Featured Exhibit
In 1886, Friendly Society members with a theatrical bent formed the Norumbega Dramatic Club and toured neighboring towns. Standing: Miss Edith Coburn, Horace Sears, Arthur Milton, Will Coburn, Miss Elizabeth Viles, and Miss Alice Jones. Seated: Miss Ellen Jones and Mr. Anthony, the schoolteacher.
Horace Sears is shown here in an early theatrical production (second from the left). Sears was a founder of the Friendly Society, which was established in the mid-1880s to help with fundraising for a new First Parish Church.
All Kidding Aside (1956) was the sixth of eight original musicals written and produced by the Friendly Society between 1937 and 1962.
Featured Exhibit
Happy 125th Birthday to the Friendly Society (1885-2010)
The First Parish Friendly Society was formed in 1885 “to promote friendly relations” and raise funds
for building a new church. At first, membership was limited to members of First Parish but by the 1890s, other Weston
residents could also join in the fun. Today, as one of the oldest community theater organizations in the country,
the Friendly Society continues its long tradition of producing dramatic entertainments, although no longer under the auspices
of First Parish. The society held a 125th Anniversary Gala on January 23. See their website,
www.westonfriendly.org for additional information.
The first president, Horace Sears, was the 30-year-old son of former First Parish minister Rev. Edmund H. Sears. One of the
first functions was a Fancy Dress Party held in the town hall (since demolished) in November 1886. Minutes of the society
describe it as “the most brilliant party ever given in Weston.” By 1891-92, the First Parish Friendly Society was publishing
an annual program listing twice-monthly entertainments including plays, lectures, variety shows, holiday parties, dances,
slide shows, card parties, debates, spelling matches, poetry readings, and much more.
When Horace Sears achieved financial success, he developed his estate, Haliewa, just east of the church. He built an
impressive mansion that incorporated a theater completed in 1901 and used for Friendly Society dramatic productions for
almost two decades. The Friendly Society's first musical comedy was A Nautical Knot (1915). In 1919 the group presented
The Red Mill, and thereafter they produced a major musical comedy every three years. These large benefit musicals gradually
replaced the bimonthly programs. During the Depression, the society decided to save royalties by writing original shows.
Henry W. Patterson wrote the book and lyrics for the first two shows, Many Happy Returns (1937) and So Deep (1940).
These were followed by six more original productions: Personal Service (1947), Escape on the Cape (1950), Never Walk Alone
(1953), All Kidding Aside (1956), Jericho (1959), and On the Fence (1962).
For pictures of some of the cast members of Pirates of Penzance, click here. Henry W. Patterson played the lead role of Richard, the Pirate Chief.