Sharon White is Customer Care Manager for Ticketmaster and worked in venues including Manchester Opera House and Manchester Apollo before joining Ticketmaster.
What was your first job in a venue?
Working behind the bar at the Manchester Palace Theatre.
What was your favourite part of the job?
Interacting with the different type of customers face to face, and seeing the excitement on their face. I had also never been to a theatre before I started working there so It was a great way to learn about the history of the venue. I don’t think I would have even considered watching a musical before I worked there, as I had no exposure to theatrical shows at all.
What was the most memorable event you’ve worked on?
The full Miss Saigon event came to the Palace Theatre Manchester, and we were able to get to know that cast members and build a great relationship with them. It also made me fall in Love with Miss Saigon and its now my all-time favourite theatrical production.
How does your venue experience help you in your current role?
Having more exposure to venues allows you to be more confident when trying to help a customer book the best seats.
You can advise which seats are more accessible, and which are better for children for example. You can also talk from experience rather than just from what you have been told or trained on. It is also great to witness the other side of the customer journey, rather than just the sales and the after care.
Why do you think venues are so important?
Without the venues we have we would lose so much culture and education.
As stated, I had never been to or considered going to a venue to watch a show before working at them. They introduce you to a whole new world, where fans can get together as one and enjoy what they like together. The way the world is now, so many things are isolated or tech related – venues are one of the last things where people actually get together to enjoy something in ‘person’. It’s a shame that most watch it via a phone or tablet – but it’s still a lot of love under one roof.
