Festival House Manager

Respond by:
Minnesota Fringe Logo

Minnesota Fringe connects adventurous artists with adventurous audiences by creating open, supportive forums for free, diverse expression. Through the festival and dynamic year-round programs, Fringe is an artistic disruptor for local and touring artists to take bold risks, develop new ideas, and hoist themselves to the next rung of their artistic ladder. Our flagship Festival has distributed $2.5 million+ to artists over the last decade. 

Fringe seeks ~16 creative, dynamic self-starters to join our team as House Managers for the 32nd Annual Festival. This is a hands-on opportunity to help run front of house operations for a large scale festival that sells over 20,000 tickets each year over our 11-day event.

Responsibilities & Expectations:

  • Attend mandatory training sessions before the festival
  • Provide excellent and friendly customer service
  • Create a schedule to ensure all shifts are covered at your venue
  • Supervise and delegate tasks as appropriate to venue volunteers and box officers
  • Work within a front of house team to sell tickets and monitor lobby
  • Manage lines and direct large crowds of people
  • Interact with patrons, including answering questions or fielding concerns
  • Work with technical staff to ensure shows start / end on time and run smoothly
  • Liaise with artists and venue staff; troubleshoot issues as they arise
  • Step in to assist staff or volunteers with box office, handle monetary transactions
  • Fill out daily reports and communicate issues with office staff
  • Track hours

Successful candidates will have a variety of the following skills: 

We are open to the following having been acquired in different industries or in a different context other than the performing arts. We encourage applicants to apply if their experience and skillset is a fi t for this role, even if they do not meet every qualification on this list.

  • Enthusiasm for the mission of Minnesota Fringe and the communities we serve
  • Front of House/customer service experience (previous Fringe volunteer / staff experience a plus)
  • The agility to adapt in a fast-paced organization
  • Excellent written, communication, and organizational skills
  • Superb interpersonal skills under pressure in the field
  • An ability to work on projects independently
  • Strong leadership and collaborative skills
  • Comfort with counting, handling money, & dealing with tablets/technology & Google ecosystem
  • The ability to work long hours and late nights once the Festival begins
  • Reliable transportation (access to a car/bike/set of wheels is can be crucial for some tasks during the Festival)
  • Knowledge and/or interest in the performing arts or event management a plus
  • Willingness to learn new skills

Time Commitment:

All House Managers must attend both training sessions. Training is paid at your hourly rate. In-person sessions are scheduled for July 22 and July 28 from 6:30-9pm. Between time of hire and training sessions, there will be a small amount of email communication, info sharing, and scheduling. House Managers are expected to work approx. 6-9 days of the 11-day Fringe Festival.

  • Shifts begin approximately 1-2 hours before the first show
  • Shows begin at 5:30pm on weekdays, and 1pm on weekends
  • The last show of the day begins at 10pm. Shifts end approximately 30 minutes after the last show ends at 11pm

Compensation:

  • $17.50/hour - Front of House Managers are responsible for tracking their own hours
  • Earned hours of sick and safe time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked
  • A Staff Pass for the 2025 Fringe Festival to see shows for free when not on duty
  • House Managers payment will be ready by August 15, which they may elect to pick up from the office. Checks not picked up by August 20 will be mailed.

Application Instructions
Interested persons should fill out our application form, found at this link: https://bit.ly/2025-FOH

Please note that, should you accept a role with Minnesota Fringe, paperwork for hiring will be due June 3, 2025. Questions and requests for accommodations can be addressed to Director of Audience & Volunteer Engagement, Felicia Cooper at [email protected]. This posting will remain open until all positions have been filled.