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Permalink Reply by Rachel E. Pollock on November 14, 2011 at 6:22am

I find that to be a horrible idea, the elimination of one's position from the nametag. It's not got anything to do (for me, at least) with a hierarchical thing, so much as it being a point of audience education and involvement. I don't know how many wonderful conversations have been struck up at events as a result of my nametag indicating that i work in the costume department. Whether it provides a point of commonality ("How fun, I have sewed my whole life!") or an opportunity to explain the nature of the work (many patrons are surprised to hear how many people we have on staff in the shop, what their different responsibilities are, what our facility equipment is like) or an opening for coordinating a donation ("I have all these old dresses of great-grandma's, would you want those?"), it always comes about from them noticing that title on my nametag.

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Permalink Reply by David McCall on November 14, 2011 at 7:12pm

I was initially thinking; why would anyone want a name tag in the theater. When I grew up the people in the background tended to stay in the background. We liked it that way. I never missed not having a badge to proclaim my prowess as the technical director. When I'm not "backstage" I felt that I was "just another person like any other".

You do make a good point by using it as a way to get people to interact, and perhaps become involved in the theater. I've had those conversations without a badge, but how many more might there have been with a badge? I think Kieth is right that the position needs to be on the badge for the badge to have much value. It gives the interested patron a starting point for a conversation without having to begin with "well, what do you do". I can see it both ways.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Guncheon on November 14, 2011 at 8:56am

What was the reason given for the change?

I have never, if ever, worn a name badge. I usually *tell* people who I am when I meet them. I find taking some sort of umbrage at a job title being omitted from a name badge a bit petty.

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