1/30/2023
Discovering The Smith Center
Providing the highest-quality guest experience remains a top priority for The Smith Center — to the point that the center created the position of chief experience officer. Overseeing all guest-facing employees, this executive works to address each visitor’s needs and ensures that every step of their experience — from buying tickets on the website to parking to finding their seats — remains seamless and enjoyable.
As chief experience officer, Suzanne Chabre knows the key to her job: listening
Audience members like you have given The Smith Center constructive feedback through frequent surveys, and the center’s team has listened.
Read on for Suzanne’s answers to commonly raised concerns by our visitors
Question 1: Why can’t I share my mobile tickets?
Suzanne: Good news – now you can! The Smith Center’s mobile tickets now offer this functionality, which took some time to develop after we first introduced mobile ticketing as part of new health and safety protocols.
If you need to share tickets with a friend, or with a group of people seeing the show together, simply log in to your Smith Center mobile wallet, click on the show’s performance date, then click SHARE TICKETS. Just follow the prompts to easily share your tickets via text or email.
You can also meet members of your group at a Smith Center entrance, and an usher can scan all of their tickets on the same phone. Or, your friends can simply purchase their tickets separately.
QUESTION 2: Some performers aren’t always easy to understand when they’re talking or singing. Why is that?
Suzanne: Performers’ intelligibility — how well they can be understood — can affect how much audiences can hear and discern. We asked Dr. Timothy Hunsaker, founder of Desert Valley Audiology, to weigh in on this. According to Hunsaker, when a performer speaks with “an unfamiliar accent or speech cadence,” it can be difficult for some in the audience to immediately understand. “How quickly performers speak and sing can also affect their intelligibility,” he adds.
In light of these challenges, he suggests audiences review a show’s storyline and lyrics in advance. “When I say familiarize yourself with the performance, I think of the musical ‘Hamilton.’ The singing and dialogue in ‘Hamilton’ is fast. It can be difficult to understand under the best circumstances,” he explains. “(Learning about the show beforehand) can really help keep you up to speed with the performance.”
Question 3: Why do ushers sometimes interrupt me during the show – like about not taking photos?
Suzanne: Ushers are there to ensure that every guest has a good experience, and they work hard to answer questions, address concerns and help guests navigate our campus. Some touring productions have strict guidelines for their performances — like no photography allowed — so ushers face a balancing act of upholding these guidelines, while also helping guests feel comfortable.
To help ushers accommodate the needs of both guests and performers with the utmost efficiency and respect, The Smith Center provides continual training for ushers and the entire guest experience team.
If you have a question about The Smith Center that you would like to see answered, get in touch with us at [email protected].
Suzanne Chabre is the vice president and chief experience officer for The Smith Center.
If you have a question about The Smith Center that you would like to see answered, get in touch with us at [email protected].