What is Front of House (FOH)?

Front of house (FOH) means the parts of a venue the audience uses and the team that runs them, and in live sound, the mixing position in the audience where the main sound is controlled. Which meaning someone uses depends on whether they work in venue operations or production.

How front of house works

The two meanings cover different teams:

  1. Audience areas: the foyer, box office, auditorium, bars and toilets, run by a front of house manager.
  2. Front of house team: ushers, ticket scanners, bar staff and stewards who look after the audience.
  3. FOH mix position: the area in the audience, usually central and about two-thirds back, where the sound and lighting desks sit.
  4. FOH engineer: the sound engineer who mixes what the audience hears from that position.

Front of house staff work in shifts across every event, so many venues plan FOH rotas with shifts in Crescat.

Front of house vs back of house

Front of house is everything the audience sees and uses. Back of house, or backstage, is everything they don't, such as dressing rooms, loading docks and offices. In sound, FOH is the audience mix, while monitor world mixes what performers hear on stage.

Front of house roles

  • Front of house manager: runs the audience areas and team on show night
  • Box office staff: sell and check tickets
  • Ushers and stewards: guide the audience and keep routes clear
  • Bar and catering staff: serve the audience
  • FOH sound engineer: mixes the main PA
  • Lighting operator: often works next to the sound desk

Frequently asked questions

What does a front of house manager do?

A front of house manager runs the audience side of a venue on show night. They brief the team, open the doors, handle complaints and incidents, and work with the stage manager on start times and the interval.

Where is the FOH desk positioned?

Usually in the centre of the audience, about two-thirds of the way back. From there the engineer hears roughly what most of the audience hears and has a clear view of the stage.

What does an FOH engineer do?

An FOH engineer mixes the sound the audience hears, balancing every instrument and voice through the PA. They set levels during sound check and adjust the mix throughout the show.

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