Who can join KCSA?

All students of the University of Illinois as well as University Laboratory High School are eligible for joining KCSA.  If you have a NetID, you’re good to go!

Non-students (including University faculty and staff) who are interested in ushering should consult the Krannert Center website, under “Community Volunteers”.

Does it cost anything to join?

Nope.  We don’t have membership dues because all funding for KCSA comes from KCSA fundraisers, support from Krannert Center, Campaign for Young Audiences, and SORF.  All KCSA work is done on a volunteer basis.

Why do I have to train to be an usher?

As a volunteer usher you play a significant role in assuring that the many performances at Krannert Center run smoothly.  Because ushers have such a high level of contact with the patrons, they need to be well versed on theatre, performance, and emergency procedures.  We ensure that the training process is efficient and relevant to your ability to perform as an usher.  And yes—we really do enforce it.

How long will training take?

Typically 45min to an hour.  Training can be done on your own time, any time, and you may complete it in one sitting or in pieces.  You only need to complete training once for the entire time you’re part of KCSA, but the course will remain in your Compass account for your reference.

How do I know if I’ve done my training correctly?

The Compass Course is made up of 4 modules of 5 quiz questions each, for a total of 20 questions.  You must get all 20 questions correct in order to for your training to be considered complete.  If you miss any, you can retake the module as many times as you need.  Once you have all modules completed, you are good to go!

Wait, I hear you can do the training in person…

If you wanted to attend one of our in-person training sessions, check the Krannert Center volunteering page.  These sessions are designed for community volunteers, but KCSA volunteers are welcome to attend as well.  These sessions take about 2 hours, but involve a more hands-on experience…and coffee!

I have questions about ushering (what to wear, when to show up, etc…)

All of this information can be found in our Ushering Manual and/or the training.

What if I can’t make a show?

If you sign up for a show and then realize you can’t make it, please take yourself off the signup by logging into SignUpGenius and deleting your slot.  There are no penalties if you take yourself off the signup before a show’s call time (we recommend you do this at least 24hrs before).  If you don’t take your name off the signup and don’t show up to the shift, that’s a no-show absence.  Members who accumulate too many no-show absences are subject to penalties such as being barred from future signups.

I’m looking for employment.  Who do I contact?

Consult the Krannert Center employment page for KCPA positions, or the Virtual Job Board for work throughout the university campus.