Greenfield High School to Perform Bye Bye Birdie in New Performing Arts Center

The Greenfield High School music and drama departments will be performing the first musical in the school’s brand new performing arts center. The musical Bye Bye Birdie will be performed on Thursday, December 3rd at 7pm; Friday, December 4th at 7pm; Saturday, December 5th at 2pm; and Saturday, December 5th at 7pm. Tickets for reserved seats are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. To reserve seats, please call 414-281-6200 ext. 2531 and leave a message that includes your name, phone number, number of adults/students/senior citizens attending, and the performance night you are interested in attending.

The musical Bye Bye Birdie first opened on Broadway on April 14, 1960, and starred Dick Van Dyke, who also starred in the movie version. The story was inspired by the first celebrity to be drafted into the army, Elvis Presley. The book was originally written by Michael Stewart, with music by Charles Strause, and lyrics by Lee Adams. The original show was produced by Edward Padula.

In the musical, it is 1960 and Conrad Birdie (Kyle Solis) is heading off to the army. His agent, Albert Peterson (Derek Buyan), and Albert’s secretary, Rose Alvarez (Katie Ruesch), want to make sure they get in one last publicity stunt before Conrad is sent overseas. The plan is for him to sing his next big hit song and kiss one lucky girl from his fan club on the Ed Sullivan Show. According to Rose, that would make Albert enough money to quit the music business and go back to college to become an English teacher. She dreams of marrying Albert and living happily ever after as an English teacher’s wife. Unfortunately, Albert has to break this news to his slightly overprotective mother (Tiann Nelson-Luck), who loves her son and the music business, but does not care much for Rose. Meanwhile, in the little town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, Hugo Peabody (Merle Patnode) just got pinned to Kim MacAfee (Jaime Elftman) and everyone is talking about it. Kim just happens to be the lucky fan that will appear on the Ed Sullivan Show with Conrad Birdie, which doesn’t sit well with her new boyfriend. When Rose and Hugo, who were both set aside by their respective partners for Conrad, team up to make sure the kiss never happens, chaos occurs.

The production is lead by Co-directors Ms Josie Treinen Clarey and Ms Lynn Ludwig, instrumental music director Mrs. Stacy Bruegl, choreographer Mrs. Deb Solis, and technical and set director Mr. Steve Rader. The cast includes over 30 students who have been practicing after school, during the evenings, and on weekends to get their parts down. The backstage crew of about 30 students has been working equally as hard getting the set built and painted and getting lights, sound, props, and costumes set for the show. The pit orchestra of around 20 students has also been practicing hard to make sure that the music sounds its best. All of the students involved in the show are very happy with the new theatre and are excited to perform in it for the first time. Everyone involved in the drama and music programs would like to thank the voters of Greenfield for the wonderful gift of the new theatre.