Stage full of 'Wonder' at Lake Zurich Middle School North

"Wonder" has become required reading for many elementary and middle school students.

Lake Zurich Middle School North held a dress rehearsal for the stage version of the novel Tuesday.

It features August Pullman, a fifth-grader with facial differences who didn't attend mainstream school until he enrolled at Beecher Prep, where all he wanted was to be treated as an ordinary kid.

"Middle schoolers know exactly how it feels to walk into a school knowing you're different, and how it feels to be targeted and excluded for those differences. The story of August Pullman helps them process those feelings. Creating theater together does for our cast, crew and audiences what it always does: builds empathy, " said director Mary Beth Euker.

Seventh-grader Shane Wysocki shares the lead role with fellow seventh-grader Joey Richards.

"It's been hard, but fun, to create Auggie for this play," Shane said

Joey added, "It's great experience because we both get to do two of the four shows, and we get to learn from each other.

The school received the rights to put on the play for free through the Children's Craniofacial Association in return for hosting fundraising for the organization.

Lake Zurich Middle School North's production of "Wonder " is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday at the school, 95 Hubbard Lane in Hawthorn Woods.

Reserved tickets are $10, and general admission tickets are $8. You can buy tickets online at seatyourself.biz.

For more information about the Children's Craniofacial Association, visit https://ccakids.org/.