One of the most inspiring performances in the history of the 102-year-old Woodstock Opera House will be closed to the public Friday night.
Yet the theater will be filled with proud friends and family members of the 74 performers on stage for the play “Through the Looking Glass.”
The free show will be the sixth put on every two years by students of the Special Education District of McHenry County, who have moderate to severe mental and physical disabilities.
Besides the usual challenges facing performers, such as having to memorize lines and overcome stage fright, these students, who range in age from 3 to 21, face other obstacles. For example, some performers use wheelchairs and must be pushed around the stage by other students or teachers.
But as with any challenge, there are rewards.
“They really gain a lot of self-confidence and poise from this,” said Laura Bobowski, a teacher at the district who has danced professionally in the Opera House for about 10 years.
“We’ve had kids get up and start walking for the first time during one of these shows,” she said. “The shows are really motivating. A lot of girls feel beautiful for the first time. It’s also really positive for parents who have had doctors tell them for years that their kids can’t do things.”
Bobowski and Marla Schultz, a physical education teacher at the district, produce the show with more than $3,000 that comes from the Barrington Area Arts Council, the McHenry County Mental Health Resource League and private donations. The city-owned Opera House donates its auditorium for use during the performance.
More Top Picks Google Pixel Buds Pro
“Having the kids perform in a prestigious building like this means a lot,” said John Fleshman, principal of the 100-student Woodstock school.