Volunteers

A very special thanks...

We give thanks to a group of very special people - our volunteers from the community.  Each season, hundreds of volunteers log thousands of hours working with us on everything from audience services, concession services, to behind-the-scenes administrative support. These wonderful and dedicated volunteers are an incredible asset to us and to you, our patrons. 

Please join the Gretna Theatre staff in applauding them with

standing ovations of sincere gratitude!

Interested in volunteering?

Call our Volunteer coordinator at (717) 964-3322 with your

contact information and availability.

As a Friend of Gretna Theatre, there are many ways you can be a great help to us:

• Adopt an Actor!  We are fortunate to be able to hire actors from New York, Philadelphia and beyond for our productions.  However, we have urgent need for housing!  At one point mid-summer we will need to house twenty-one people!!  A four-week commitment in a private room (bathroom can be shared) is all it takes to become friends with an actor who might be the next Charlton Heston or Bernadette Peters (who got their starts here at Gretna Theatre).  Ask for details.
• House Managers!  We are seeking responsible volunteers to take on the job of House Managing for just one week each this summer.  Help us greet the audience, place the ushers, see to it that audience services run smoothly in conjunction with our Managing Director and Artistic Director (one of whom will always be present).
• Ushers!  Help tear tickets, hand out programs, direct patrons to their seats before the show, direct patrons to concessions, etc., and help clear up after the show.  Be our “Ambassadors of Goodwill” at the performances - and just about everyone can be of service this way!  Help with several or just one show per run – whatever time you can give us is always appreciated!
• Box Office!  Help answer phones during busy periods, hand out tickets, take ticket orders – be our first impression to our patrons!
• Clean Up, Fix Up!   We have the opportunity to turn a very inexpensive local house into affordable actor housing with a little sprucing up.  A coat of paint could mean the difference between expensive lodging and affordable lodging.  Cleaning, painting and a bit of fixing up will make it a nice spot.  No special skills needed – just a willingness to jump in and work – and we’ll have a ball doing it!
• Opening Night Parties!  Five times during the summer, corresponding to each opening Tuesday night, we host an opening night party.  A group of volunteers help us acquire donated food, to help us set up the party, serve the goodies and clean up afterward.  It’s a great chance to meet the cast!
• Volunteer Coordinator(s)!  Help us make sure we don’t let anyone (or anything) fall through the cracks.  We want to make this summer the best experience ever!
• What do YOU enjoy?  There are any number of other opportunities out there - from data entry to office skills to stuffing envelopes - that are needed occasionally.  Let us know what you might be able to help us with!

Usher Guidelines

First Impressions Count!  Thank you for helping Gretna Theatre create a great first impression! You help “set the stage” by your professional appearance (dressy/casual attire) and by giving our patrons your attention and assistance.  The following are some general guidelines for our most popular volunteer opportunity:

The theater is a friendly place and you’re sure to encounter many of your own friends here. Please limit your visiting with friends (and other ushers) while on duty.  Your cheerful and prompt service to each and every theater patron is vital to our successful season.

Please check in with the House Manager, who will review the instructions with you.  A Volunteer sash can be picked up at the Box Office.  Ushering is typically a 45-minute pre-show job, with very few exceptions.  We are always happy to have you stay for the entire show!   Evening shows begin at 8:00 p.m., so we need you at the theater and ready to go by 7:00 p.m.  The matinees begin at 2:00 p.m., so please be here no later than 1:00 p.m.

1. For their own safety, no patrons are permitted in the theatre until the House Manager opens the playhouse for seating. This happens after the Stage Manager completes the sound checks and ascertains the stage is set for the opening scene.   Typically, this is 30 minutes prior to curtain.

2. The House Manager will have demonstration tickets for you to see.  Make sure you understand the way the theatre's rows are lettered and numbered. The House Manager will show you a diagram of the theater.   Each ticket will show a "Section," "Row" and "Seat Number."  Sections are LFT (stands for left), RGT (stands for right), CTR (stands for center). Odd numbers are on left side of the theater (as viewed from the rear of the auditorium), even numbers on the right, and the 100 series of numbers are in the center section. For some performances chairs are added at the rear of the theater.  We must have the ticket stub from every audience member - it is vital to our bookkeeping and our responsibilities to the authors' royalties!

3. Please, also check the DATE on the ticket. 

4. Ushers should be stationed as follows:  One should be at the head of each aisle to examine tickets and direct patrons to the correct area, and hand them a program if they haven’t already picked one up.  If additional ushers are available they should be in each aisle to examine each ticket.  Please escort patons to their aisle - don't just point.  Unless a patron volunteers it, don’t ask customer if they know where they are sitting – many say “yes” just to be polite – but they may be mistaken!

5. Place the “Recycle Program" boxes on top of the regular program boxes so patrons can use them as they leave.

6. Ushers may stay to see the show.  We ask that you sit in seats toward the rear of the theatre. Check with the House Manager, who will confirm with the Box Office the location of available seats. If ushers stay to watch the show, they should plan to assist with opening/closing the curtains when the show starts and at intermission.

7. All ushers must return their volunteer sash to the House Manager or to the Box Office before leaving.

We hope you enjoy our theatre and the experience of ushering.  If you have any questions or suggestions, speak with the House Manager or please feel free to contact our Volunteer Co-coordinator.

If you or a friend has an interest in other volunteer jobs with the theatre, please let us know!

We are a non-profit organization that truly relies on volunteers to operate.

Your dedication and professionalism are greatly appreciated!