KW SVO: The Registry Theatre

The Registry Theatre is a really great place to volunteer, and it’s not just for people who love theatre! Of course if you love theatre, music and dance, then it is the perfect place to volunteer. People who like working behind the scenes with the lights and on the tech side of things could also really benefit form volunteering at the Registry Theatre. However, people who are looking for an opportunity where they get to talk to new people, serve them and develop or use their interpersonal skills would really enjoy working at the Theatre as well.

The Registry Theatre is located in downtown Kitchener and is a very welcoming theatre that is rented out to various groups throughout the year who put on plays, musical performances and dance shows that are open to the public. The Registry Theatre itself also hosts its own shows, which are usually musical performances. Volunteers help the Registry Theatre to run smoothly and make all of the visiting people’s time enjoyable.

There are numerous benefits of volunteering at the Registry Theatre. One being that it is a great community. The theatre itself is a neat place and the people that work there are very friendly and kind. The Registry Theatre is an upbeat and fun place to be. Volunteering at the theatre could also lead to bigger things. There are not many places where people can learn about lighting and sounds, for example. The Registry Theatre teaches its volunteers a lot about theatre and really does provide its volunteers with new knowledge that is not offered in many other places.

Student Volunteer Opportunities at the Registry Theatre

- Concession (includes selling food and drinks at intermission, counting sold and unsold food/drinks, setting up and cleaning up the concession stand)

- Usher (includes distribution of programs, assists in seating and directing patrons, helping in case of emergencies, seeing that the patrons are comfortable and not doing anything wrong during the show)

- Tech crew (helping to run the lights and sound board, and possibly setting up for the show)

To become a volunteer, you should send an email saying that you would like to become a volunteer and outlining your interests to email listed below. There is an application form on the Theatre’s website, but filling it out is no longer required (if you would like to fill it out or use it as a guideline though for your email, that’s fine!). You will get an email back confirming that your email was received and that more information is to come when more volunteers are needed. The Registry Theatre recruits volunteers about four times a year now, and so once you send your email, you will begin volunteering with a maximum of three months. The only required skill for volunteering at the Theatre is that you should be able to interact with people well, seeing as the basis of all of the volunteer opportunities is working with people. The Theatre sees its volunteers as “ambassadors for the Theatre”, so acting respectively to all patrons is also very important. Volunteers are asked to wear black bottoms, a white shirt, a name tag and are to refrain from wearing any scents as a courtesy to the other patrons and volunteers who may be sensitive to some scents.

Volunteers sign up for days that they would like to volunteer. An email of upcoming volunteer dates is sent out and students can pick which days they would like to volunteer. Usually, you will get the dates that you would like. Volunteering with friends and/or family is possible and will try to be accommodated.