House manager ensures positive theater experiences

Though they might not realize it, every person who attends a play at the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center has a guardian angel in Trish Hausmann. As the house manager, she works to ensure safety, efficiency and, as much as possible, the satisfaction of every audience member during each play.

“The house manager is the face of the company for the audience when they arrive at the theater,” said John Kinzer, director of audience development for the IU Department of Theater and Drama. “What I call ‘customer service’ is truly helping the audience have a good experience with us.”

From training ushers and helping them sign up for shows to tracking weather patterns – just in case – the house manager’s job is not done for the night until every audience member is gone and the house of the theater is clean.

During the performance, the ushers are Hausmann’s eyes and ears, watching for audience members with food and drink, cell phones, rowdy children or cameras.

“She is the one who needs to solve those problems,” Kinzer said. “The fuller the house is, the more likely a problem may happen.”

Photography is strictly prohibited in the house to protect the actors’ publicity rights. In the standard Equity (the actors’ union) contract, no photographs are allowed without an actor’s specific consent, and the department works to guarantee the same for its student performers.

“We want to give them that protection,” Hausmann said.

She has both undergraduate and graduate degrees in stage and production management and said the work is largely the same as her current position.

Hausmann’s favorite part of her job is taking flowers, cards and other gifts back to the actors from audience members, often friends or relatives.

“It’s one of the things I really love about my job,” she said. “I love getting that interaction with the patrons. ... I love the moms.”

Both of her parents were in theater professions, and Hausmann grew up attending productions on a regular basis.

“I started as an usher at 3,” she said. “They handed me a stack of programs and told me to hand them out.”

Senior Brad Schiesser estimated he’s ushered for Hausmann 50 to 60 times and plans to pursue house management after graduation.

“I actually want to be Trish when I get out of school,” he said with a laugh.
Schiesser said what generally makes people return to a theater is not only good shows, but good service, and Hausmann is the kind of boss for whom people want to do good work.

“She subscribes to the cardinal rule of giving her ushers candy,” he said. “They come back because they enjoy volunteering, and they enjoy volunteering for this person ... She has a lot of great energy.”

Hausmann is also the patron services coordinator, meaning she works with donors, many of whom are members of the Theatre Circle.

This group provides the majority of financial backing for the department’s season, in addition to sponsoring an annual scholarship for undergraduates. Members are often on other boards from all sorts of professions. Even the wooden ticket boxes at the Lee Norvelle were built and donated by a patron.

“Our donors are really amazing people,” Hausmann said. “They’re really involved in the Bloomington arts scene.”

Before, during and after a performance, Hausmann does whatever she can to make sure patrons enjoy themselves.

“Trish is going to make it happen, because that’s what she does,” Kinzer said.