1. June 20, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
Erica Anne Cafazzo has asked me to write in support of her application to the
Country Inn & Suites. I am very happy to do this and give Ms. Cafazzo my
most enthusiastic endorsement. As Artistic Director for Northwest Children’s
Theater and School, I have worked with Erica very closely for six years and
have found her to be among the very best of employees and colleagues.
Ms. Cafazzo worked for NWCT as Audience Service Manager/House
Manager for six years. She was an excellent front of house employee with a
genuine passion for her work. That passion led her to create and frequently
develop and improve front of house plans. Erica was always looking for
ways to improve the experience of her audiences and her volunteer ushers
and assistants. The result of her work is a first rate system that has greatly
influenced audience loyalty.
NWCT produces five mainstage shows a season, each with upwards of
35 performances and our annual patron base is approx 100,000 adults and
children. The House Manager is responsible for all front of house activity
for all performances. NWCT audiences can be very challenging, with a large
percentage of first time theatre goers and ages ranging from 3 to 80 years
old. Erica’s exemplary customer service skills, strong verbal communication
abilities and ability to stay calm in a crisis enabled her to create a friendly,
efficient and vibrant front of house experience despite the regular emergency
situations she faced.
As a non-profit theatre company with an educational mission, NWCT uses
volunteers of all ages to assist in daily operations. As House Manager, Erica
worked regularly with NWCT teen students, training them in basic customer
service and audience service skills. She was a strong and effective mentor
for these teens; they respected her and worked hard for her because she was
organized, respectful and clearly knew what she was talking about. Ms.
Cafazzo also supervised our usher core, recruiting, scheduling, training and
retaining a group of adult volunteers. She did this seemingly effortlessly and
with very little practical support from the organization.
Erica Anne Cafazzo is a consummate professional, a superb communicator,
and tremendous employee. It is without hesitation that I recommend her. If
you have any questions or would like to chat further about my professional
experiences with Ms. Cafazzo, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Sarah Jane Hardy
Artistic Director
Northwest Children’s Theater and School
503.222.2190 ext. 14
sarahjane@nwcts.org