WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS!

Coach House Theatre has a reputation for delivering fine quality shows made possible with the dedicated efforts of our countless volunteers.  The obvious volunteers are seen on stage as performers, but behind the scenes are the many volunteers that keep this theater running.

If you would be interested in joining our corps of volunteers, please contact our Production Manager via email at production_manager@coachhousetheatre.org or call us at 330.434.7741.

The following positions are available:

Stage Managers

Backstage there is another crowd at work.  The Stage Manager is the person who sees that everyone else does his or her job.  He or she makes sure the actors get to the theater on time, calls all the cues for entrances, exits, lights, etc., and is generally in charge of what happens on the stage and in the backstage area.  Including rehearsals, as well as production, the Stage Manager for each show puts in over 110 volunteer hours.  Larger shows require an Assistant Stage Manager, too.  There is a small honorarium paid to the production stage manager.

Costumes

Many of the costumes are rented, but more often than not, Coach House Theatre uses our own stock, borrowed items, and items our costume crew makes to costume our shows.  It takes hunting, altering, trimming, and sewing to prepare the costumes you see on the stage.  In addition, each night it takes from 2 to 6 people to see that everyone on stage is properly dressed and coifed.  There is laundry to be done in between performances.  These volunteers put in well over 100 volunteer hours to dress even a small show.  There is a small honorarium is paid to the costume designer.

Set Construction

Coach House Theatre sets are all made and dressed with volunteer labor.  Weeks before the show opens, three weekends are set aside for set construction.  Everyone meets backstage on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.  Many volunteers come back during the week to finish up details and some are still working right up to the opening of the show.  A small honorarium is paid to the scenic designer.

Directly after the final performance the set is taken apart and the stage is emptied.  This usually takes less than two hours.

Properties

Break out your black wardrobe!  Every performance someone has to be sure that each prop is where it belongs and in place when needed.  This is the job done by Properties and a perfect place for the shy folks to volunteer.  Come to auditions and check this block on the audition form.  A small honorarium is paid to the properties coordinator.

Running Crews

These are the people that run the smoke machine, change the set, make walls move or disappear, make it snow onstage, etc.  The more complicated the set, the more volunteers needed.

Lights & Sound

Each show needs at least two people to run the light and sound boards.  These are the people who keep the volume correct on microphones, and create thunder and lightning.  Most shows require about 50+ volunteer hours for light and sound.  A small honorarium is paid to the lighting designer and the sound designer.