Dist. 220 chief stars in student-made mystery

Reprising his well-remembered and much-loved role as himself, Barrington Unit District 220 Superintendent Tom Leonard is the main protagonist of yet another student-made video.

After starring in 2010’s “Snow Day,” a comical depiction of how a superintendent decides whether to declare a snow day, Leonard returns for “Leonard’s Lament,” a full-fledged drama about his anguished search for a kidnapped bobblehead version of himself.

The mystery that unfolds across several buildings throughout the district is part “CSI,” part “Charlie’s Angels” and features the best twist ending since “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”

Though the majority of the 10-minute film’s on-screen talent consists of district administrators and staff, the true stars are the Barrington High School students responsible for its production — Matt Weidner, Peter Chung, Abe Solberg and Catherine Goetze.

Though demonstrating similarly outstanding technical skills and a quirky sense of humor, the production team is a whole high school “generation” removed from the makers of “Snow Day.”

District spokesman Jeff Arnett said filming took place over a three-month period, taking advantage of any openings in the cast’s availability as they occurred.

“Leonard’s Lament,” its trailer and “Snow Day” can all be found on the Barrington220 YouTube channel.