By: Charles Welty and Steve Wilburn
Logline:
Five kids. A world-class cellist. A symphony of trouble!
Co-Writer / Producer: Steve Wilburn
Production Company: Windy City Images
Plot Summary:
In this comedy-adventure, five Chicago middle school students face a problem: their music program is being canceled because of financial cutbacks. What can they do to save their musical education?
Somewhat envious of his friends who possess musical talents that he himself doesn’t have, and wishing desperately to fit in with them, streetwise REGGIE reluctantly leads four “wannabe” junior performers who have the most to lose from the cutbacks. CASEY is an aspiring cellist. MARTIN wants to be a concert violinist. PILAR hopes to be an opera diva. And MICHELLE, an aspiring concert pianist, has secret hopes to be an orchestra conductor.
The young performers’ hopes are dashed by the cancellation of their end of school year concert recital. Having no place else to go, the four performers ask their friend Reggie to help them find a solution. The kids set out to help the school by being street musicians downtown to fund raise but come up, woefully short.
When the kids attend a concert featuring ZUILL BAILEY, the world’s most famous concert cellist, Reggie comes up with a desperate plan: “Pretend” to kidnap Bailey’s priceless antique cello and hold it for ransom. Surely the insurance company will step in and save the day. Complications arise, of course.
Reggie and gang are floored when they find out the cello they’ve temporarily appropriated (fully intending on returning it) has really been stolen by a real thief. A mad cap chase by Reggie, the law and Mr. Bailey through Chicago to stop the City’s number one art thief.
After a scenic and comedic chase, it all comes to a dramatic conclusion with seemingly tragic results on Navy Pier.
Reggie and his accomplices learn valuable and grown up lessons and Zuill Bailey steps up to help the kids and the music department save the music program and the spring concert.
And so, Reggie finds his niche.
