Wildwood Summer Theatre

Mission Statement
Wildwood Summer Theatre is the only fully independent youth-run summer theater in the Washington, D.C. area. Initially created, and now sustained, by theatrically minded students and young professionals, Wildwood has produced at least one musical each year since 1965. Participants initially learn about, and subsequently come to teach, the practical realities of mounting a full-scale theatrical production. The most remarkable aspect of the theater is that all company members are 14 to 25 years of age, all are volunteers.

Wildwood Summer Theatre is a young people’s theatre. Everyone, from the technicians and chorus members, to the Director, Producer and Board of Directors, fall within the same age range. This dynamic gives youth the rare opportunity to participate in all aspects of the production, including management, design, performance, and technical crafts. The company allows young people to experience facets of theater production not normally open to them. Wildwood Summer Theatre prides itself on being a learning theater; each generation teaches the next.
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Overview
Wildwood Summer Theatre is a not-for-profit theater company incorporated in the state of Maryland. Company membership is comprised of talented local teens, college students, and young professionals living and working in the area, who volunteer their time. The Board of Directors and company staff members have significant experience in theater and the performing arts, including performing arts majors who will continue on to related professional careers. Staff members guide and instruct newer members in the basics of theater production, while continuing to refine the skills necessary for their positions and responsibilities. The staff brings outside talent and experience, applying them to the unique theater setting provided by Wildwood Summer Theatre.
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Background and History
Wildwood Summer Theatre was founded in 1965 by a group of students from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland. These theatrically minded students wanted to extend their high school musical experience into the summer. However, they were unable to find an adult sponsor, so they decided to strike out on their own. That summer, on a shoestring budget, and with little in the way of material supplies or support, they put on a production of Bye, Bye Birdie. The show was a rousing success, and WST was born. For the last forty years, WST has presented at least one, and occasionally two musical productions, with the entire company aged 14 to 25.

Some former WST participants have gone on to notable careers in theater and film. Jonathan Hadary, the founder and first producer/director of WST, is a Helen Hayes Award winning actor based in New York, and has also starred in such movies as Intolerable Cruelty and Bait. Michael Mayer Directed and Dick Scanlan Co-Wrote the Broadway hit Thoroughly Modern Millie. The two met while performing as Jets in WST’s 1978 production of West Side Story. Many members of WST’s cast and crew study theatrical arts in college, and continue to pursue their love of theater throughout adulthood. Visit the Alumni page for more information.
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A Typical Season
A production begins immediately at the end of the previous season with the selection of Producer and Director. The show and the rest of the production staff are selected at Board meetings in the fall and winter, and design work begins. A performance space is secured by March, and pre-production begins in earnest in April. The look, feel, and design of the show are agreed upon, as well as budgetary and other artistic considerations.

Auditions are traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend in Bethesda, Maryland, but in recent years they have taken place in March. The audition process is generally very competitive; in past seasons, almost 200 performers have auditioned for only 35 roles. Rehearsals begin the following week. Simultaneously, the technical crew begins set construction and the orchestra begins rehearsing. Company members contribute dues each season, to cover operating expenses and company events. Roughly 100 young people will be involved in the production over the course of the summer.

Rehearsals are intense. For four hours a night, five days a week, cast members work on singing, dancing, and acting. The pace is swift and demanding. Time is also spent teaching younger members of the theater the ins and outs of theater production. WST is focused on community building, especially amongst members of the company, their friends and family. Even after four decades, WST remains a close-knit family, and we welcome your support and donations of any kind.

Teaser performances are often presented at local rest homes, libraries, shopping malls and bookstores. Time is also spent on company coalescence. Cast and crew are encouraged to interact through team building exercises and company social activities including a company picnic, fundraisers and weekend get-togethers.

The crew usually moves into the show space during the second week of July. By the end of this week, the set is assembled and painted, and lighting and sound equipment is set up. The rest of the company arrives the following week for about a week of intense technical and dress rehearsals, culminating in opening night.

The show opens the fourth weekend of July to an average audience of 250 people. Ticket prices are set at $14 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The show runs for two more weeks with a brush-up rehearsal between each weekend. Performances are held on Friday and Saturday evenings, and a matinee performance is held on Sunday during the second weekend.

The Monday and Tuesday after the show closes, the entire company strikes the set, lighting, sound, costumes and helps store everything away until next year. The Technical Director oversees the strike, and the theatre space is left in a condition better than it was found. A wrap-up critique meeting is held that Wednesday, followed by a Board meeting where the Producer and Director (as well as the Fundraising and PR Directors) are chosen for the next year.
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WST is governed by its Bylaws and Articles - click here to read them.