Theatre House Manager

Arena Stage; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 24,000 - 33,000; Part time

Job summary

Arena Stage seeks a part-time House Manager to support Audience Experience operations during performances and special events in Washington, DC. The House Manager is responsible for ensuring a safe, welcoming, accessible, and well-coordinated experience for all audience members and serves as a primary Front of House authority during assigned performances.

House Managers work as part of a collaborative Audience Experience team, partnering closely with fellow House Managers, the Associate Director

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of front of house, audience services, hospitality, live events, or customer-facing roles.
• Familiarity with ticketing systems; Tessitura experience preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and audience-centered in fast-paced environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a team-based leadership structure.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by the performance calendar.
• CPR/First Aid certification or willingness to obtain.
• Passion for the arts, patron engagement and live performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead Front of House operations for Arena Stage productions and events across all three theaters (Fichandler Stage, Kreeger Theater, Kogod Cradle).
• Serve a primary on-site Front of House authority during assigned performances.
• Supervise ushers and other audience-facing staff on site.
• Conduct pre-show Front of House briefings and assign staff positions and responsibilities.
• Manage late seating, re-entry, and audience flow in coordination with production needs.
• Collaborate with fellow House Managers to ensure alignment on procedures, coverage, and audience experience standards.
• Respond to audience concerns, accessibility needs, and service recovery situations with care and discretion.
• Support the delivery of accessibility services and devices in alignment with Arena Stage standards.
• Help foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for first-time attendees, subscribers, donors, community partners, and VIPs.
• Coordinate in real time with Security, Box Office, Concessions, Facilities, and Production teams.
• Conduct pre- and post-show walk-throughs of lobbies, theaters, restrooms, and exterior entryways to ensure readiness, cleanliness, and safety.
• Serve a primary responder to Front of House incidents and emergencies in collaboration with the Associate Director of Audience Experience.
• Assist with emergency response procedures, including evacuation or shelter-in-place as needed.
• Respond to medical incidents and coordinate with emergency personnel as appropriate.
• Complete incident reports and end-of-performance documentation.
• Complete performance reports and share notable audience feedback, operational issues, and trends.
• Communicate clearly with internal partners to support continuous improvement of Audience Experience operations.
• Participate in regular communication and knowledge-sharing with fellow House Managers to support consistency, learning, and team cohesion.

Skills

Front of house experience

Customer service

Strong communication

Multitasking

Team collaboration

CPR/First Aid

Tools

Tessitura

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Arena Stage is the voice of American theater resident in our nation's capital. Focused on American artists, our productions are innovative and representative of stories from across the country. We nurture new plays and reimagine classics. We celebrate our democracy and diversity through a multitude of voices in our productions and community engagement programs to inspire people to action.

WHAT WE VALUE

A work culture that values experimentation and collaboration

Excellence in all aspects of our work

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion throughout the organization and within our audiences and communities

Community service through education and public engagement

Effective partnerships and collaboration in the service of artists and arts professionals

A team-oriented approach to leadership, shared accountability, and mutual support

POSITION SUMMARY

Arena Stage seeks a part-time House Manager ($22/hour, 25 hours/week) to support Audience Experience operations during performances and special events. The House Manager is responsible for ensuring a safe, welcoming, accessible, and well-coordinated experience for all audience members and serves as a primary Front of House authority during assigned performances.

House Managers work as part of a collaborative Audience Experience team, partnering closely with fellow House Managers, the Associate Director of Audience Experience, the Senior Director of Community Engagement & Audience Experience and additional front-of-house staff to ensure consistency, communication, and shared standards across performances.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring sound judgment, calm decision-making, and clear communication in a live performance environment. The House Manager works in close coordination with Security, Box Office, Concessions, Facilities, and Production teams to support a seamless audience experience from arrival through departure.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Audience Experience Leadership

• Lead Front of House operations for Arena Stage productions and events across all three theaters:
  • Fichandler Stage (680 seats)
  • Kreeger Theater (510 seats)
  • Kogod Cradle (202 seats)
• Serve a primary on-site Front of House authority during assigned performances
• Supervise ushers and other audience-facing staff on site
• Conduct pre-show Front of House briefings and assign staff positions and responsibilities
• Manage late seating, re-entry, and audience flow in coordination with production needs
• Collaborate with fellow House Managers to ensure alignment on procedures, coverage, and audience experience standards

Audience Experience & Accessibility

• Respond to audience concerns, accessibility needs, and service recovery situations with care and discretion
• Support the delivery of accessibility services and devices in alignment with Arena Stage standards
• Help foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for first-time attendees, subscribers, donors, community partners, and VIPs

FOH Coordination & Safety

• Coordinate in real time with Security, Box Office, Concessions, Facilities, and Production teams
• Conduct pre- and post-show walk-throughs of lobbies, theaters, restrooms, and exterior entryways to ensure readiness, cleanliness, and safety
• Serve a primary responder to Front of House incidents and emergencies in collaboration of the Associate Director of Audience Experience
• Assist with emergency response procedures, including evacuation or shelter-in-place as needed
• Respond to medical incidents and coordinate with emergency personnel as appropriate
• Complete incident reports and end-of-performance documentation

Reporting & Communication

• Complete performance reports and share notable audience feedback, operational issues, and trends
• Communicate clearly with internal partners to support continuous improvement of Audience Experience operations
• Participate in regular communication and knowledge-sharing with fellow House Managers to support consistency, learning, and team cohesion

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in front of house, audience services, hospitality, live events, or customer-facing roles
• Familiarity with ticketing systems; Tessitura experience preferred
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and audience-centered in fast-paced environments
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a team-based leadership structure
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by the performance calendar
• CPR/First Aid certification or willingness to obtain
• Passion for the arts, patron engagment and live performance

The Washington Drama Society, Inc., Arena Stage does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Human Resources at [e-mail] or call 202-488-3300.

Offers of employment at Arena Stage are contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check and/or professional reference check as allowed by employment law in the District of Columbia.