Take Note

Members of the Niles West High School choir in Skokie, Ill., were given a choice: Attend homecoming festivities or grab a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing backup for Barry Manilow.

The choir's big break came when officials at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, which had signed the pop superstar for its grand opening last month, needed a local chorus to back up Mr. Manilow in his finale. Choir members at Niles West High seized the chance.

Despite the fact that the show opened Oct. 12 and played through homecoming weekend, choir director Paula Bachman managed to get 31 volunteers from her 116-student choir--once the students figured out...