Most great nights at a theater start with a ticket. The Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office serves as the central access point for hundreds of performances each year, including all Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) events. From student productions to world-class touring artists, the box office, which is headquartered on the first floor of Memorial Union, is where audience members take their first step into many campus arts experiences, supported by a team that keeps ticketing and front-of-house operations running smoothly at desks where they help audiences and behind the scenes.
The team is led day-to-day by Sean Danner, assistant director of ticketing and audience services, alongside Ted Harks, arts ticketing website administrator. The team will soon welcome a third full-time team member, in the role of box office manager.
Together with student team members, they provide ticketing services for about 250 events each fiscal year, supporting not only WUT performances but also events presented by the Mead Witter School of Music, University Theatre, the Dance Department, University Opera, and external organizations renting WUT venues.
With the main box office located in Memorial Union and four satellite offices across campus, Campus Arts Ticketing serves as a central hub for arts access at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
“No day is the same as the previous one,” said Danner, reflecting on the constant coordination required to manage ticket sales, front-of-house operations, student staff supervision, and sales reporting.
While the professional staff sets the structure, the box office is primarily staffed by a dedicated nine-student team, mentored by full-time staff. Three of the students serve as student supervisors.
These students are often the first point of contact for patrons, assisting with ticket purchases, answering questions in person and over the phone, and preparing box office operations for upcoming events.
Their work ramps up significantly before weekends, when they may be preparing ticketing logistics for 10 or more events simultaneously. Student supervisors assume additional leadership responsibilities, including collecting staff availability, creating work schedules, ensuring all box office locations are prepared, and playing a key role in interviewing, hiring, and training new employees. Their leadership helps maintain consistency and efficiency in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
In addition to the box office team, front-of-house operations rely on approximately 20 student staff members who work nights and weekends. This team includes ushers, four house managers, and one lead house manager.
Ushers are responsible for line management, ticket scanning, seating assistance, and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment throughout each performance. House managers oversee front-of-house operations for individual events, ensuring signage, staffing, and crowd flow are handled smoothly while serving as the primary point of contact for any issues that arise.
Supporting them behind the scenes, the lead house manager focuses on advanced planning, including scheduling staff, identifying the unique needs of each event, preparing detailed event notes, and ensuring house managers are set up for success. Like the box office student supervisors, they are also involved in hiring and training, helping sustain a professional standard of service across all WUT events.
At the heart of every successful WUT space event is a team dedicated to making the arts accessible, welcoming, and seamless for audiences. From professional staff coordinating complex ticketing operations to student employees bringing energy and care to every interaction, the box office and front-of-house teams play a vital role in shaping the theater experience.
Next time you’re planning a night out, stop by the Memorial Union Box Office to meet the people behind the scenes and grab tickets to an upcoming event that brings campus arts to life.