MEMBERS OF the Severna Park Elks Lodge No. 2482 on Truckhouse Road love kids, and they show it.
Each month the Elks honor two students, one selected from Oak Hill Elementary School and one from Severna Park Middle School. The students, their parents and teachers are guests for dinner at the lodge where the students and their school receive special recognition.
For seven years, the organization also has joined parents of Severna Park High School seniors in playing host to the school's after-prom breakfast.
"There were more than 275 seniors at the breakfast," said Cheryl Hancock (mother of senior Lauren), who worked with Vicki Dundics (mother of Marty) and Cathy Benton (mother of Rachael) to coordinate the midnight to 3 a.m. breakfast and dance. "It was packed, and the majority stayed until 3."
More than 50 parents worked during the night serving bagels, pizza, fresh fruit and desserts.
"We started working on the decorations after Christmas," Hancock said. "The theme was an African safari, and some of the kids said the decorations were better than the prom. The breakfast was open to any member of the senior class, whether or not they went to the prom."
Theater for the young
If you're looking for Central County young people, and you can't find them on the soccer or lacrosse field, try any of our theatrical stages.
In the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre's current production, "Leader of the Pack," you'll find several of our talented youngsters working hard and having the time of their lives.
The show, set in the 1960s, features several performers who were last seen in Severna Park High School's Rock 'n' Roll Revival: Bobby Hubbard, Sean Jackson, "Jellie" Divens, Lauran Feldman, Jessica Lynn Hyman, Christine McCarthy and Erin Wegner, as well as Revival director and Severna Park acting arts teacher, Douglas Kotula.
"I'm on the same side of the footlights with my students in Leader," said Kotula, 25, who's finishing his third year at Severna Park. "It's something that we all wanted to happen for a really long time. From my involvement and what I've heard from the audience, they said this year's Rock 'n' Roll Revival was the best in years."
The title song for "Leader" was written in the 1960s by a young Philadelphian, Ellie Greenwich, who wrote many popular rock 'n' roll-era songs, including "Chapel of Love," "Be My Baby" and "And Then He Kissed Me." Ellie is played by Mary Armour-Kaiser, last seen in "The Foreigner" at Chesapeake Music Hall and in the title role in "Peter Pan" at Anne Arundel Community College.
"Leader of the Pack" is directed and choreographed by Mark Minnick, now performing in "Crazy for You" at Burn Brae Dinner Theatre. Music directors are Anita and Maurie O'Connor.
The show will run Thursdays through Sundays until June 21. All performances are at 8: 30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors, students and those in groups of 20 or more.
Other shows will be "Anything Goes," June 28 to Aug. 30, and "Li'l Abner," July 8 to Aug. 6.
Pub Date: 5/29/97
