Front of house (abbreviated
FOH) is primarily a
theatrical term, referring to the portion of the building that is open to the public. In theatre and live
music venues, it typically refers to the
auditorium and
foyer, as opposed to the
stage and
backstage areas.
"Front of house" has also come into use in the
food service industry, referring to the area where the general public dines. In this context, the kitchen is referred to as "back of house".
Live venues
Lighting and
sound operators, excluding the monitor engineers, are normally positioned front of house. From this position they have a clear view of the performance, enabling the operation of
show control consoles and other equipment. The front of house speakers are the main speakers that cover the audience, and the front of house desk is the desk that generates the front of house mix. The front of house desk may also produce
foldback (monitor) mixes for the monitor speakers onstage. The audio engineer that designs the front of house sound system is the system engineer and this role is often separate from the person who operates the desk.
The term also often refers to the position of the main mixing surface.
In
stage lighting, any lighting fixtures that are on the audience side of the
proscenium arch are referred to as being FOH.
This term can also refer to the individuals whose primary work is dealing with patrons, including
house managers, ticket vendors, bartenders, merchandise vendors,
ushers, and
museum attendants.
See also
