What do you expect from a Front of House team?

[LondonTheatreUK]

Posted: 12/31/06 at 10:52pm

What do you expect from a Front of House team (ushers/house managers etc.) in a theatre? In terms of what you expect to be provided for you, quality of service - what makes you think "They were very nice and helpful!" and what makes you think "Gah, where do they GET these people?" etc.

Interested to hear thoughts as some people's theatrical experiences do not seem to be affected by FOH staff as much as others. The good and the bad please!

[myManCape]

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

They take your ticket and show you to the seat with out being rude. It isnt a complicated process.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 1:08am

Sleeping in the back row of the orchestra snoring very loudly until awoken by an audience member then apologizing even louder. Repeat process twice more until he finally stands up to get ready for an exiting audience.

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 1:09am

I like to see the house manager and ushers interact with the patrons. If I see them talking and looking happy, then I feel as if I can approach them with any problems I might encounter. I like box office people who actually give you options without having to ask for them when something occurs. I want them to be able to take that extra step in customer service which seems lacking so much. I don't want them to be rude when I ask a few questions, nor do I want the box office to question me when I prefer to sit on the right side of the theatre and not the left.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 1:21am

I personally LOVE talking to the ushers before the show.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 1:23am

I expect them to physically REMOVE audience members whose cell phones go off during a performance.

[Dover]

Posted: 1/1/07 at 6:06pm

I don't expect much. I want to be shown to my seat and handed a Playbill with all correct inserts. That's it. I don't care if they're nice or rude or mute.

During the show (as a patron and as a stage manager), I want whoever is assigned to stay in the house to actually be there, so that when something happens (flash photos, patron looking for the bathroom opens the emergency doors and lets light into the house, etc.) they are there to immediately fix it or alert the house manager as appropriate. The actors, conductor, sound man, or stage manager should not have to be the ones to alert the house staff to these problems. It can take several minutes to get word to the house in these situations, and it wastes time in removing a problem that is distracting to the audience. If an usher is already there, as they are paid to be, it can be done in 5 seconds, if not averted altogether.