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We Have the Best Ushers in the Business!

Here at the Van Wezel we have well over 300 volunteer ushers and we are so grateful for their many hours of service to our wonderful arts community. We see our ushers as our front line ambassadors of goodwill who provide an excellent patron experience.

Volunteer ushers stuff programs with announcements, scan tickets at doors, show patrons to their seats, pass out programs and answer questions. In exchange for their time before and during a show, volunteer ushers are permitted to stay and watch the show for free.  What a valuable perk!

Our ushers are grouped into “teams” and are led by our amazing team Captains, who have volunteered at the Van Wezel for many years, and know our policies and procedures better than anyone. Ushers who provide significant service to the Van Wezel become eligible to participate in some of the best shows that we offer our patrons.

If you’re thinking about joining our Van Wezel team of volunteer ushers but want to know more, here are some questions we hear a lot:

What’s the time commitment?
We need ushers for every performance we have at the Van Wezel. This includes shows that range from Orchestras to Broadway, afternoons and evenings.  We ask for a commitment of 25-30 shows per year and we expect all volunteers to come on their assigned days. You can count on being with us approximately 4 to 5 hours per show.  But remember, you are permitted to stay and watch the show for free!

What are the qualifications?
All volunteer ushers must be 18 years or older. Our ushers possess a positive attitude, are flexible, friendly and courteous with guests, staff and peers. Some of our requirements include: being able to stand for at least 90 minutes; bending and lifting; reading small print in low light; walking up and down stairs easily, without assistance; hearing, understanding, and following verbal directions; coming to assigned shows timely and prepared; troubleshooting problematic situations; and finally, staying alert and thinking quickly in an emergency.

What are the basic duties of being a volunteer usher?
Our ushers provide general information about the Van Wezel. They assist with guest seating and ticketing situations and ensure that late seating policies are followed. Our ushers are responsible for handing out and picking up programs and stuffers and assist Front of House with the enforcement of the camera/recording policy for each event. They are attentive, and alert Front of House to any guest’s special needs or emergency situations. Other duties as assigned by Management.

What do I wear to usher?
At the Van Wezel we require a long sleeved white shirt, solid black pants and a black suit jacket, as well as completely black, closed-toe, closed-back shoes and black hose or socks. Our Dress Code is outlined in the Usher manual.

When can I sign up?
We have an open call for volunteer during the months of June, July and August. Let us know if you are interested by filling out our interest form below.  Unfortunately, once our season gets rolling and our training is over we cannot accept new ushers until the following season. However, if you fill out our interest form we will keep you on file and will reach out to you during open call.

We’d love to have you on our team!

If you have any questions, please email us at vwushers@sarasotafl.gov.