[Board] Fwd: Comments from August 2 Miss Dallas Event

[Denise Guilbert]

FYI

Denise Guilbert
214.676.7943
Fundempress@ aol.com



Begin forwarded message:

> From: Maryann Wegloski <Maryann.Wegloski at cor.gov>
> Date: August 24, 2020 at 10:50:21 AM CDT
> Cc: Pamela Polsky <Pamela.Polsky at cor.gov>, Caron Grant <Caron.Grant at cor.gov>
> Subject: Comments from August 2 Miss Dallas Event
> 
> 
> Good morning Encore! Volunteers,
>  
> As many of you know, the Eisemann Center hosted Miss Dallas on Sunday, August 2. Five of your colleagues volunteered, Chris Salerno, Lou Delcamp, Carol Levy, Jerry Conner and Marina Riley. They shared their experiences and reflections with me. The following are excerpts from their comments.
>  
> Marina Riley - I believe the Eisemann Center personnel did a fantastic job organizing, I like the fact there was hand sanitizer stations.  The patrons behaved well and followed directions.  Also, I noticed some patrons did not stop at the ticket scanning booth and came straight to my Aisle 1, I had to send them back to get their ticket scanned so I guess we need to pay a little more attention to patrons coming in and direct them to the scanning booth.  I believe we did a fantastic job considering the situation.  
> Chris Salerno – Things went much better than I had expected, but it was obvious that a lot of thought went into preparation. Based on how many staff and others pitched in, I imagine that there were slots that went unfilled. I did experience patron groups remove masks once seated. Those asked to mask-up did comply, although with hesitation. I guess it's just relying on their good sense and civic mindedness.
> 
> You mentioned this, but I double-checked for my own information with any patron who came in solo and was sitting in a block. I asked if they were expecting others in the party. Turned out that three single patrons did in fact each have a whole row to themselves to provide 4 empty seats on either side.
> Those seating charts are invaluable in keeping track of where people should be sitting and, even more so, where they shouldn't be sitting.
> Biggest issue for me was tickets, especially phone tickets. Patrons walked right up close to show their phones, which I had to request be expanded. Even then, on two occasions, patrons were unable to expand the ticket big enough to read at arm's length. Patrons walked right up shoulder-to-shoulder. Even patrons with paper tickets in the Mezz walked right up to me and were not conscious of social distancing with me, so I was glad to have the mask and the shield. Shields might be an additional requirement for ticket takers. Fortunately, each party came in singly, so there was no bunching up. In another setting, it might be impossible to keep any distancing as a ticket taker.
> Jerry Conner – I thought everything that the Eisemann personnel did to put on this show went extremely well. When I answered the earlier questionnaire I said that I would feel comfortable volunteering again. The main reason was that I thought enough people would have the safety of all people involved, both patrons and volunteers, to make it happen. I was not disappointed. Naturally, there were a few idiot patrons who didn't keep their masks on all the time, but that's like trying to stop photography. There will always be people who don't abide by the rules, because they are more important than the rules. At least THEY think they are.
> Lou Delcamp – Be sure to let em know YOUR team did a fantastic job!  Weaknesses were with the attendees, and they were minor! 
> I really liked having the bathroom doors open using doorstops, no one had to touch the doors
> The protocols y’all set up were great and the attendees for the most part tried to honor them.  As some of them left the theater to use the restroom, I noticed them putting their masks back on.  And there were some who felt the mask was fine below their nose, or even below their mouths if they were talking to each other.  Not many behaved like that.  
>  
> Carol Levy - From the perspective of the Mezz Traffic Controller Position
> The majority of the patrons (at least 60-80%) seemed clueless about assigned seats.  Some wandered up the stairs or off the elevator and when asked about their seat assignment would go digging in their purse or pocket for the ticket or start scrolling on their cell phones.  When they had their tickets in hand, they were quite happy to get further direction.  About half, or more, knew the color of their aisle entrance.
> After the start of the show, when the aisle doors have been closed, the outside volunteers (ticket taker or traffic controller) will be encountering latecomers as well as people who have exited for the restroom (etc.) and are returning. Either many hands will touch the door handle, or one paper towel could. The volunteer could use a clean paper towel to open the door(s).  It can be used once or multiple times.  The supply of paper towels could be placed with at least one of the pump dispensers. One of the patrons on Sunday returned with a paper towel to the door she had exited.  But there are no trash receptacles in the venue for disposal of their paper towel.  Suggestions:
> Volunteer to open aisle door(s) for returning patrons.
> Provide paper towels for volunteer to use to open aisle doors and/or wipe them down.
> Position a trash receptacle inside each aisle (the audience chamber of the pair of doors) in case patron brings their own paper towel.
> In the Mezz, only the inner door at Aisle 5 “bleeds” light into the venue. For this event, it was closed (as usual), but the inner doors at Aisles 6 and 7 were left open.  This allowed one fewer touch point for patrons – a good thing during this pandemic. The client might have to agree due to the possibility of a sound issue.
> I will be following up with a survey in the next week or two. We are looking forward to the RSO performing on Saturday, October 3. Stay safe!
> 
> Best regards,
> Maryann Wegloski
> House Manager
> Art Gallery Coordinator
>  
> Charles W. Eisemann Center For Performing Arts
> 2351 Performance Drive
> Richardson, Texas 75082-4332
> Direct line - 972.744.4615
> Encore! Volunteer Hot-line - 972.744.4668
> maryann.wegloski at cor.gov
>  
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