Volunteer Descriptions

Thanks so much for your support of our Musical Theatre program at Edmonds Heights. It is only through the support of our parents and other volunteers that the magic happens! You are important!

Keep in mind that hours may be fulfilled by working ANY SHOW during the semester, not just the level in which your child is enrolled.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinators supervise volunteers and provide direction, coordination, and consultation for all volunteer functions within their level. Volunteer Coordinators work with Team Leads to identify specific needs and disseminate them to EHK12 community and EHPA Volunteers and recruit volunteers when necessary. Track Volunteer hours.

Front of House

These are short term positions that need to be filled for every show.  They range from 1 - 4 hours depending on the length of the show.  Check credited hours on Volunteer SignUps.  Detailed task checklists are linked for each position below.  Please check in with the house manager when you arrive! The house manager is always your point of reference for questions and direction.  

House Manager: 

-Does NOT need to buy ticket.

-CAN watch from back of theater as long as Lobby Security is covered.

House Manager coordinates front of house volunteers and activities on the day of show and fills-in where needed.  The House Manager arrives 90-minutes (1.5-hours) before the show starts to make sure everything is set up, greets volunteers, fills-in holes, and completes closing activities which take about 20-30 minutes at the end of the show.  There is a checklist for the House Manager tasks in the link below.  Please wear black or black/white professional-looking clothing as we may have special guest adjudicators in attendance evaluating our performances for nominations in the 5th Avenue High School Musical Awards.  The House Manager does not need to buy a ticket, and as long as the Lobby Security position is filled, can watch the show from the benches at the back of the auditorium.  Click to see details of House Manager Duties

Lobby Security: 

-Does NOT buy tickets.

-Does NOT get to watch the performance while on duty.  

-CAN double-up position with Box Office or Concessions

This position requires you to stay in the lobby or music building during the show.   Please check in with the house manager or Box Office upon arrival.  Your primary duty in the first half hour is to assist the ushers with seating of late guests.  For the remainder of your shift, while the show is going, please assist anyone who exits the auditorium with re-entry during applause breaks (for musicals) and keep the lobby area secure.  Lobby Security volunteers can also volunteer for Box Office or Concessions for the same performance.  Click to see details of Lobby Security Duties

Box Office: 

-Does need to buy a ticket if watching.

-Can watch the show.

-Can double-up position with Lobby Security

We need people who are comfortable helping people, handling money, and using computers.  (If you've ever bought tickets online, then you are able to sell tickets with our system.)  The Box Office opens 1-hour before each show, so you would need to be at the school 90-minutes before the show starts (30 minutes before the Box Office opens) to help set up the Box Office.  There are detailed instructions with photos so set-up is relatively simple.   Please wear black or black/white professional-looking clothing, especially for AMT shows, as we may have special guest adjudicators in attendance evaluating our performances for nominations in the 5th Avenue High School Musical Awards.  This position does not conflict with being able to watch a show.  If you want to watch the show, box office volunteers must purchase a ticket.  Box Office volunteers can also volunteer for Lobby Security for the same performance.

Ushers: 

-Does NOT need to buy a ticket.

-Can watch the show from the back benches while monitoring the doors.

Greet patrons, scan tickets and usher in the theatre before performances.  Roles will be given for specific tasks upon arrival.  Ushers do not need to purchase tickets for the show.  Ushers sit in the back of the theatre, are on-duty during the performance, and help clean the theatre and lobby afterward.  Please make sure to dress in professional attire that is all black or black with white.  Please check in with the house manager upon arrival.  They will give you any updates or new information you need for that performance.   Click to see details of Ushering Duties

Concessions students: 

-Does not need to buy a ticket.

-Can watch the show from the back benches.

Sets up concessions prior to shows, sell concessions before the show and during intermission, put concessions away after the show.  Please dress in professional attire.  Arrive 90-minutes before show start time, check in with the House Manager, and follow the set-up instructions.  Set up the concessions tables and donation tubs.  Concessions are sold before the show for one hour and during intermission.  After the show, make sure refrigerated goods are put away and the table is covered with the plastic sheeting.   Click to see details of Concessions duties.

Green Room Parent: 

-Does NOT buy a ticket.

-Does NOT get to watch the performance.

Please arrive at the call time for the rehearsal or performance.  You will be monitoring the hallways, dressing rooms and classroom, preferably a same-gender parent for each dressing room.  Positions will be determined by the number of perents volunteering, as follows.  Click to see details of Green Room Parent duties.

4 Volunteers: 2 in the costume room (door always open), 1 in the hallway near the green room door monitoring transit, and 1 in the green room itself near the stage door. 

3 Volunteers: 1 in the green room near the stage door, 1 in the hallway outside the choir room, 1 in the hallway outside the costume room door (always open).

2 Volunteers: 1 in the green room near the stage door, one in the hallway outside the costume room (door always open). 

1 Volunteer: serve as a grounding adult presence in the space, provide support to the cast and crew as needed, and contact costuming/the house manager if any urgent or emergency situations occur beyond the scope of their own capabilities, experience or knowledge base.

Sets & Props

Set Work/Building - 

This will be different with every show, but if you are able to build and create set pieces based on rough designs and concepts, please let us know. Builds can be anything from simple carpentry to more complex designs. There is also a need for repairs and other kinds of handy work.

Prop Building - 

This is also different with each show, but if you are crafty and creative and enjoy making things, can use a glue gun, do simple artistic projects, please let us know.

Drafting/Design - 

This would include making blueprints/sketches or models of set designs and working with director/set designer to realize the visions for the show

Set Painting - 

No experience necessary. We can always use help applying primer and base coats.

Sewing

Hand Sewing - 

This is usually sewing on buttons or other items and making simple repairs. Items are put on a rack in the choir room and the costume manager will help you get started. This is a huge need throughout the year; you can check in the choir room any time.)

Alterations/Building Costumes - 

If you have sewing experience and can build costumes or work from patterns, please indicate your sewing experience.

Costuming

Steaming - 

This happens during Tech Week as well as during the run of the shows. All costumes are to be pressed as needed after each dress rehearsal or show.

Laundry Team - 

After each show there are bags of laundry that need washing. Most items are gentle cycle/hang dry, so you need to have space available to hang the laundry to dry.

Organization / Restock Team - 

Re-hang / restock costumes after they have been laundered.  We always need people to help with organization in the costume room, prop rooms, and set storage areas. We also occasionally need help cleaning in the costume rooms and choir room areas.

Other

Production Skills 

If you are a photographer, videographer, sound or lighting designer, musician, or have other production skills, please let us know.

Publicity 

It would be wonderful to have someone with publicity experience to spearhead this activity and implement new ideas to spread the word about our shows, including social media marketing, press releases and interviews.

Lobby Display 

We would like to showcase our students' hard character work and our commitment to excellence in our Lobby Displays.

Poster Distribution 

We need people to hang posters up a few weeks before the shows. They need to be taken to libraries, businesses, and other logical places to advertise. They should also be removed after each show’s run. 

Fundraising 

Organizing fundraising opportunities to help build our theatre program.

Auctions 

We are looking for people to help procure items, set up silent auctions before shows, and follow up with winning bidders.

Chair Setup/Take Down 

This is done during Tech Week. Sometimes chairs are left up between runs of shows.

Run Errands 

These are generally very last minute. Often we need people to run errands to pick up items for shows. These usually happen during Tech Week.

Organization 

There is often filing and copying that needs doing. These are ongoing jobs that can be done anytime throughout the year.

EHPA End of Year Gala and Thespian Induction 

This group will be responsible for organizing and setting up our annual event in early June. This includes organizing a huge potluck for ~250 people, setting up, decorating, cleaning up.