How to Become a Broadway Usher

If you like the New York theater scene and you feel like you belong on Broadway but you have no real talents as a singer, dancer or actor, there are still careers for you! Broadway Usher is a union job (IATSE Local 306) and is something that I fell upon quite by accident, but something that you too can do if you love the thrill of the theatre.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Love of theatre
• Evenings
• White shirt
• Black pants

1. Make Yourself Known: The IATSE Local 306 office is in midtown Manhattan. I won’t go giving away the address but you should make yourself known to the people in charge. You can work something like 21 shows per year before you have to join the union. You should be careful, though, because joining the union comes with a pretty hefty price tag (or so it seemed to me at the time). If you are not offered a “steady” spot in a particular theatre then you could be set adrift with no real home; having to call in every day for work, and having to work a “full” shift, all eight shows of the week (if you can get eight shows).
2. Steady: A steady spot is something you need to be offered by an individual theatre. There are three primary theatre owners on Broadway: Nederlander, Shubert and Jujamcyn. There are also union workers who do shows at Lincoln Center and places like Manhattan Theatre Club or City Center. When you are steady you will typically have a requisite eight shows a week you need to work at; four “on” (1 hour prior to house opening ‘till after the show breaks) and four “off” (1 hour prior to house opening ‘till 15 minutes or so after the show begins). You are allowed a “number” of days you can request off per quarter but you need to watch that, because taking days off can get out of control. Many people who have day jobs, for example, will take Wed matinées off. These are also the best shows to break into the biz working.
3. Subbing: This is the way most ushers get started. You’ll have to work the shift at the discretion of the house manager; typically the full-on shift for every show. This can be fine to start, but you’ll want to try to land a regular house (or not make ushering a career).
4. Pay Your Dues: To keep your membership in active status you need to keep paying your dues. If you lapse for too long then you may have to pay your membership fee all over again.
5. Go For It: Ushering is a pretty fun thing which can lead to other opportunities down the road. If theatre’s something you love, then go for it!

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