Volunteering at a theatre

Source A: an original contemporary non-fiction-style account.

“I volunteered at the town theatre for six Saturday performances. My job was to check tickets at the side entrance and direct people to their seats. Before the first show, the front-of-house manager walked us through the evacuation routes and explained where accessible spaces were located. I had imagined spending the evening watching actors. Most of my time was spent answering questions about doors, toilets and whether a child could leave a coat somewhere.

The work taught me how much performance depends on people who are not performing. A clear sign can remove a worry before anyone speaks; a hurried answer can make a visitor feel like an interruption. I enjoyed being useful, but I also noticed how easily enthusiasm becomes an unpaid job description with no edges. Volunteers need training, breaks and a way to decline extra duties. Calling a theatre a family should not mean expecting people to abandon their own. Goodwill is a resource to care for, not a substitute for planning.”

Source B: an original nineteenth-century-style letter or account, written for practice; this is not an archival document.

“Those who assist at our amateur dramatic evenings are sometimes thanked as though they have merely lent an hour of pleasant leisure. The gentleman who moves the benches, the woman who arranges the tickets and the young people who guide late arrivals have supplied work without which the performance could not begin. Their labour is less visible than an actor's speech, but invisibility does not make it weightless.

I gladly give my time to these occasions, yet generosity should not excuse confusion. A helper ought to know his task and the hour at which another will relieve him. It is unfair to praise devotion after leaving the same person at a draughty door throughout the evening. Let thanks be accompanied by arrangements. A warm sentence at the end is welcome, but a warm place to rest halfway through may be a more convincing expression of gratitude.”

Refer to both sources. Infer the differences in the tasks and support described for theatre helpers. Write a summary supported by details from both sources.