Students find their place in Hinsdale Central Variety Show

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Jayne Jaeger, Achilles Benzanis and Hannah Carroll perform "A Heart Full of Love" from "Les Misérables." | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media

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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:14AM

Paige McClain had two regrets as she waited Feb. 2 for the start of the second of two nights of the Hinsdale Central 2012 Variety Show in the school’s auditorium.

The Central senior has had wonderful experiences while participating in the show during three of her four years in high school. And it’s the wonderful experiences that led to her having the two regrets.

As a freshman, McClain was part of the show’s closing act, performing with her older brother, Jason. For some reason, of which she still is uncertain, McClain decided not to take part in the variety show during her sophomore year at Central.

“I really don’t know why I missed that year, but I definitely regretted it and couldn’t wait until my junior year so I could be in it again,” she said.

McClain was part of the prestigious closing act spot a year ago and returned there again for the 2012 show in one of two performances in which she participated during the evening.

She beamed when talking about being in the show, but knowing it would be her final variety show performance as a Central student was her second regret.

“It is my last show, which is sad,” she said. “I’ve really worked hard the last two years to do this, and I’ve enjoyed it so much. I feel like it’s where I belong.”

Junior Teri Koebel also feels the variety show is a place she belongs, although the Clarendon Hills resident found a different spot to fit in when she initially got involved as a freshman. And she has stayed there.

“I’m in the Drama Club,” she said. “I was interested in acting in plays, too, but as a freshman I couldn’t be in the fall show, so I joined the crew because I wanted to be involved. I loved it, so I have stayed with being on the crew.”

Koebel does also work on production crews for plays at Central, but being a part of the variety show is special, she said.

“I do really enjoy this; it’s more relaxed than the big musicals or plays,” she said. “I really enjoy being involved and being a part of something like this. And most of my friends do crew, so I get to hang out with them. I also have learned a lot and gotten some great experience.”

Rob Russo, a social studies and video production teacher at Central, has been involved in the variety show as a faculty sponsor for 16 years. He still enjoys the experience.

“I play in a band and am into music and performing, so this is something that fits for me to be involved,” he said. “It’s great working with these kids; they put so much into this show, which allows some kids to really showcase their talents.

“A lot of the things some of the kids do in the show are things they usually do outside of school. Nobody would guess they have those talents, but we encourage them to get involved in the show when we find out about something like that.”

The two performances of the 2012 variety show were emceed by seniors Kevin Kinahan and Michael Pircon. The two Hinsdale seniors, who are best friends, get plenty of exposure at Central, as they are co-social chairmen of the Student Council Executive Board. Both said they thoroughly enjoyed their experience in the variety show.

“There’s a lot of anticipation for this show by everyone at school,” Pircon said.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it,” Kinahan said. “I guess it is a responsibility to be the ones out there introducing everyone and trying to keep it fun, but I like it.”

Along with Kinahan, Pircon, McClain, Koebel, and Russo, others involved in the variety show were: performers Maximilian Cornell, Evan Delorenzo, CJ Geoya, Kelly Hannemann, Jack Kengott, Colleen Kloster, Carl Lamoureux, Henry Lang-VanDerLaan, Abel Quintero, Joe Shayani, Tony Taylor, Achilles Bezanis, Hannah Carroll, Jayne Jaeger, Drew Zickert, Riley O’Donnell, Nick Petrus, Visha Patel, Sophia Brand, Becca Pavesich, Rosanna Lederhausen, Andrew Zhao, Katelyn Dunn, Molly Leahy, Mary Kate McCarthy, Meghan McCarthy, Shafer Nelson, Claire Sullivan, Melissa Vranicar, Jack Dickinson, Jordyn Imana, Nikhil Shiva and Charley Ward.

Also, Cameron Cummings, Hannah Carroll, Paxton Long, Kaitlyn McMahon, Maddy Oleszkiewicz, Lauren Adrian, Courtney Johnson, Claire Baiocchi, Shraya Soundararajan, Marirose Weldon, Sheerin Fathizadeh, Danny Bergholz, Brendan Eng. Lucy Dunderman, Sunny Kakkad, Benjamin Kim, Jared Landsman, Kayla Letizia, Tommy Lubenow, Zach Manta, Conor O’Flaherty, Joseph Ryu, Emily Schaefer and Tate Roda-Munar.

The production team included Charles Cooper, Patrick Raddatz, Ellie Quirini, Amy Folliard, Jackie Vinkler, Elizabeth Easley, Divya Kirti, Sean Whelan, Rachel Lewis, Katie Bartlett, Alex D’Amico, Elin Dejus, Karan Khatau, Lucas Brown, Robby Parks, Brian Reiss, Ele Hagermoser, Dan Lastres and Karen Russo.