Usher

Job Duties

An usher is responsible for creating a smooth experience for all patrons of the theatre before, during, and after the performance. An usher develops a special relationship with the audience and acts as their guide, helping them settle in for the show. Every audience is different and creates a unique atmosphere for the performance. As an usher, it is your job to ensure each patron has their best possible experience in the theatre. The biggest perk of being an usher? Getting to watch some amazing shows during your job!

On a typical day of work, an usher would do the following:

• Report to the theatre an hour before showtime, wearing or changing into your usher uniform when you arrive.
• Check in with your House Manager or Head Usher.
• Begin doing pre-show activities. This could include stuffing playbills with inserts for absent cast members, reviewing your position for the evening, or brushing up on any relevant information about the upcoming performance.
• Once the doors to the house are open (often called “walk-in”), an usher may be taking tickets, escorting patrons to their seats, or answering any questions about the theatre facilities. As an usher, you may have to solve seating disputes or other issues that a patron faces. Sometimes the House Manager will need to be called in to back up the usher in difficult situations.
• After the audience is seated, ushers will head to their positions for the performance. At this point, some theatres will let a handful of ushers go around 20 minutes into the performance while the rest of the team rotates positions in the theatre to ensure patrons have a smooth theatre experience.
• Depending on your position for the evening, you may have to assist patrons who are late to their seats at an appropriate break in the show. The main job of an usher once the curtain has risen is to enforce the house rules and theatre etiquette. Ushers are positioned at multiple areas of the theatre so they can scan the crowd for use of cell phones and other disruptions. You’d be surprised how many people use their phones during a show!
• At the intermission, ushers may also direct patrons to the restrooms, answer questions about the history of the theatre, or sell refreshments and other merchandise.
• Once the performance has ended (“walk-out”), ushers will guide patrons to the exits and assist any patrons who may have questions.
• After all patrons have exited the audience, ushers may help with some clean up duties and reset their areas to be ready for the next performance.