House Manager Task List

Last Revised on October 2, 2006

Welcome to your Task List! The Sudbury Savoyards Task Lists are designed to be used as a guideline for how you can successfully complete your job in the current production. The task list is divided into five sections:

General Information - fun facts to know/Background Information
Quick List - a quick list of all tasks that you are responsible for (these may require input from others). Clicking on a task will take you to a more detailed description of that task.
Task Details - detailed information on each task.
Tasks assigned to others, but require your input. The person responsible will be named and a link provided to their task list for convenience.
Reference Documents - forms, documents that have been used in the past. You may find them useful.

In order to keep this task list current and helpful, please edit it as you see fit. You will be asked to turn in your marked-up copy at the Debriefing Meeting. You can also send any changes electronically by clicking here or the link at the top of this page.

General Information

Quick List

Complete?	Task	Timeframe
	Emergency Numbers
	Recruit Ushers	beginning in January
	Arrange for Refreshments	early February
	Submit crew names	late January
	Guest Book	early February
	Ticket Accounting - Performances	early February
	Attend Debriefing Meeting	Date is determined by the Producer
	Return Task List	Return to the Task List Manager at Debriefing Meeting. See Calendar for the exact date.

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Task Details

Emergency Numbers

Police (978-443-8862)
Fire (978-443-2323)
Electric company power failure (508-875-0611)
Ambulance (978-443-2323)
Radio announcement of cancellation (WKOX Framingham 508-879-2222, WTTP Framingham 508-655-2500, WBZ Boston 617-787-7261)

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Recruit Ushers

We need 2 ushers and 2 ticket sellers per performance. The ushers just need to usher and can see most of the performance. One of the ticket sellers is also free about 1/2 hour after the performance starts. The other ticket seller needs to reconcile tickets/money and that takes until about intermission. Since there are always stragglers, this second ticket seller needs to be out in the lobby prepared to sell tickets right up until intermission. Tell lobby staff to dress warmly.
The SUMC UMYF (high school youth group) was once a source of ushers and might become one again.

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Crew Names

Submit all house crew names to the Producer for inclusion in the playbill.

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Arrange for Refreshments

Find a group to handle intermission refreshments in the lobby. The SUMC youth group (UMYF) used to do this as a fund-raiser; more recently Jim Parmentier's girl scout troop has done this and donated the proceeds to us. Most recently, we have purchased the refreshments at bulk stores, such as BJ's. Arrange for donations of refreshment items, where possible -- Very Fine has a juice donation program. Decide on the pricing policy, e.g. to charge per item or request donations.

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Guest Book

Prepare guest book to collect addresses of audience members wishing to be added to the mailing list. This can be with a tear-off form in the program insert (if there is room), or can simply be a sign-up at the refreshment table. If part of the insert, The House Manager needs to provide a box to collect these.

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Ticket Accounting - Performances

Discuss and agree with the Tickets Chief and the Tickets Reservations Chief how unpaid advance orders are to be accounted for. The tickets themselves have come from the Reservations Chief's stock and they must account for them to the Tickets Chief. The House Manager has collected the money and it is to cumbersome to ask them to keep the money separate from the at-the-door and concession sales. What has worked in the past:

The Reservations Chief clearly marks any envelopes given to the House Manager with a "TR"
The House Manager makes sure that all claimed envelopes are returned to the reservations chief (after the last performance, return all envelopes, claimed or not).
The reservations chief will be able to tell the House Manager how much of the total collected was for advance reservations.
This amount is then attributed as sales by the Reservations Chief and SUBTRACTED from the House Manager's total for the performance.

The alternatives are for the Reservations Chief to "turn in" those tickets in envelopes and the Tickets Chief "assigns" them to the House Manager. The disadvantage to this is that it is not an accurate number of advance sales, though to be honest, these are "reserved" and not "sales" unless the tickets are picked up. Back to Quick List
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Attend Debriefing Meeting

The Producer is responsible for setting for scheduling the Debriefing session, generally held within a month of the show closing. The meeting is to go over the production, focusing on areas of great success and areas which need significant improvement.

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Return Task List

If not already turned in, return the task list at the Debriefing Meeting.

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Tasks that require your input, but are the responsibility of others

Task	Description	Timeframe
Graphic Design	Work with the Graphic Designer to produce the show "logo". This is used on all advertising, tee-shirts/sweat shirts, tickets, playbill cover, etc. Graphic should give some indication of the stage director's artistic vision.	September, so the graphic can be used in the newsletter to announce the show and auditions.

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Related Documents:

Task	Who Does	Who_Checks	TaskDate	Tied To	Offset
Background Info for House Manager	HouseManager	Producer	5/1/2003	FiscalYear	0
Print tickets-Determine Quantity	Producer	HouseManager, TicketsChief	11/21/2003	NovBoard	10
Recruit Lobby Sales People	HouseManager	Producer	1/20/2004	LastPerf	-40
Recruit Ushers and Tickets Sellers	HouseManager	Producer	1/30/2004	LastPerf	-30
Sell t-shirts and libretti in the lobby	HouseManager	InternalSalesChief, Producer	2/13/2004	LastPerf	-16
Prepare for emergencies	HouseManager	Producer	2/13/2004	LastPerf	-16
Discuss emergency preparations	HouseManager	StageManager, Producer	2/14/2004	LastPerf	-15
Prepare price posters	HouseManager	Producer	2/15/2004	LastPerf	-14
Assure creature comforts in the lobby	HouseManager	TechnicalDirector, Producer	2/15/2004	LastPerf	-14
Review ticket policies	HouseManager	TicketsChief, Producer	2/16/2004	FirstPerf	-4
Arrange backstage and lobby video monitors	VideoChief	Producer, HouseManager, StageManager	2/16/2004	LastPerf	-13
Pick up printed playbills from printer	Producer	HouseManager	2/16/2004	FirstPerf	-4
Small bills for lobby change	TicketsChief	HouseManager	2/17/2004	FirstPerf	-3
Provide communication from lobby to Stage Manager	HouseManager	StageManager	2/18/2004	FirstPerf	-2
Find telephones	HouseManager	Producer	2/18/2004	FirstPerf	-2
Find keys for lobby doors	HouseManager	StageManager	2/18/2004	FirstPerf	-2
Tickets Chief's duties for performances	TicketsChief	Treasurer, Producer, HouseManager	2/20/2004	FirstPerf	0
Usher training	HouseManager	Producer	2/20/2004	FirstPerf	0
Boutonnieres	Producer	HouseManager	2/20/2004	FirstPerf	0
House Manager's duties at evening performances	HouseManager	Producer, StageManager	2/20/2004	FirstPerf	0
Stage Manager coordination for performances	StageManager	HouseManagerVideoChief, LightingDesigner, SoundLiaison, MusicDirector	2/20/2004	FirstPerf	0
Tickets chief's duties for performances	TicketsChief	Treasurer, Producer, HouseManager	2/29/2004	LastPerf	0
House Manager's duties for matinee performances	HouseManager	Producer, StageManager	2/29/2004	LastPerf	0