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frankfortstation.com life & arts
the frankfort station | May 9, 2019 | 23
LWE student’s play focuses on history, sacrifice
Proceeds benefit
Frankfort Township
Food Pantry
Mary Compton
Freelance Reporter
For Lincoln-Way East student
Anmarie D’Ortenzio,
music and theater have been
lifelong passions.
The high school junior,
who has been singing since
she was 4 years old, is the
daughter of a voice teacher
and the granddaughter of
an opera singer. She also
spent 10 years with with
Curtain Call Theatre in
Mokena — experience that
helped prepare her for her
newest role as director.
On April 28,
D’Ortenzio’s play “Sweet
Pride” premiered at the
Founders Community Center
in Frankfort. More than
50 students auditioned for
the community production,
which D’Ortenzio wrote,
produced and directed.
“This is about a love
story during the Civil War,”
D’Ortenzio explained. “It
focuses on sacrifice and
how our pride gets in the
way of what we truly want.
Writing, producing and
directing this has been the
best experience of my life.”
D’Ortenzio has been in
more than 15 productions,
and her grandmother is her
main voice teacher.
“I’ve always had a love
for theater,” D’Ortenzio
said. “I can remember my
first role, which was a poppy
in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I
was 6 years old.”
D’Ortenzio described
her cast members, many of
whom are fellow Lincoln-
Way East students, as “incredible,”
adding everyone
volunteered their time on
Sunday nights to make the
production happen.
“Due to complications
with space, we got kicked
out of our original spot,”
D’Ortenzio said, laughing. “
... I expected to show this in
a small room at my school.
We ended up with the show
being at the Founders Center.
It worked out better than
I ever expected.”
In the months leading
up to the play’s debut,
D’Ortenzio’s mother, Marie
Michuda-D’Ortenzio,
opened up the family’s
home as a rehearsal space
for 28 students.
“I cook a lot,” Marie
Michuda-D’Ortenzio said.
“We have a big foyer. For
two months, I’ve had costume
racks, a stump, prop
tables in my living room.”
D’Ortenzio wrote three
different versions of “Sweet
Pride,” but it was only
within the past year that the
final product came to life.
She credited Lincoln-Way
East Choir Director Hanna
Samawi with giving her the
push forward to succeed.
“Putting this together has
been a lot of hard work not
only for me, but my assistant
director and the entire
cast,” D’Ortenzio said.
“Everyone pitched in, even
the moms.”
Max Adams, who had
the lead role of John, said
he was honored to be in
his friend’s production.
The Lincoln-Way East junior
not only performed in
“Sweet Pride” but was also
in his high school’s spring
musical, “Mamma Mia!”
“Anmarie is my best
friend,” Adams said. “When
I found out she was writing
a play, I knew instantly
I wanted to be involved. I
know how hard she works.
I knew it was going to be
amazing, and I had to be
part of it. When she said
proceeds were going to
the Frankfort food pantry,
I wanted to do this even
more. Being involved in a
process like this makes this
so much more rewarding.”
Lincoln-Way East senior
Ellie Houlihan, of
Tinley Park, plays John’s
love interest in the play.
“Sweet Pride” marked her
final performance as a high
school student.
“It’s so meaningful to
work with all these amazing
people — to keep learning
as my final high school
acting career ends,” she
said.
Houlihan has taken
part in all of the Lincoln-
Way East musicals since
her freshman year of high
school.
“Today, I play a southern
belle who is not satisfied
with her home life,” she
said. “She is looking for an
outlet to find freedom and
herself in a new way. This
is the biggest role I’ve ever
had. To play Maggie and
see the world through her
eyes has been interesting.
My mom would say I’m a
little like Maggie. She’s not
afraid to use her voice. She
makes herself heard, and I
admire that about her.”
For D’Ortenzio, the play
was a way to give back to
the community. Audience
members donated cans of
food, boxes of macaroni
and cheese and other items,
and all proceeds went to the
Frankfort Township Food
Pantry.
“I have a donation
bucket; we’re selling tea,”
D’Ortenzio said. “This
whole entire process is to
help the community. There
is no better way than to
bring the community together
than through beautiful
words.”
Lincoln-Way East student Anmarie D’Ortenzio (left) greets her grandmother
Anne Perillo on April 28 at the Founders Community Center in Frankfort, where
D’Ortenzio’s play “Sweet Pride” debuted. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media
Brianna Ebenroth (right), cast as Meemaw, performs a scene in “Sweet Pride” with
fellow Lincoln-Way East student Ellie Houlihan, who plays the role of Margaret in the
production.