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Volunteer Sign-Up Opportunities

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It takes a village to put on a performance of The Nutcracker. Please consider donating some of your time to support your dancer's Nutcracker experience.

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Ideally, we would love for each family to commit to one - two volunteer slots during rehearsal season (attendance table/rehearsal assistant), and during performance week, two slots for food, and one to two slots for volunteering your time. This will prevent the same parents from shouldering all of the responsibilities. 

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Through volunteering, not only will you get to join in with the Nutcracker family camaraderie, but with some of the positions, you'll be able to see the show without a ticket! See the description of each opportunity below.

 

To sign up or view available times/dates, click on the title of each volunteer opportunity.

Duties include:

check-in of dancers, distribution of forms as needed, and encouraging parent signups as they become available.

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Contact Person: Junko Greineder

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While we prefer and appreciate a full shift at the table, we need your help staffing as best we can.  If you would like to split a shift with a friend, or can only work a partial shift, please note in the comments!

When signing up for this, volunteers will be expected to help dancers rehearse their pieces in the small studio as they wait for instruction with Viktor in the big studio. This includes keeping dancers on task. It is helpful for these volunteers to have some familiarity with the show. Please plan to be engaged with the dancers during this volunteer position.

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**Clearances Required**

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Contact Person: Adonica Spolum

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While we prefer and appreciate a full shift, we need your help staffing as best we can.  If you would like to split a shift with a friend, or can only work a partial shift, please note in the comments! 

It's time to spread the word about our Nutcracker Performances at our Central Market Advertising Events on September 30 and October 7 (Harvest Breakfast), 2023.  Please dress your dancer in a recital costume that you have at home.  Girls should wear their hair in a bun with a hairpiece or crown.  Be as eye-catching as you can possibly be!  Footwear can vary between regular shoes or old ballet slippers.  Each dancer should be accompanied by an adult who will help by distributing fliers and magnets that advertise the show.  Bags with magnets and fliers will be prepared and waiting for you at our advertising station on Market Street, outside Central Market.  Just look for the 7 foot tall nutcrackers and the VYIBA Nutcracker banner and you will find me and your supplies.  

First Friday and Art Walk Promotions

It's Time to spread the word about our Nutcracker Performances at the First Friday Event in Downtown Lancaster on October 6 and November 3 and the Fall Lancaster Art Walk on Sunday, October 22nd.  Please dress your dancer as a ballerina in a recital costume that you have at home, hair in a bun with a hair piece or crown.  Be as eye-catching as you can possibly be!  Footwear can vary between regular shoes or old ballet slippers. Each dancer should be accompanied by an adult that will help by distributing fliers and magnets that advertise the show.  Bags with magnets and fliers will be available at our advertising station.  Just look for the 7 foot tall nutcrackers and the VYIBA Nutcacker Banner in front of the Ware Center, 42 North Prince Street.

To help us welcome the professional dancers who are traveling long distances to perform with us, we are creating welcome bags! We would like to fill them with helpful, fun goodies to make them comfortable while they are here.

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If you are able, please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up to donate an item or two. Please drop donations at the studio no later than November 18th clearly marked "Professional Dancer Welcome Bag".

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Contact person: Becky Souhrada

We could use some help getting our patrons directed to available parking spaces, helping those that may need assistance in getting out of their cars, and making sure that our handicapped guests are able to park with accessibility. Anyone ages 17+ is welcome to help! 

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Please arrive in the LMH Performing Arts Center lobby at the start time that you signed up for.

Contact person: Tobie Brighter

We need your help to keep backstage running smoothly. Please consider spending some time with our dancers to make sure costumes are complete and entrances are on time. You will be backstage for the full performance.  We have many quick changes and costume assistant jobs throughout the show. 

*This dressing room is for dancers in K - 8th grade.*

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Please note:

  • If you sign up for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, please make every effort to attend Thursday's dress rehearsal.  

  • Consider bringing a headlamp or flashlight, bobby pins, safety pins, and a fanny pack.

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Clearances are required to be backstage. Clearances are FREE to obtain. Please bring a copy of your reports to Marie Dillon in order to volunteer.  

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Contact person: Marie Dillon

Our older dancers (9th grade and up) need assistance with organization in their dressing room to keep things running smoothly. Please consider spending some time with our dancers to make sure costumes are complete and entrances are on time.

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You will be backstage for the full performance, even if your slot is in Act 1 or Act 2 only.  We have many quick changes and costume assistant jobs throughout the show.

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Please note:

  • If you sign up for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, please make every effort to attend Thursday's dress rehearsal.  

  • Consider bringing a flashlight/headlamp, bobby pins, safety pins, and a fanny pack.

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Clearances are required to be backstage-
Police Background Check (http://epatch.state.pa.us) 
Child Abuse Background Check (http://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis) 
Clearances are FREE.  Please bring a copy of your report to Marie Dillon in order to help backstage.  
If you have turned in your clearances within the last year, you are not required to do so again.

Backstage is not the only place full of hustle and bustle on performance days.  We could use your help to take care of our guests at the gift table and will-call area. Sign-ups are based on being present at each station for that performance: before curtain, intermission, and following the performance, with the exception of the will-call area. The times listed are the one-hour before and (approximate) post-performance times.

Perk: Watch the show without a ticket during the performances you're working.

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Gift Table: Assist guests and process sales

   

Contact People: Jill Marhevka                                                  

You will be responsible for:

  • Taking tickets

  • Handing out programs

  • Showing people to their seats

Please dress in black pants or skirt and white shirt, blouse, or sweater.  

We ask that you arrive 45 minutes before showtime (time shown in the signup).  There will be a meeting of all ushers at that time at the back of the auditorium. 

Perk: You get to see the show without a ticket during the performance you're working.

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Contact Person: Lisa Loiseau

You will be responsible for:

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  • Making sure only volunteers with name tags are allowed behind the curtain with the dancers.

  • Reminding dancers to stay behind the curtain if they try to go past.

  • Helping to match dancers and parents at the end of the show.

 

Note: During the show, you can watch through the window to see a lot of the performance up close!

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Please arrive at the time listed on the sign-up (about 15 -30 minutes prior to the dancers) and plan to stay approximately 30 minutes after the show or until the last dancer is matched with parents. The end times listed are approximate.

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Contact Person: James Stafford

It's our annual Nutcracker Pizza Party!

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After the first show on Saturday, we celebrate with a pizza party.  We are asking for donations of fruits/veggies/cookies to add to our pizza buffet. We also need a few parent volunteers to help with set up, clean up, serving food, and supervising younger dancers.

 

Contact person: Jen Stipe

Viktor is requesting help to get COSTUMES TO AND FROM LANCASTER MENNONITE during our show weekend. 

We need volunteers to:

 

  • Get costumes and props from the STORAGE SPACE to LANCASTER MENNONITE on Thursday.

  • Get costumes from LMH to the storage unit near Granite Run Drive after the show on Sunday.

 

We are hoping to have about 3-4 vans or trucks on Thursday and Sunday.

This process is already a well-oiled machine and will not take much of your time - possibly only around 30 minutes!

Contact Person: Marie Dillon  

The professional dancers joining us this year are seasoned travelers, but they do miss the simple things like a home-cooked meal.  We'd like you to consider sharing your culinary talents by donating some items to make their travel transitions smoother.  They are SO appreciative of all donations!  The smiles on their faces as they visit our "special room" say it all. 

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The dancers will be with us for the following meal times: Thursday dinner, Friday dinner, and Saturday ALL day!  Leftovers will be utilized on our last show day, Sunday.  

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Feel free to contact Chairperson Amy Fasano with any questions.

The professional dancers joining us this year are seasoned travelers, but they do miss the simple things like a home-cooked meal.  We'd like you to consider sharing your culinary talents by donating some items to make their travel transitions smoother.  They are SO appreciative of all donations!  The smiles on their faces as they visit our "special room" say it all. 

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The dancers will be with us for the following meal times: Thursday dinner, Friday dinner, and Saturday ALL day!  Leftovers will be utilized on our last show day, Sunday.  

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Feel free to contact Chairperson Amy Fasano or Shannon Taggert with any questions.

The professional dancers joining us this year are seasoned travelers, but they do miss the simple things like a home-cooked meal.  We'd like you to consider sharing your culinary talents by donating some items to make their travel transitions smoother.  They are SO appreciative of all donations!  The smiles on their faces as they visit our "special room" say it all. 

​

The dancers will be with us for the following meal times: Thursday dinner, Friday dinner, and Saturday ALL day!  Leftovers will be utilized on our last show day, Sunday.  

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Feel free to contact Chairperson Amy Fasano or Shannon Taggert with any questions.

The hours in the dressing room can be long and busy without time to escape to refuel. Please consider donating to the snack table for our volunteers.

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Feel free to contact Dyan Branstetter with any questions.

Our photographer has a few volunteer opportunities available to help make the portrait process easier! You could sign up to help with unloading or loading equipment, tracking down dancers (with the help of backstage moms) when it is their turn for pictures, and assisting each dancer with last-minute touch-ups while they wait for their picture. â€‹

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Please click on the link to sign up if you are available to help. Thank you!

 

Contact person: Lisa Helock

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Sign up to bring a food item to share for this celebratory event! ​

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Contact Person:  Junko Greineder

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