As Olean bunkers down to enjoy this cold and windy holiday season, the members of The Olean Theatre Workshop are sending you warm thoughts. The Workshop is proud to work with such talented members of our community, and we hope that you have enjoyed our productions this year. Whether it be Love Letters, Do Not Go Gentle, Forbidden Broadway, Macbeth, The Mousetrap, or our most recent Miracle on 34th Street, it is our hope that we have brightened up your year. As you ring in this New Year, please remember how grateful we here at the workshop are for you and yours. We hope that your holidays are merry and bright, and we will see you in the new year!
Coming up: Auditions for “Cheaper by the Dozen”
Tuesday,January 10th or
Wednesday, January 11th at 6:45pm for auditions at
The Washingtonn Street Theatre
Katie Ralston will be directing this production. As a child, she was in the last production of
“Cheaper by the Dozen” presented back the 1997/98 OTW Season
January brings with it new resolutions and NEW SHOWS! We are calling all actors to come out for the classic play: Cheaper by the Dozen, a play about a father who is one of the great pioneers of industrial efficiency and his family. He decides, for no apparent reason, to apply his unorthodox methods at work to his giant family. The results are terribly embarrassing, funny and—it must be admitted—extremely effective! The play tackles parent-child relationships, growing up, and the idea of legacy.
Please come out Tuesday, January 10th or Wednesday, January 11th at 6:45pm for auditions. The show will be Thursday-Sunday March 9th -12th and the school break in February has been considered when it comes to the rehearsal schedule. We will be looking for 8 children, both boys and girls ranging from 4th grade to high seniors, 4 adult males and 3 adult women. Please note, the children’s roles will be given to children who audition that are already enrolled in The Workshop. Hope to see you at auditions.
2022 marks the return of Olean’s traditional evening with
Santa On The Rooftop
This magical event was held on Thursday December 22nd with characters such as Santa, The Grinch, and Rudolf joining in on the fun. The Olean Theatre Workshop provided sound, caroling, and even a few elves who braved the rain to bring joy to the crowd that came out to this Christmas event. Despite the over twenty-year hiatus, this event brought a large crowd who learned about the toys Santa was making, how to get on the nice list, and the importance of getting to bed early and working hard in school. It was a reminder of the magic of Christmas, and The Olean Theatre Workshop was happy to help the tradition come back to our area.
Major Activities in the Community
1) A Children’s Workshop 2)A Full Season of Community Theatre Shows
3) String Festival for Middle and High School Students
4) Shakespeare in the Park
HOW IT ALL STARTED Part 3
String Festival for Middle and High School Students
The Festival provides an opportunity for over 200 string students in the western southern tier to gather and enjoy a weekend of friendship and music. Since its founding in 1987, the festival has grown significantly and now draws students from all of Western New York including the Greater Buffalo area to our north and Coudersport, Pennsylvania to our south.
The weekend music festival is designed to offer ensemble experience to elementary school (grades 5 & 6), Middle school (grades 7, 8 & 9), and High School (grades 10, 11, & 12) string students. This program provides an opportunity for string players to gather in a musical and social setting, to meet new string students and form new friendships. Energetic, entertaining and musically gifted conductors lead students in rehearsals that are fun and musically enriching. The recreation coordinator provides a schedule of activities that includes swimming, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and arts and crafts. Students can bring to campus books, cards, frisbees or board games. Social events are planned for each age group. These may include an ice cream social, late night gym or swimming. Houghton College cafeteria offers a wide selection of foods, salad bar and desserts. Students are generally housed in double rooms in campus dormitories along with a staff of parent and teacher chaperones.
The two-day festival culminates in a public performance. Admission to the concert is free but it is worth “a bundle” to see the proud faces of the students on stage as they share the musical results of many hours of hard work (and fun) with an audience of family and friends.
