32. Usher's Skills To make Patron's Experience Pleasant

Last Sunday I was invited by friends to watch a play/musical by Petronas Performing Arts Group at the Dewan Bandaraya KL Building (Kuala Lumpur City Hall Building). As I had never been  to the auditorium inside the building so I called DBKL to ask about facilities  for different-abled people like me to watch the play.
 A guy answered my called and he tried to give me another number but put me on hold for  20 minutes. I hung up the phone and tried calling PPAG and trying to inform them about my condition.  No one answered the phone.

So, I told myself maybe when I got there I could ask the usher to show me where are the ramps, where's the lift, are there any special seating arrangements as I couldn't climb the stairs so that I could enter the performing hall without facing any difficulty.

people on wheel could use the same level to the auditorium

When I got there, we parked the car at the basement and took a lift to the Auditorium and the lift took us to the lobby of the city council and the auditorium was on the left wing next to the city hall lobby, there were a few guys at the counter looking at me going down steps to the foyer and I had to walk to the next wing and climbed the steps again.

Actually the city hall lobby and the  auditorium was on adjoining floor on entrance level  without going through the steps. That was my first time there and I didn't know, and how I wish those city council staff  who looked at me had told me about it.

stairs to a cafe, no ramp on the side

As I was early, I was waiting for my friends to arrive, I decided to have something to drink and munch at the cafe on the right wing of the city council building as i exited, again I am faced with another set of steps just to get to the cafe.

When all my friends had arrived, I went to the lobby of the  auditorium without going down the steps at the foyer but using the entrance level.

When we reached at the lobby, I saw stairs leading to the performing hall and there were no usher at the lobby except for two persons with laptops giving out tickets. I told them that I am using crutches and cant climbed the stair and asked them where was the lift to the performing hall.

Stairs but usher failed to guide can use same level w/out stairs

With no interest  look on their face to entertain my question, the girl told me that I had to climb the stairs but I told her that this is the city hall council building and how can they not afford to have a lift? they must have lift for me to get to the performing hall.
She kept quiet and looking clueless. Im not sure whether she is a DBKL staff or Petronas staff. By this time, a friend of mine called my name and showed me the way to the lift. We entered the lift and got on the upper floor, the lift didn't stop at the lower floor seating of the hall but on the upper floor seating.
 From the lift to the performing hall on the upper hall I saw there was ramp for wheelchair leading to the upper floor of the auditorium but my ticket is on the lower floor. So we had to go down using stairs to the performing hall, luckily, i still can use my leg to go down the stairs  and having difficulty climbing stairs.

Stairs to the performing hall

As I entered the performing hall, I was faced with another obstacle, - stairs leading to the inside of the performing hall. slowly, I lift my leg with my hand and put it on the steps one at a time, As I was doing that I was holding the line as there were few people behind me, I stopped and I apologised to them and allow them to go first.

By this time the ushers (im not sure if they were  from DBKL or Petronas,)  I think there were 5 or 6 of them just stood on top of the final stair looking at me , not knowing what to do. When we reached  inside the hall, one of the ushers told me to go to the nearest seat but the nearest seat I had to climb  few steps. Didn't he look at how I was struggling climbing the stairs and now wanted me to climb another set of steps?

ramp on the upper floor seating

I saw a few empty seats down from where I stood and I asked him if it's ok if we sat there as I couldn't climbed the stairs and I walked towards the seat and with sweats running on my forehead, face and body,  I was enjoying the play/musical that evening. When the play ended, everyone got up from their seats and climbing the low steps to the entrance where we came in. I saw there was an exit door down the hall but it was closed. I told myself  that I was not going to climb the stairs to go out but I was determined to use the closed exit down the hall.  When she saw me walking to the exit, the usher walked towards the exit and she helped to open the door for me and from there I was glad there was no steps just a flat ground towards the entrance of the hall. But I still had to go down the steps to the lobby.

But I was seated on the lower floor, going down

As I was leaving the building, I saw there was a ramp from the outside of the building leading to the lobby. There was some sort of facilities for different-abled people like me but there was lack of signage and lack of professionalism among the ushers in dealing with people like me who is using crutches. I wonder how would they deal if there were patrons on wheelchair coming for the show? Are the usher well prepared?

No matter where the venue is, an usher must do a bit of research on the surrounding of the venue/building, the facilities available on the venue, and able to provide information for people using crutches or on wheelchair. Don't just stand there and cluttered the space at the entrance of performing hall.

The Roles of an Usher

Stairs to the performing hall

 I was not asking for a treatment like a king but it would be helpful if there is an usher could provide me with the correct information or just to tell me where to get the lift and to get around without me facing difficulty to enjoy the show.

Usher should not just wait in front of the door of the performance hall but at the lobby also, as that is the first point of contact with the patrons. Perhaps those ushers could learn from other international performing halls on how to manage patrons  who are coming to watch the show.


Their roles are not just to greet patrons or assist patrons in finding their assigned seats but more than that especially attending different -abled person like me. What would  the ushers do when a different-abled people like me using crutches or on wheelchair enters the lobb


These are the  international standard procedures applied by most Performing House around the world.

1. Always present a pleasant demeanor. Smile! Make the patron feel

welcome.

2. Make any requests in a polite and calm voice. Address patrons as sir or

ma’am. Always say please and thank you.

Patron on Wheelchair

▪Position: Lower Lobby

▪When handicapped patrons enter the lobby, ask to see their tickets. Look at them

carefully.

▪Wheelchair seating/Orchestra: 

 Chairs will be placed in the rows and numbered if someone is attending with them. Do not

remove the chairs! Patrons must be escorted to their seats through the access

hallways . Remember to assist by holding the doors for them as they pass. 

▪If an unexpected wheelchair patron arrives with a ticket for a regular seat but

wants to move to a handicapped space, check with the House Manager to see if a

space is available.

▪Often, a wheelchair patron will get out of their chair to sit in a regular seat. Make

sure the wheelchair is out of the way and does not pose a fire hazard. Examples:

Cloak Room, back of the Orchestra against the wall, in front of left and right sides

of stage, etc. Remember: the wheelchair cannot obstruct the pat of patrons in any

way.

▪Advise handicapped patrons to remain in place after the show, and you will come

to assist them. If you seat a patron, it is your responsibility to help him/her exit the

theatre. If you cannot help at that time or have too many patrons to help, enlist the

assistance of one or more ushers.

▪Once you have seated a patron, be sure to get them a program, deposit their tickets

in the usher stand and then quickly return to the lobby. Someone may be waiting

on you!

▪If there is an abundance of ushers, several may be assigned to handicapped

assistance.

▪Always be ready to help a patron!

▪Do not hold up the line by participating in long conversations with patrons.

▪It is okay to socialize with one another, but do not leave your post, do not distract

each other, and do not neglect patron

For most performances, late comers must stay outside the doors of the

performance hall until a point when they can be led to their seat during applause or

at an appropriate pause in the performance. For some performances, especially

dance recitals, this rule will not be enforced.

Despite the unpleasant treatment I received from the ushers, I enjoyed the show. Kudos to Petronas Performing Arts Group for preserving the our cultural heritage for younger generation to appreciate.