Figueres a Escena

Behind the Counter: A Profile of Our Longest-Serving Box Office Staff

For more than three decades, Montserrat has welcomed patrons through the doors of Teatre El Jardí and Sala La Cate, scanning tickets, recommending shows, and soothing the nerves of latecomers rushing to find their seats. Her career at Figueres a Escena began in the early 1990s, when the cultural programme was still finding its rhythm and printed season brochures were folded by hand behind the front desk. Today she remains the calm centre of a busy foyer, the steady presence that audiences quietly come to rely on.

This profile follows her journey from a temporary weekend shift to a lifelong vocation, exploring the everyday rituals of box office work, the changing tastes of audiences, and the small decisions that shape a night at the theatre. Her story offers a window into the often invisible labour that keeps a performing arts organisation running, and a reminder that culture depends as much on the people behind the counter as on the performers under the spotlight.

From Saturday shifts to a permanent fixture

Montserrat first walked into the theatre on a recommendation from a cousin who worked the lighting board. She was looking for a few extra hours and a reason to stay involved with the arts scene in her hometown. What she found, unexpectedly, was a career that would carry her through five venue renovations, three major rebrands, and the slow digital transformation of the box office itself.

Her earliest memories of the role involve handwritten reservation ledgers, a temperamental cash register, and the particular challenge of selling tickets to a sold-out flamenco night while queues spilled out onto the street. She remembers the thrill of learning new programmes almost overnight and the gentle pressure of being the first point of contact for thousands of visitors each season.

She also recalls the camaraderie of those early years, when the small team shared lunch on the loading dock and traded stories about visiting companies. Many of the artists she met as unknowns later returned as celebrated figures, and she takes quiet pride in having watched their careers unfold from behind her glass counter.

The rhythm of a working day

Each shift begins well before the doors open. Montserrat arrives early to check the day's bookings, print updated reports, and walk through the foyer to confirm that signage and programme displays are in order. She likes the quiet of the building at that hour, the way the morning light falls across the empty seats, and the brief window of stillness before the public arrives.

Once tickets start moving, her work shifts into a faster gear. She fields calls from subscribers, processes group bookings, and assists walk-up visitors who often arrive unsure of what to choose. The role demands a particular blend of warmth and efficiency, and she has developed a mental catalogue of recommendations tailored to the people in front of her.

A typical shift follows a familiar pattern:

Her daily routine also includes the small but essential task of seating latecomers discreetly during the opening scenes. She has learned that small courtesies, such as remembering a regular's preferred seat or noting a returning visitor's name, can transform a routine transaction into something more personal.

A career shaped by cultural change

The performing arts landscape has changed profoundly since Montserrat began her work. Subscription models have given way to more flexible ticketing, printed playbills have been replaced by QR codes, and audiences now expect detailed programme information at their fingertips. She has welcomed each shift with patience and curiosity, even when it meant learning a third ticketing platform in as many years.

Beyond the technology, she has watched broader cultural currents reshape what audiences want. The rise of contemporary dance, the renewed appetite for circus and physical theatre, and the steady growth of children's programming have all altered the rhythm of her working week. She has learned to read the room quickly, adjusting her tone when an elderly patron needs extra patience, or her pace when a queue grows restless.

She has also been touched by the way international touring has expanded the audience. Performers from Latin America, East Asia, and across Europe now appear regularly on the Figueres stage, and she enjoys the small task of pronouncing unfamiliar company names correctly when greeting ticket holders. Cultural exchange, in her experience, begins at the box office window.

Memories that stay with her

Among the many nights she has worked, a few stand out vividly. She remembers the opening of a contemporary opera that brought an unusually young crowd, the night a thunderstorm knocked out the power and the audience watched the first act by torchlight, and the moving occasion when ATEB students performed for the first time on the main stage. Each of these moments taught her something about resilience, generosity, and the strange magic of live performance.

She also speaks warmly of the regulars who have become friends over the years. Some travel from neighbouring villages, others come from as far as Girona or Barcelona, and a handful arrive each season from overseas. She has come to know their preferences and family milestones, and she considers these quiet relationships one of the true rewards of the job.

One memory involves an Australian couple who stopped at the box office during a European holiday and asked for recommendations in halting Spanish. They were headed south toward the coast and wanted something light before continuing their journey. Montserrat steered them toward a comedy, and they returned after the show to thank her with a small gift of Tim Tams they had brought from Melbourne. The exchange left a lasting impression, a reminder that hospitality knows no borders.

Lessons from three decades behind the window

Looking back, Montserrat is clear about what the work has taught her. Patience, she says, is the foundation of good service, particularly when a sold-out show brings long queues and rising tempers. Listening matters just as much, since audiences often arrive carrying the weight of their day and need a brief moment of calm before they enter the auditorium. Adaptability rounds out the trio, because no two shifts ever unfold in quite the same way.

Three small habits shape her daily approach:

She also believes that the box office is a cultural ambassador in its own right. The way a visitor is greeted, the clarity of the information offered, and the small gestures of welcome shape their entire experience of the venue. Audiences may forget a programme note, but they rarely forget how they were treated at the door. For her, this quiet responsibility gives the role its meaning.

Finally, she is firm about the importance of training the next generation of front-of-house staff. She has mentored several younger colleagues over the years, sharing tricks of the trade and offering reassurance on difficult nights. The continuity of that knowledge, passed quietly from one shift worker to the next, is something she considers part of her lasting contribution to the organisation.

Looking ahead to the next season

Montserrat has no plans to step away just yet. She enjoys the work too much, and the new season always brings fresh reasons to look forward. The recent expansion of ATEB, the growing partnerships with international festivals, and the steady return of full houses after the pandemic years have given her a renewed sense of purpose.

She is also pleased to see the venue embracing digital tools that make access easier for distant audiences. Live-streamed performances, online booking systems, and hybrid workshops have opened doors to viewers in Sydney, Adelaide, and other cities across the globe. The cultural exchange that once happened only through touring artists now extends to anyone with a connection and a curiosity. Australia's strong appetite for the performing arts, supported by industry bodies like Live Performance Australia and the funding frameworks administered through Creative Australia, has made her even more aware of how international the audience for live performance has become.

The next season will bring new challenges and new faces behind the counter, but Montserrat is ready. She looks forward to greeting returning regulars, welcoming first-time visitors, and continuing the small daily acts of care that define her role.

Book your seats today through Figueres a Escena and discover the kind of welcome she has spent a lifetime perfecting. The new season offers a programme of bold artists, generous hospitality, and a stage that belongs to everyone who walks through the door.