Years of Workshop- A Post by Long Time Participant/ Staff Member, Chris Holownia

In my early adolescent years, after school let out, my parents were at an obvious loss as to what they should do with me. I didn’t want to attend your run-of-the-mill sleep-away camp; I harbored no desire for playing sports; and I possessed precious little in the way of social skills. My interests and inclinations simply failed to gibe with those of other kids my age, and this proved at once baffling and frustrating. I took piano lessons, studied music theory, and sang in a youth choir, but none of these activities sufficiently rounded out my schedule. One summer, my mother brought me to see a couple of shows produced by the Weston Drama Workshop. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Middle schoolers performing a full-length, mainstream musical comedy complete with eye-popping choreography, large sets, beautiful lighting, dazzling costumes, working microphones, and a professional band? Such high quality art done at such a young age was absolutely unheard of. I needed to be on that stage. It was too late by that point to get involved with The Hobbit, but I auditioned for Babes in Toyland and Merrily We Roll Along the summer after my sixth grade year, and I’ve participated faithfully ever since.

15 years later, having risen through the ranks, I am now a proud member of the WDW Board of Directors. In the interval I have performed onstage, backstage, and in the pit orchestra for over 20 of their productions. I have both directed and music directed shows for the morning and evening programs. I’ve painted sets, donated props, and organized costumes. I look forward to each upcoming season with just as much anticipation as the kids do. Right on the tail of our culminating events near the end of July, I’m already helping to design the following summer’s program, reading evaluations, and devising new ways to make the next WDW experience even better than the last. I take pleasure in frequent collaboration with the staff during the intervening school year, and I derive a great deal of joy from seeing as many WDW participants as I can perform in or direct their own school productions around the area.

Do I sound addicted? In all honesty, there is no other place I would rather spend my summer months! The Regis College Fine Arts Center in Weston, where WDW performs, is about as high-class an auditorium as you can come by in this area. The lighting and sound capacities are top-notch, the building is air-conditioned, and we even have access to a black box theater, a set shop, a green room, and makeup rooms. It is a true privilege to work in that space. It is there that I first found a summer home where I felt comfortable in my own skin. I was able to shine and flourish in ways I could not have hoped to do at school. I forged lasting, meaningful friendships that have provided a great deal of social and emotional support over the years. I discovered a niche where people believed in me and helped me to grow immensely, both personally and professionally, in ways I never would have imagined possible. It is there that I performed such roles as King Pellinore in Camelot and Joseph in Joseph…, conducted such scores as West Side Story and Children of Eden, and finally directed a full-scale production of Honk! What a thrill. I have learned almost everything I know about musical theater, music direction, acting, singing, dancing, auditioning, performing, directing, teaching, and leading from my time with WDW. I was and continue to be inspired each and every summer.

But the stellar performances, the excellent facilities, and the first-rate, all-around professional theatrical experiences I’ve enjoyed from both sides of the WDW casting table are nothing compared to the people who make it all happen. The passion, energy, and vitality of those die-hard WDW fans – participants, staff, parents, volunteers, designers, board members, et al. – are contagious and unparalleled in the field. I jump out of bed each morning with such excitement as I rush to Regis College to spend the day with them. I have never known a more talented, committed, wholehearted, generous, caring, fun, successful group of thespians. Their work ethic stems from a genuine love of the theatre and an unrelenting desire to provide young people with a truly awesome drama workshop that is inaccessible elsewhere. Everyone plays an integral role in the process. Creativity abounds. Volunteers flow out of the woodwork. It is such a pleasure to work in an atmosphere where the expectations are never for anything short of excellence. It’s really no wonder that the program expands each season, no matter what shows are put on. I always feel an extreme sense of pride to be a part of it all.

So come check us out! If you’d like to perform on stage or join the technical theatre program, registration is now open for the Summer 2011 season. Auditions are in mid-May. Visit www.westondramaworkshop.org for more details, or call (781) 893-1896. And if you’re over the age of 23, we’re constantly looking for people to help with the insane logistics of mounting four fully-staged productions in one month. I guarantee that you will be glad you found us. WDW changed my life, and it could easily change yours.


Christopher Holownia was the valedictorian of the WHS Class of 2002 and went on to attend Yale University where he conducted the Whiffenpoofs and eventually graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Philosophy. He subsequently founded and developed the Mandarin Chinese program for the Wellesley Public Schools. He currently teaches foreign languages at WHS and serves as a choir director at St. John the Evangelist Church. He has directed the music for over 30 musicals in 7 years and aspires one day to have a theater company of his own.