching about the temperature being too hot or cold, and someone's cell phone beeping every couple of minutes, severely upsetting the producers and authors of the show, who decided it was the fault of the ushers and stalked around me like sharks the whole 1st act. I don't want pity or to sound like I don't enjoy my job. I like ushering very much, and have done it for free often. I'm mainly posting because I don't like Westopher, and I hope he is sincerely unhappy in life.

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I usher for the mainstage in the theatre I work and I do not get paid, but I do get to see a $20 show for 20 minutes of work.

Years ago we had an old (our building is around 75 years old) cieling tile fall on a little old lady before the show started, so we had to rush down to her in the middle of a show, stop everything and get her out.

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theatreguy, there have been shows on Broadway where they used volunteer ushers. Cabaret comes to mind. I don't know if there are any others are the moment but Hedwig also used volunteers back in the day when it was at the Jane. So yes, it does happen in the city, too.

On my recent trip to Broadway, my wife and I played a little game, after the first few shows we saw, and it was to spot the Usher Nazis. They were some of the people who are full time ushers. The ones that will shine the flashlight in your face and scream, from a distance, so that everyone in the theatre can hear, "don't put your programs on the ledge". It's interesting what a little power can do to some people.

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Ha HA! Pab--I'm one of those usher nazis! Except that it isn't about power--it's about doing my job--we actually get in trouble if we don't stop patrons from doing stupid things like leaving items on the railing (to fall onto other patrons or lighting equipment) or leaving their coats on hand railings (silly fire codes).

Oh, and if I tell people they can't bring their booze or sodas into the theatre or that they can't use their cell phones during the show or take pictures anywhere in the theatre (absolutely illegal), I'm REALLY a nazi then. And, you know what? Those might be vile requests, but God, can't I march!

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