Old Quarry Middle School Theater Flourishes Behind Lemont Community

LEMONT, IL — When Jenna Treanor and Micah Brandhandler brought musicals back to Old Quarry Middle School six years ago, they set out to do so in a way that could involve as many young people as possible.

They wanted to provide a theatrical experience that students didn't need prior act acting experience to participate in. They wanted to create a theater environment that students wouldn’t soon forget and that would set up standards that exceeded what many may expect from a middle-school production.

But to so wouldn’t be cheap, Treanor and Brandhandler knew, which would bring community support into play.

In the years since, Old Quarry’s theater program has seen a collection of local businesses and residents step forward to assist in a number of ways. On Thursday, Mama D’s will host the first of several local fundraisers that will go to provide money toward a new lighting system that will keep the school’s theater program at a level that students have come to expect.

In the past, the theater program has rented lighting systems which were paid for by local businesses that were highlighted in the production’s Playbill. But this year, the program is hoping to raise enough money for its own lighting system while also purchasing flooring for the stage.

MaMa D’s, located at 12420 Archer Ave., will host a Pack The Place event in which 20 percent of all sales will go toward the Old Quarry theater program. Patrons simply need to mention the Old Quarry Middle School’s upcoming production of “Little Mermaid, Jr.”, which will take place in December, to have a portion of their bill go to benefit the local theater program.

MaMa D’s is the first of five local restaurants that will hold fundraising events for the theater program. Digs On Canal will host an event on Oct. 3, Next Mex will host a fundraiser on Oct. 11, Tap House will follow suit on Nov. 3 and Wooden Paddle will host a fundraiser on Nov. 14.

Thanks the community’s support, Treanor said that Old Quarry’s theater program has gone from one that needed to rent costumes and use minimal sets to being one that creates its own costumes and one in which parents help to build sets while students create scenery for backdrops for each production.

“I have seen how this small town has come together to support sporting events, personal situations and the arts,” Treanor told Patch in an email on Wednesday. “It is truly incredible and I am truly blessed to be part of the Lemont community.”

This year, more than 100 students are involved, and the program has two full casts, Treanor said. Old Quarry’s production of “Little Mermaid, Jr.” will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 before the production wraps up on Dec. 10 with performances at 1 and 7 p.m.