Fifteen years ago, Albert Lea High School musical director Diane Heaney, along with Conrad Birdie and the citizens of Sweet Apple, Ohio, were preparing a musical that would make dozens of girls short of breath, weak at the knees, and even faint. Now, more than a decade later, a fresh, 21st-century cast and crew are anticipating a performance even better than the last.
“I won’t have a two year old at home,” Heaney said, on how the 1996 production will be different from this year’s. “Claire was two, and now she’s in the show.”
“Bye Bye Birdie” is a “comedy of life during the 1950s and 60s,” according to director Molly Grimmius. Played by senior Sean Laurie, Conrad Birdie—the Elvis of his time—is drafted into the army. Before he goes, he will give one last kiss to lucky fan-club member Kim Macafee, played by senior Morgan Ciota.
“Kim is obsessed with Conrad,” Ciota explained. “But she has a boyfriend, which poses a problem.”
“Bye Bye Birdie” also follows the story of Albert—Conrad’s manager, played by senior Matt Attig—making things right with his secretary, Rosie, played by Claire Buendorf, also a senior.
“Rosie is fed up with Albert,” Buendorf explained. “She wants to get married, so she’s either going to knock him into shape or leave.”
The cast, which includes 47 actors as well as 7 crew members, practices after school for 2-3 hours each day, with occasional afternoon practices on Saturdays.
“We’re working hard and having a lot of fun,” Buendorf commented. “And everyone’s having a difficult time keeping a straight face onstage.”
“Bye Bye Birdie” is a musical that keeps both the actors and the audience entertained. The show includes many up-beat numbers that get the entire cast involved.
“The music is a lot of fun,” Grimmius said. “Everyone gets to be onstage and everyone gets to go crazy.”
The show is great for high-school aged students, and with the large assortment of cast members, students are bound to know someone participating in the performance.
“I’m really happy with the cast,” Grimmius said. “There’s a nice variety of freshmen through seniors.”
Conrad Birdie will make his appearance for only three days in November. Don’t miss this long-awaited encore.