Prelim/Events Venue - The Bijou Cinema
House Manager (bouts/daytime/late night/overnight)
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The house managers are in charge of making sure everyone is where they should be, all the equipment is being
set-up or taken down properly, and all random, crazy details are under control. If there is any kind of
a problem, you find the solution. You get a clipboard and get to tell people what to do (except for
the Venue Manager, who will get to pick on you & take your lunch money**),
but you will probably end up with an ulcer, a headache, or both.
Note: The Bout Managers and M.C.s are under the auspices of PSI. If you feel you'd like to take on either thankless task, please contact your favorite PSI rep. Sit-yer-butt-down Jobs
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Door/Tickets (2 daytime, 3 bouts, 2 late night)
Your job is to man the door, and check poet/volunteer passes & tickets. You'll be selling tickets, as well, so you should know how to count American money.
Door/Bouncer (overnight)
You make sure that no one, but no one, without a special pass is granted entry to the venue. Overnight stuff is ONLY for people with special passes (poets, volunteers, and VIPs). Be tough, and willing to throw people out in the cold.
Merchandise (2 daytime, 2 bouts, 2 late night)
More math is involved. You'll help man the merchandise table, shoot staples at shoplifters**, and take money for poetry.
Scorekeeper (5)
Obviously, you'll write the scores down, then add 'em up. Do it right, or face the wrath of many. Good penmanship is essential, so your handwriting will be pre-screened by angry nuns with rulers**.
Timekeeper (3)
Click the little start/stop button on the stopwatch when the poets spring into action.
Registration (2 Wednesday, 2 Thursday)
Check poets in as they arrive in lovely Worcester. This is a good chance to meet famous people. Well, ok, this is a good chance to meet poets.
Brawny jobs
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Runner (2 daytime, 2 bouts, 1 late night)
You're the gopher. When the venue/bout manager says, We need a fruit basket and a Lancelot Linc lunchbox from 1967, stat!, you go find these things. Generally, you won't be sent out in search of lunchboxes or fruit; you'll be hunting for stuff like duct tape or Bill MacMillan.
Set-up (2 daytime, 2 bouts)
Move the mics, test the mics, get the stage ready to go for the event or bout. To get into true roadie spirit, you could stop bathing now in preparation**.
Clean-up (3 bouts, 2 late night)
Put away all the equipment after a bout or event is over (there will definitely be some crossover between the set-up & clean-up folks), and stow the merchandise in a secret, locked room when the merch table closes for the night. Probably some sweeping & picking up after the garbage-can challenged, too. Good work for the highly caffeinated.
Escort (2 bouts, 2 late night)
No one should have to brave the winter streets alone, even though the hotel is a very brief walk from the Bijou. We need teams of two people to escort the occasional lonely poet through the unfamiliar byways of late night Worcester. This is a good job for locals to take on. Locals with NINJA STARS**!
** Of course not.