Ipswich Little Theatre Society is not ‘little’. Operating as a theatre company since 1946, we have grown to an organisation that operates continually throughout each year bringing professional community theatre to our loyal audiences. With our volunteer directors, casts and crews always in some stage of rehearsal we also need to ensure that our Front of House volunteers can look after our patrons as well.
Each show season at ILT maintains a front-of-house roster. Our seasons usually run for three (3) weeks for thirteen performances. 4 volunteers are required for each performance to staff the kitchen, bar and sign-in station – that totals 52 shifts to cover. This is in addition to the dedicated raffle team who work at each of the 7 public performances. Lately, we have been experiencing increasing difficulty in filling these positions with some loyal members coming in 3 or 4 times each season and even backstage crew or cast having to come and lend a hand during intervals.
We are always looking for volunteers to commit to working even one shift for each production – that’s only 4 times a year. Would you be able to help out? Maybe you could organise a group of theatre friends to work together one night – it’s a good opportunity to catch up and support the theatre at the same time.
Our Front-Of-House management team volunteers to coordinate a season each.
We stagger the time slots for production so not everyone is required for an entire shift (though there needs to always be 2 people for fire regulations) but the busy periods are covered. Here are the suggested times and a brief rundown on the type of duties involved. An experienced volunteer is rostered as the Person In Charge.
- PIC (Person In Charge) – 6.30 pm to finish – unlock, assist with set up, manage bar and kitchen,
responsible for fire-safety procedures, and lock-up. - Volunteer 2 – 6.30 pm until after interval – assist with quick Covid clean in the courtyard and set up tables
(the theatre cleaner will have been in during the day), serve drinks in the bar, usher, serve in the
kitchen/bar during intervals. - Volunteer 3 – 6.45 pm until after interval – set up and staff the sign-in table at the front gate. Assist
with quick Covid clean after the audience is admitted, serving in the kitchen/bar during the interval. - Volunteer 4 – 7.30 pm until the finish – serve drinks in the bar, usher, assist with quick Covid clean after
audience admitted, serve in kitchen/bar during the interval, clean up after the interval, assist with lock-up.
Each Front of House roster is available on our Administration website four weeks from the beginning of each season. It would be fabulous if you are able to put your name down for a shift. Each season’s Coordinators contact details are available via the web link above.
If you would like to go on our mailing list to receive reminders about volunteering and our upcoming shows as well as receiving a copy of our always action-packed monthly theatre newsletter, provide us with your email address below and we’ll do the rest.