Audience Services Coordinator
Job Type: Part-time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Location: Helena, Montana
Field: Audience Services/Front of House
Post Date: TBD
Salary: $16/hr for a minimum 4 hour shift. Shifts range between 4-6 hours, depending on show length.
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The Theatre: Grandstreet is Montana’s premiere community theatre with over 45 years of continuous service. Sustained by volunteers from an exceptionally talented population, Grandstreet also trains over 400 K-12 students each year in our nationally recognized Grandstreet Theatre School. Each year we produce 8-10 plays and musicals in a beautifully preserved 200-seat turn-of-the-century Romanesque granite church. Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains in a small but thriving arts community, Grandstreet enjoys tremendous public support and regularly produces some of the best live theatre in the Northwest.
The Position: Grandstreet Theatre is currently accepting applications for two Audience Services Coordinator positions. The Audience Services Coordinator(s) are crucial members of the Grandstreet Theatre team, and lead Grandstreet in providing a safe and welcoming environment for patrons and volunteers during performances and special events. This is a part-time position that primarily works in the evening and on weekends during shows.
Roles and responsibilities: The Audience Services Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the front of house during public performances and special events, focusing on safety and creating a warm and welcoming environment for audience and community members. This includes:
- Front of House Management and Patron Customer Service
Under limited supervision, this position is responsible for ensuring Grandstreet’s patrons and volunteers have a safe, pleasant, and enjoyable theatre experience during performances. Duties include, but are not limited to:
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- Arriving 90 minutes prior to curtain to ensure the theatre and box office is prepared to welcome patrons, and remaining on site until all patrons and volunteers have left the building (typically 30 minutes following the performance).
- Open and manage the box office 60 minutes prior to curtain until the performance begins and assist patrons with obtaining or purchasing show tickets, exchanging tickets, resolving online ordering issues, reprinting tickets, etc.
- Assist patrons with accessing accommodations including wheelchair seating, ALD devices, etc.
- Assist patrons to assigned seats in coordination with volunteer ushers
- Provide for the reasonable safety and security of the audience and front of house team.
- Assist production team with any show specific front of house needs or interactions.
- Manage customer service concerns from patrons and, when appropriate, connect them with management staff.
- Complete a Front of House production report nightly, identifying any incidents, challenges, etc.
- Oversee cleaning the theatre at the end of each performance (such as picking up programs and glasses, sweeping popcorn, etc).
- Front of House Volunteer Management
During public productions, this position oversees up to six volunteers per performance including ushers and will-call. Duties include, but are not limited to:
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- Developing the volunteer schedule for will call, house managers, and ushers. Grandstreet currently uses Sign Up Genius to manage our volunteer scheduling.
- Collaborate with the Marketing and Sponsorship Director to outreach to potential front of house volunteers and inform them of volunteer opportunities.
- Assist volunteers in logging their hours into Grandstreet Theatre’s tracking system.
- At the top of the volunteer’s shift, walk them through their role, and provide information on the production. Address any concerns from volunteers during their shift.
- Concessions Oversight
Working closely with the Box Office Manager/Admin Assistant, this position coordinates concession sales during public performances. Duties include, but are not limited to:
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- Attain and maintain a current Montana Health Dept. and Beer and Wine License, confirm all bartenders possess a current Montana Health Dept. and Beer and Wine License, and ensure that Grandstreet meets or exceeds Health Dept. and Beer and Wine License requirements. Grandstreet will reimburse all license and training costs.
- Stock, inventory, and order bar and concession items prior to and during productions and prepare the bars and point of sale system for smooth concession sales.
- Manage nightly bar sales including preparing box office and bar cash drawers, closing the tills, and preparing nightly financial reports on box office and concession sales.
- With Managing Director and Box Office Manager, provide oversight for bartender positions: build bartender schedules; provide training and coaching; develop standards and procedures; address employee issues; provide discipline; perform on-boarding and off-boarding functions.
The 2023/24 show calendar is below, and each Coordinator should expect to work about half of the performances during each show, except for The Christmas Carol, where both employees in this role will be scheduled to all performances due to the nature of the show.
2023/2024 Season
- The Little Mermaid – July 7 – 31, 2023. Tuesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Sunday @ 2:30p
- tick, tick…BOOM! – August 11 – 27, 2023. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Sunday @ 2:30p
- Misery – October 6 – 22, 2023. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Sunday @ 2:30p
- The Wizard of Oz, Youth Edition – December 1 – 17, 2023. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Saturday & Sunday @ 2:30p
- A Christmas Carol – December 19 – 23, 2023. All performances @ 7:30p
- Constellations -January 26 – February 11, 2024. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Sunday @ 2:30p
- The Play That Goes Wrong – April 19 – May 5, 2024. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Sunday @ 2:30p
- Finding Nemo, Jr – May 31 – June 91, 2024. Wednesday – Saturday @ 7:30p, Saturday & Sunday @ 2:30p
Other Events
- Membership Meeting and Grandy Awards – September Date TBA
- 2024 Grandstreet Theatre Gala – March 16, 2024
Additional opportunities to cover Box Office shifts during the week may also be available based on employee interest and availability.
Requirements:
- Experience in leadership positions and/or working with volunteers;
- Collaborative and consistent work ethic with the ability to maintain and exude pleasant, calm demeanor under fluctuating schedules, workloads, and personalities;
- Enjoy working with people and be interested in hospitality and community relations;
- Excellent decision-making skills;
- Excellent interpersonal, organizational, collaborative, and communication skills;
- Ability to work irregular schedules, specifically nights and weekends, with a positive attitude;
- Ability to work well under stress;
- At least 21 years of age;
- First Aid/CPR Training and Certification is a plus, but will be provided if needed.
Preferred experience (Not required): Experience using a ticketing system (Grandstreet currently uses ArtsPeople). Current Montana Health Department Beer and Wine License (Grandstreet will reimburse training and license cost for hired employee if they do not currently hold this certification). Comfort and experience with managing cash drawers. Previous experience as an usher or front of house manager for a performing venue.
Physical Demands: Moving, carrying, lifting overhead up to 50 pounds.
Benefits: PTO, Sick leave, comped tuition and tickets
To Apply: Please use this form to submit your resume and a cover letter.
Position is open until filled.
Grandstreet Theatre is committed to excellence through diversity of its staff mixed across lines of difference and strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, transgender and non-binary candidates. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theatre field are strongly encouraged to apply.