Mission Statement
Wildwood Summer Theatre is the only fully independent youth-run summer theater in the Washington, D.C. area, and, quite possibly, the only theatre of its kind in the country. The most remarkable aspect of the theater is that all company members are 14 to 25 years of age, and all are volunteers. 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.
WST is a young people's theatre. Everyone--from the technicians, musicians, chorus members, to the Director, Producer and Board of Directors--fall within the same age range. This 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. WST prides itself on being a learning theater; each generation teaches the next, always striving towards a professional-caliber production and experience.
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 and working theatre professionals. 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 talent and experience, applying them to the unique theater setting inherent in Wildwood Summer Theatre.
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 held in March, around the college spring break season. The audition process is generally very competitive; in past seasons, almost 200 performers have auditioned for only 35 roles. Rehearsals begin the first week of June. 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. Depending on the scale of the show, roughly 70-100 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. 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 week after the show closes, the entire company strikes the set, lighting, sound, and costumes and helps store everything away until next year. A wrap-up critique meeting is held later that week, followed by a Board meeting where the Producer and Director (as well as the Fundraising and PR Directors) are chosen for the next year.
And then, we do it all again.