D. 202 Middle Schools announce spring play/musical line-up
District 202 middle school students are rehearsing and preparing to present a host of musicals, plays, and variety acts to the public this spring.
All seven District 202 middle schools will host a musical or drama production this year. They include:
Heritage Grove Middle School will present "Annie Jr.," at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 19, 2010, and at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 20, 2010. All performances will be in the school cafeteria, 12425 S. Van Dyke Road, Plainfield.
"Annie Jr." is based on the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip which debuted in "The New York Daily News," in 1924. "Little Orphan Annie" is one of the most popular and longest-lasting comic strips in history, spawning a decade-long radio show, three movies and two New York stage musicals, "Annie" and "Annie Warbucks."
Tickets are $1 for students and adults. Seniors and children under five are free. Tickets are available in advance by contacting Director Jannica Wetzel at (815) 439-4810 or via e-mail at jwetzel@psd202.org.
Drauden Point Middle School will present, "Willy Wonka Jr.," at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2010, and at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 27, 2010. All performances will be held in the Drauden Point gymnasium, 1911 Drauden Road, Plainfield.
"Willy Wonka Jr.," tells the classic story of a young man named Charlie Bucket, who finds a golden ticket in a chocolate Wonka Bar. The golden ticket gains him access to tour the Wonka Factory. Along the tour, many children make mistakes, reflecting on their character. In the end, Charlie shows he is a good person, and wins the factory to take over with his family.
Tickets are $5 each. They can be purchased in advance by contacting Director Annette McCammon via e-mail at amccammo@psd202.org
Ira Jones Middle School will present "A Night of Performing Arts," at 6 p.m. Friday, March 5, 2010, and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 6, 2010. Both performances will be in the school cafeteria, 15320 Wallin Drive, Plainfield.
"Night of Performing Arts," is a show that will feature a variety of student talents from singing and dancing to dramatic performances. One of the dramatic performances entitled, "Who Knows?" was written and directed by Ira Jones eighth grade student Emma Hughes.
Tickets are $2 each. They can be purchased through cast and crew members or by contacting Amy Jones via e-mail at ajones@psd202.org.
Aux Sable Middle School will present the play "The Nifty Fifties" at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10, 2010; and 2 p.m. on Sunday April 11, 2010. All performances will be held at the school, 2001 Wildspring Parkway, Joliet.
"The Nifty Fifties," tells the story of one girl's struggle to get her rock star cousin to perform at her high school's sock hop. The singer's manager won't let him perform unpaid, so the girl and her friends produce a double, but it's not that easy. The lively musical is full of comedic problems and solutions with everything from students to beatniks.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. Tickets will go on sale March 15, 2010. They can be purchased in advance through cast or crew members, or by contacting Director Sue Raslowsky via e-mail at sraslows@psd202.org.
Indian Trail Middle School will also present "Annie Jr.," at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, 2010. Both performances will be in the school gymnasium, 14723 S. Eastern Ave., Plainfield.
Annie, a streetwise 11-year-old, has been living in an orphanage her whole life run by the cruel Miss Hannigan.
Annie and a group of other misfit attempt several unsuccessful escapes. One day Grace Farrell comes to the orphanage to adopt a child to live for two weeks with billionaire Oliver Warbucks during Christmas. Grace picks Annie. Eventually Annie warms her way into the hearts of staff, Mr. Warbucks and even the President of the United States. But Annie still longs to meet her birth parents. In the end, the audience learns money doesn't matter, as long as there is love.
Tickets are $3 for students, staff and seniors; and $5 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting Samantha Greek via e-mail at sgreek@psd202.org.
Timber Ridge Middle School will present the musical comedy, "Guys and Dolls Jr.," at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 24, 2010. Both performances will be at the school, 2101 South Bronk Road, Plainfield.
The Broadway classic introduces the audience to colorful characters who have become legends in the canon: Sarah Brown, the up¬right but uptight "mission doll," out to reform the evildoers of Times Square; Sky Masterson, the slick, high-rolling gambler who woos her on a bet and ends up falling in love; Adelaide, the nightclub performer whose chronic cold is brought on by the fact she's been engaged to the same man for 14 years; and Nathan Detroit, her devoted fiancé, desperate as always to find a spot for his infamous floating crap game.
The musical takes audience members from Times Square to Havana with a bright, brassy immortal score, until everything works out in the end.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Advance tickets will be available for purchase two weeks before the performances from Drama Club members.
John F. Kennedy Middle School will present Kevin Bean's, "Not-So-Grimm-Tales" during a "Day of Drama," from 1-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2010. The student performance, drama education sessions and improve comedy performance by JFK staff members, will be held at the school, 12350 South Essington Road, Plainfield.
"Not-So-Grimm-Tales" is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek retelling of classic Grimm fairy tales. The performance tells the story of a working mother notices her daughter has picked up some not-so-great lessons from the fairy tales she's been reading, so she sits her down and tells her new, more modern and empowering versions of some of the classics.
The student performance will run from 1-2 p.m. Then from 2-2:30 p.m. student actors will lead break out drama sessions. And from 2:45-3:15 p.m., JFK teachers will present an improve comedy performance.
Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students and children. JFK teachers will also collect a charitable donation for their performance. Only 600 tickets will be sold. Tickets will be available for advance purchase during student lunch periods the week prior to the performance.