Template IV
Front-of-house briefing
Ushers and door staff decide how opening night feels before anyone sees the stage. This is the briefing the house manager gives before the house opens: the timeline, who stands where, who to call, and what to say when the evening goes sideways. Times are samples for a 7:00 PM curtain with lobby doors at 6:15 PM, and roles appear instead of names, so write yours in on the day.
Timeline
Sample times for a 7:00 PM curtain: lobby doors at 6:15 PM, the house at the half, a 70-minute first act, and a 20-minute intermission.
| Time | What happens | Who | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 PM | House manager call | House manager, assistant house manager | Walk the lobby, the lanes, and the accessible route; seat map with holds and kills in hand |
| 4:30 PM | Will call and lists ready | Box office manager | Envelopes alphabetized and split A–L and M–Z; printed backup lists for every lane |
| 5:15 PM | FOH staff call and this briefing | House manager, ushers, door staff | In person, lane map in hand; radios handed out and checked |
| 5:30 PM | Will call opens | Box office | Early pickups take pressure off the 6:15 PM rush |
| 5:45 PM | Positions | All FOH staff | Lane signs up, scanners tested, line-walker outside, surge lanes set up but closed |
| 6:00 PM | Photographers in position | Press rep | Photo wall past check-in, never before it, with the accessible route kept clear |
| 6:15 PM | Lobby doors open | House manager | Press, VIP, will call, general, and accessibility lanes all open at once |
| 6:20 PM | Accessible early entry | Accessibility usher | Guests who asked for early entry are seated before the general house opens, as agreed with the stage manager |
| 6:30 PM | The half; house opens | House manager, section ushers | On the stage manager’s go; all lanes ready and surge lanes briefed |
| 6:45 PM | Fifteen-minute call | House manager | Lobby chimes; the VIP reception wraps |
| 6:50 PM | Line check | House manager | Walk the line: people in line divided by guests per minute gives the minutes it will take to clear |
| 6:55 PM | Places; surge lanes open | House manager, line-walker | Pull a spare usher from inside if needed; the stage manager gets a firm answer on any hold |
| 6:58 PM | House to the stage manager | House manager | Doors close; latecomers wait with the lobby monitor usher for the first late-seating point |
| 7:00 PM | Curtain | Stage manager | Late guests seated at the agreed point, quietly and away from the press rows |
| 8:10 PM | Intermission | Ushers, bar staff | Doors open; move any latecomers seated temporarily; watch the restroom lines |
| 8:25 PM | Five-minute call | House manager | Lobby chimes; the bar closes |
| 8:30 PM | Second act | House manager | House given to the stage manager once the lobby is clear |
| 9:25 PM | Final curtain | Section ushers | Doors open after the bows; aisles and exits clear |
| 9:35 PM | House exits | Ushers, line-walker | Party guests pointed to the walking route or shuttles; lost property to the house manager |
| 10:00 PM | Theater secured; FOH debrief | House manager, all FOH staff | Five minutes on what went wrong and what to fix tomorrow; house report filed |
Lanes and stations
Press and VIP sit away from the main doors, because those conversations run long.
| Station | Where | Staffed by | The job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line-walker | Outside, along the line | One usher | Sort guests into the right lane before the door, answer “is this the line for will call?”, and spot anyone who needs help |
| Press lane | Away from the main doors | Press rep or associate | Named list and prepared envelopes; critics shown a quiet route to their seats |
| VIP lane | Away from the main doors | Development, plus the person who can say yes | Named list, envelope or scan, for producers, investors, board, and major donors |
| Will call A–L | Box office windows or tables | Box office | ID check and alphabetized envelopes |
| Will call M–Z | Box office windows or tables | Box office, plus one floater | Same as A–L; the floater takes problem tickets for both |
| General entry | Main doors | Ushers with scanners | QR scan and a hello, with a printed backup list at every scanner |
| Accessibility lane | Beside the main doors, on the step-free route | A dedicated usher | Named list, early entry, and an escort to wheelchair and companion seats |
| Surge lanes | Beside general entry | Ushers briefed and standing nearby | Opened for the last-ten-minutes rush, with scanners already charged |
| Assistive listening and programs | A staffed station in the lobby | One usher | Devices handed out and logged; spare programs on hand |
| Photo wall | Past check-in | Press rep, photographers | A clear path past it for guests who skip photos |
| House, by section | Aisles and house doors | Section ushers | Seat guests, protect wheelchair and companion locations, and know the late-seating points |
| Lobby monitor | Lobby, by the monitor | One usher, with the house manager | Hold latecomers and seat them at the agreed point |
Key contacts and radio channels
Roles only. Write names and mobile numbers in on the day and collect the copies after the show. Channel numbers are samples; use your venue’s radio plan.
| Role | Call them for | Reach them on | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| House manager | Anything you can’t solve in a minute, every hold question, and every medical or safety issue | Channel 1 (FOH) | Assistant house manager |
| Assistant house manager | Usher positions and breaks, spare programs, and assistive listening devices | Channel 1 (FOH) | House manager |
| The person who can say yes | Adding a guest, seating from the management hold, and delivering any no | Phone, or Channel 1 through the house manager | House manager |
| Box office manager | Problem tickets, wrong-night tickets, and will call | Channel 2 (box office) | Box office floater |
| Press rep | Critics, photographers, and anyone who says they’re press | Phone | Press associate |
| Development lead | The VIP lane, board members, donors, and sponsors | Phone | The person who can say yes |
| Stage manager | Holds, places, and late seating | Through the house manager only | House manager |
| Venue duty manager or security | A disruptive guest, an unattended bag, or anything that needs the venue’s emergency procedures | Channel 3 (venue) | House manager |
| First-aid responder | Any medical issue, following the venue’s procedure | Channel 3 (venue), or as the venue’s procedure directs | Emergency services, as the venue’s procedure directs |
| Bar manager | The bar, and a guest who may have had too much to drink | Channel 1 (FOH) | House manager |
What to say
Say the first line, take the next step, and hand off early. Nobody solves a problem in the middle of the line.
| Situation | What to say | What to do | Hand off to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late arrival | “Welcome. The show has started, and I’ll get you in at the first late-seating point.” | Hold them with the lobby monitor usher and seat them at the agreed point, quietly and away from the press rows; if their seats are mid-row, use any held seats near the door and move them at intermission | Lobby monitor usher |
| Guest not on the list | “Let me find the right person for you.” | Step them out of the line and check the “listed under” column; if they aren’t there, call the person who can say yes. A yes is seated from the management hold and logged | The person who can say yes, who also delivers any no |
| Press | “Welcome. Press check-in is right this way.” | Walk them to the press lane; don’t discuss the show or ask what they think. Anyone who says they’re press but isn’t on the list goes to the press rep | Press rep |
| Accessibility request | “Of course. Let me take you to our accessibility usher.” | Bring them out of the main line by the step-free route; assistive listening devices come from the staffed station; wheelchair and companion seats are never used as overflow | Accessibility usher, then the house manager for any seat change |
| Medical issue in the house | “Help is on the way.” Then stay calm and precise on the radio. | Radio the house manager with section, row, and seat; keep the aisle clear and meet responders at the house door; follow the venue’s emergency procedure, including when to call emergency services | House manager, who decides any hold with the stage manager |
| Ticket for a different night | “Let’s get this sorted at the box office.” | Walk them to the will call floater; don’t promise a seat | Box office manager |
| A guest who may have had too much to drink | “Can I help you find your seat?” Keep it friendly and private. | Don’t argue or refuse service yourself; call the house manager and the bar manager, who follow the venue’s alcohol policy and the rules that apply to it | House manager, bar manager |