It’s Broadway in the South Bay for students’ big-time production of ‘Annie.’

High school freshman Courtney Leonard says she’s performed in children’s theater and never had the proverbial butterflies in the stomach. But the production of “Annie” at the Norris Theatre for the Performing Arts is a different story.

For the teen-ager, who is in the familiar musical’s chorus of orphans, this is the big time. “This seems so professional,” said Leonard.

Indeed, “Annie”--the Palos Verdes Peninsula student show playing this weekend and next at the Norris--is intended to be a summer trip to Broadway, with all its precision and polish.

“We want to show what the kids can do,” said Director Jim Bell, whose 80-member cast and crew ranges from high school drama veterans to those who have never set foot on a stage. “But we also want to do a professional show because people pay money to see it.”

More than a month of rehearsals went into the production, and during the final week, some days went on to midnight.

Bell, a onetime actor who teaches drama at Palos Verdes High School, said the youngsters give up part of their summer vacation to work hard on a show because “they’re crazy like me. They love it.”

Said Lilla Zuckerman, who stars as Annie, “You put so much into it, but you get so much back.”

Based on the comic strip orphan who escapes the evil of an orphanage by charming her way into the heart of the super-rich Daddy Warbucks, “Annie” is the 27th annual Summer Show presented by students of the three peninsula high schools.

The Palos Verdes High School PTSA launched the series in 1963 to provide a summer activity for teen-agers and entertainment for the community. Initially, the youngsters wrote, choreographed and directed original shows. But they soon tackled Gilbert and Sullivan and such Broadway hits as “Funny Girl,” “Hello, Dolly” and “South Pacific.”

A paid contingent of adults--including a director, choreographer and music director--was added, and parents banded together as a production team. Among other things, they promote ticket sales, print the program, and provide food and refreshments for the youths during rehearsals.

“It’s great helping the kids,” said Lynn Frankel, one of the producers of this summer’s show. “You’ve known some of the kids since the second grade. They’ve been afraid to speak, and then they’re up there singing and dancing.”

Producers say that over the years, the show has become a part of the community, and most performances sell out. Production budgets are guaranteed by the Palos Verdes High School Drama Boosters parent support group. But in recent years, the box office receipts have not only covered expenses but produced a surplus that has been used to help Palos Verdes High School.

The $54,000 that has gone into “Annie” is reflected in such things as handsome sets rented from the Fullerton Civic Light Opera, costumes reflecting the show’s Depression-era setting and a 15-piece orchestra.

Bell, who has directed the shows for a decade, said he has a simple formula for choosing what to stage: “Will I enjoy doing it, is it something the kids will enjoy, will it appeal to the community, and do the kids have the talent to pull if off?”

The most challenging have been shows--such as “West Side Story”--with demanding dance numbers. Last year, the whole cast learned to tap dance for “42nd Street.” Said Bell, “The bulk had never tapped before, but they picked it up fast.”

The director does have some taboos, among them “Grease.” He said, “I didn’t like the message . . . that the girl has to be a slut to get her boyfriend.”

But four years ago, he did stage “A Chorus Line,” which drew some community criticism for its content. For the sake of peninsula propriety, Bell cut a reference to wet dreams. But a racy song about what plastic surgery can do for a dancer’s career was kept in.

Saying that most of the performers have no plans for theater careers, Bell said he views the shows as a way to give students self-discipline and an appreciation for theater.

“They also have a lot of fun,” he added.

Some young performers said that the intense competition that marked three days of tryouts for parts in “Annie” vanished once rehearsals began. The company has become like a family, offering each other support and tips on playing their parts. There was a picnic during rehearsals, and a party will draw everything to a close. “There’s a cast bonding,” said Alok Mishr, who plays Daddy Warbucks.

“All of us help each other,” said Ryan Naftulin, who plays a policeman in his theater debut. “We want the show to be good.”