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Although no one has taken an official survey, it’s safe to assume Susan Messina attends more performances at the Academy of Music than anyone else in her South Philadelphia neighborhood. She’s there for the opera, ballet, musicals in the Broadway at the Academy series and more.
But she’s not a member of the audience. Messina is an usher who guides others to their seats and then has other responsibilities during performances.
She’s on duty from the moment the doors open until the last patrons leave.
"Our posts have to be covered at all times," Messina said.
There are 10 entrances to the Academy, with almost 3,000 seats in all. Messina’s post is right in the center, Door 5 for Sections D and E.
Wearing her uniform of black pants, maroon jacket and bowtie, she takes tickets and carefully checks to see that the ticket-holders have come on the right date before directing them to their seats.
"Quite often people come on the wrong date," she said.
And, understandably, some get upset and frustrated when they realize their mistake. If the date of their performance has passed, Messina directs them to the box office to try to exchange their ticket for that evening’s performance. If the date is in the future, patrons must return for the right showing.
Generally, people are agreeable. But the challenge comes when latecomers arrive and find the doors to the concert hall closed.
Standing outside the shut doors, Messina must explain they cannot enter until there’s a break or a scene change – and, if not, then they don’t get in until after intermission.
"Often people will get very angry," she said. "They’ll say, ‘Can’t I just sit in the back?’ Some people get so angry they’ll try to push me away from the door. I can sense when that’s going to happen and I push myself against the door and hold my body against it."
Then, too, there are the verbal outbursts.
"I’ve been called stupid or people say, ‘Get out of my way,’" she said.
Occasionally a patron will show real hostility, such as the latecomer who brought his child to a "Nutcracker" performance.
They arrived after doors had closed and the father was furious when Messina wouldn’t let him in.
"This is ridiculous! I paid for these seats!," Messina recalled him saying.
But the veteran usher held her ground and politely said, "Sorry."
He stormed off.
WITH 20 YEARS experience at the Academy, Messina’s learned to take the anger in stride.
"I just keep saying, ‘Sorry, these are the rules.’ I don’t take it personally because it’s not really about me and I do understand why people get angry. Our role is to try to calm them down."
She also encourages latecomers to watch the performance on the TV monitor in the lobby until intermission.
Despite those who get angry or hostile, she emphasizes most patrons are pleasant and friendly.
"They’re very understanding of the policies," she said, "and they don’t ever want to disturb others."
That’s certainly true of the disabled attendees who use wheelchairs or walkers. Messina helps them to their seats in two special sections where seats are for wheelchair accommodations. If patrons have walkers, Messina will take the walker, store it during the performance and then return it after the show.
At 37, she’s a veteran Academy usher who started at age 17. Ushering is a part-time job she usually works four days or nights each week.
The "work" includes getting to see the array of performances each season. Now that the Philadelphia Orchestra performs at the Kimmel Center, the Academy is the venue for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, for most of the Pennsylvania Ballet programs, for Broadway at the Academy shows and for visiting performers such as the musical group Celtic Women, who appeared March 19. Messina gets to see them all. Three ushers cover each entrance and, after a performance begins, they are allowed to take an empty seat and watch the onstage action, as long as another usher covers their door. Messina is no exception.
"People often say to me, ‘You’ve got the best job in the world!’ And I answer, ‘I know I do,’" she said.
She especially enjoys the Broadway at the Academy. The Beatles tribute, "Rain," was a favorite and she loved "Beauty and the Beast," which she saw four times.
She’s also a fan of the Pennsylvania Ballet. Last season, when "Swan Lake" was presented, she watched almost every performance, adding "It was absolutely beautiful."
The "Nutcracker" is another favorite.
"I wouldn’t even know it was Christmas without it," she said.
Before the Philadelphia Orchestra moved to the Kimmel Center in December 2001, Messina enjoyed the concerts and the illustrious guest soloists, such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Andre Watts and many others.
"So many I can’t even remember them all," she said.
The venerable Academy is almost like a second home to Messina. In fact, ushering here is a family tradition that began with Messina’s father, Michael, in l971. He’s still an usher – only now at the Kimmel Center. His 35-year record of ushering remains unbroken.
Messina’s younger sister, Rosina, has kept up the tradition. She was an usher at the Academy for 15 years, starting when she was l7.
The most recent family member to join the brigade is nephew Rosario. Starting in October at age 18, which is now the minimum age for an usher, he’s the third generation to join the field.
Messina even met her husband at the Academy. Eric Amada is a booking agent for performing artists. One evening six years ago, he came to hear one of the performers his company represents. He noticed Messina and asked a friend who knew her to introduce him.
"After that night, he kept coming to one concert after another and then he’d stay and talk to me," she said.
Soon romance blossomed and, two years later, they were married. Messina, born and bred in South Philadelphia, still lives here. She, her husband and their 4-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Isabella, live near 13th and Wolf streets.
"We love South Philly," she said. "I grew up enjoying the sense of being surrounded by caring families. It’s such a close-knit community and I want that for Isabella, too."
Her daughter will surely grow up enjoying the performing arts. She saw the "Nutcracker" before she was 2 and is now a fan of the holiday ballet – just like her mother.
Of course, Messina has seen much more at the Academy. Four times a week, she’s at her familiar post at Door 5 – with a smile – ready to greet patrons and make sure things go smoothly.
"It’s a great job," she said. "I get to see memorable performances and I meet lots of different people. So many wonderful people walk through the door. For me, meeting them is the best part of the job."
