Middle school attempts big 'Annie' production
For Nick Buto, the most challenging part of playing Daddy Warbucks in Lake Zurich Middle School South's fall musical production of "Annie" isn't going bald to be in character.
It's harder to remember all his lines, says the 14-year-old eighth-grader.
Buto is helping raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation by getting people to sponsor him fully shaving his head for the performances, which run Nov. 20 through Nov. 22, to show support for a fellow student suffering from the disease.
"I just figured cause my hair grows back pretty fast, so I don't mind doing it for a role," Buto said. "It's my last year so I want to really make my mark there so people remember me."
Buto will shave his head during an all-school event Nov. 19. His going bald is not the only unique aspect of the production.
Middle school drama director Jacqui Heinemann says audiences will be wowed by the big sets, huge casts and big costumes, not common for a middle school play.
"Usually, middle schools do these abridged or shorter versions," she said. "We are doing the full version. It is a demanding performance for kids. We try to push these kids to do high school-level work. We just set the bar really high and they rise to these expectations."
Heinemann has directed the play twice at other schools. She anticipates 500 attendees per show. Each performance will run for a little more than 2 hours.
"It's a big draw," she said. "And we had over 200 students come out to audition for it."
A total of 135 students make up the cast, crew and orchestra pit for the production.
Students have been rehearsing two hours daily, including weekends, for something that is considered an extracurricular activity.
"It's a huge time commitment," Heinemann said.
Students performed a preview of a few scenes from the play in front of District 95 elementary school students to create a buzz in the school community, Heinemann said.
Parents, community members, other schools and professional theater companies all helped pull together the production, including building and painting sets and sewing authentic costumes to reflect the period.
The play is set in 1930s America. Annie lives in an orphanage run by a tyrant, Miss Hannigan, but yearns to find her long-lost parents and escape. Her luck changes when she is befriended by billionaire businessman Daddy Warbucks and Grace Farrell. But the evil Miss Hannigan is determined to spoil the fun.
The play is in itself a history lesson but also has relevance today, Heinemann said.
"It has so much to do with what's going on now (with) the economy," she said. "Understanding the depression era, it really translates to what we are going through now."
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go ...</p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> Lake Zurich Middle School South presents "Annie"</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 7 p.m. Nov. 20, 7 p.m. Nov. 21 and 2 p.m. Nov. 22</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> 435 W. Cuba Road</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> General admission tickets for the show will be available at the door and seats are first come, first served. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and children. </p>