The show must go on, as the saying goes…
Thankfully, the Wilton Children’s Theater shows have been going on since 1976. They’re a beloved tradition that engage dozens of children and theater-loving families every year who participate onstage and backstage in two shows a year. This year, the WCT will be producing Camp Rock as its fall show and Hairspray Jr. as its winter show.
Robin Allen is one of 22 dedicated parent board members, and she’s the producer of the fall show with another parent, Erica Buse. Allen says that dedication is the name of the game for anyone involved with WCT.
“We usually have close to 55 children in the show and parents are required to be involved as well. Whether it’s costumes or set building, makeup for the show, helping out at intermission, helping out behind the scenes–literally moving set pieces during the show–whatever it is, every parent actually has a job.”
She explains that there are also a good number of professionals involved in each production too, local Wilton residents who are hired to direct, choreograph and direct the music as well, in addition to professionals hired to do the lights and the sound.
One really nice aspect of the team of dedicated people it takes to put on each production is the almost two dozen high school volunteers who give a lot of time to make sure a show goes on.
“They’re typically alums who graduated out of the WCT program. They come and help with every single rehearsal, they help direct scenes, they help rehears scenes with them. They end up during the show being the stage managers, running the lights, helping with makeup, doing programs–they help with everything. They’re a really great crew!” Allen says.
From her description, it seems like Allen paints a picture of a close-knit theater company that helps provide a long-lasting education in the musical theater experience on multiple levels.
“They not only learn acting, singing, dancing, but if they like to do behind the scenes, they literally end up being ‘stage right manager’ or the props manager, or running the lights or the sets. They’re given pretty significant responsibilities as they get older as well.”
Children are eligible to take part in the productions starting in 4th grade and they graduate in 8th grade. “There’s a host of kids who do it all five years. Children can sign up for either the fall or the winter show. Typically there’s a lottery to be accepted into one of the 55 spots in the program–names are literally drawn out of a hat. After they find out that they’re in a show, the kids then audition. “Everybody gets a part, it’s just a question of what part in that 55,” Allen explains.
As for how they choose a production, Allen says the goal is to choose a musical with a lot of ensemble roles–“the more the merrier so we can get as many children involved as possible.” A script committee of 6-7 board members review several scripts to evaluate and recommend the productions for the upcoming year. “It’s always a musical, and we go back and forth between a classic–last year we did Music Man–and something more current, like Shrek or this year’s Camp Rock. So there’s something for everyone,” she says.
Tradition Stretches Back Almost 40 Years
The WCT began in 1976 with the support of the Wilton Playshop, and eventually moved to Middlebrook. By 1985, because the demand was so high, the organization started staging two shows a year.
It’s such a longstanding tradition in Wilton, that now there’s even second-generation thespians who take part. Wilton residents Kim and Jason Witty grew up here and were both in WCT productions as kids; this year, their son is registered. “There are photos of them in the Middlebrook Auditorium lobby,” says Allen.
If you’ve ever seen one of the productions staged by the WCT, you’d be highly impressed with the quality and calibre of all involved. The dedication and professionalism runs high. “It’s a middle school show–really, it’s even younger with 4th and 5th graders–that’s like a high school show. It’s really incredible what they do, and I think it’s a testament to the professionals and to the families who are so dedicated. These kids spend three afternoons a week–Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 4:30-6:30 p.m., for 10 weeks. It’s a lot, a huge commitment, in a town like this where there are so many other demands on their time, and school work and sports and everything else. They come together and they amaze us,” raves Allen.
The Wilton community has been supportive over the years as well.
“We have relationships with people that help with printing and more. It’s totally a non-profit, and the funds we raise are through ticket sales and the children’s registration fees. All of that pays for the rights to the show, we have to pay the professionals, buy costumes as needed. Middlebrook donates the auditorium so we don’t have to pay a rental fee, so that support is huge.”
That partnership with Middlebrook is an important one that benefits everyone.
“It’s essentially almost Middlebrook’s theater program, because there isn’t a set program at the school. It’s a nice partnership with [Middlebrook music teacher] Janet Nobles–she loves this program and supports it,” Allen says.
One other element is the summer program that WCT runs. “There are two Summerstage programs that are geared for ages from grades three all the way through grade 10.” For the younger kids, it’s like a 3-week summer camp and the children stage a production at the end. For the older kids, who also do a great production, it’s intensive and a great thing for the kids to be involved with as well.”
Show times for the WCT’s 2014 fall production, Disney Camp Rock The Musical, are Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.. Tickets go on sale via Pay Pal on Oct. 25th. The show is directed by Skip Ploss; Choreographed by Judy Abbatiello, and produced by Robin Allen and Erica Buse. For information on the show and ticket sales, visit the Wilton Children’s Theater website.
This is the first in a multi-part series about the WCT.