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Bye Bye Birdie will be performed August 11-14 at the New York Chiropractic College’s Delavan Theatre. Tickets are available at WomanMade Products in Seneca Falls and Area Records and Music in Geneva, or by calling 315-568-9364.
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This show has
been a "family affair" for several members of the cast and crew.
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The Story:
 Bye Bye, Birdie (Book by Michael Stewart, Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Lee Adamson) tells the story of a rock and roll singer about to be inducted into the army. The singer, Conrad Birdie, is an Elvis Presley type, complete with pompadour, gaudy gold costumes and a rugged voice. Albert Peterson, his agent, is a very pleasant mild mannered young man, whose faithful secretary Rose Alvarez concocts one final national publicity scheme before Conrad's induction, Conrad will bid a typical American teen-age girl goodbye with an all-American kiss. Kim MacAfee in Sweet Apple, Ohio wins the honor.
Spoiler Alert: The Rest of the Story:
Kim has just been pinned to Hugo, a local boy who doesn’t want his girlfriend kissing Conrad, and all of the phones in Sweet Apple are buzzing with this news. The arrival of Birdie to town causes people of all ages to swoon and the quiet little town goes into a spin. The MacAfee household is completely upset by the visiting celebrity and parents of Sweet Apple cannot understand this new generation. When it is decided that Birdie will give his last kiss on the Ed Sullivan show, Kim's father who laments the whole uproar, tries to break into the act and behaves like a ham on the TV show.
Birdie becomes disgusted with his life and goes out on the town with the teenagers. Rosie, still waiting for that band of gold from Albert after eight years, invades a Shriners' meeting where an extremely hilarious ballet ensues. She then decides to become the Latin American spitfire that she is painted as, by Albert's lead-footed catastrophe-ridden mother. Kim is reunited with Hugo, and Rose with Albert and all comes out well in the end.
The Characters:
Major Speaking rolls include Conrad Birdie (male, early 20s), Albert Peterson (male, late 30s), Rosie Alvarez (female, mid to late 30s), Harry MacAfee (male, late 40s - early 50s), Mrs. MacAfee (female, late 40s - early 50s), Kim MacAfee (female, late teens), Randolph MacAfee (male, 10ish), Mae Peterson (female, 60-70). There are also a number of teen speaking parts, some with solos or duets, and Hugo (Kim’s boyfriend, late teens). Many of Kim’s friends solo in The Telephone Hour.
Bye Bye, Birdie will be Directed by Barbara Murphy of Auburn, Musical Director will be Steve Gamba, and Choreographer will be April Bush. Performance dates are August 11, 12, 13, 14, 2011 at the Delavan Theatre, NYCC Campus, Seneca Falls, NY with tickets going on sale July 1. For more information: senecacommunityplayers.org 315-568-9364
_____________________________________ COMMUNITY THEATRE IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
SENECA FALLS NY, August 6, 2011 -- Community Theater is a family affair, at least that is what 18 members of the cast of Seneca Community Player’s Bye Bye Birdie are saying. What separates these actors from the rest of the cast is the fact that they are performing with other members of their families.
Take Sarah & Lorraine Fraher from Auburn for instance. Sarah who is playing the role of Rosie, was 7 years old when her mother Lorraine, who is playing Mrs. MacAfee, was playing the very same role 15 years ago. “It has been a blast re-creating the same role my mother played back in 1998, and I am delighted to be sharing the stage with her.”
Family Members in Bye Bye Birdie
Front row (left to right): Marisa Rivera, Daniel Rivera, Sara Fraher, Lorraine
Fraher.
Middle row (left to right): Ashley Bubb, Amy Bubb, Jonah Hauf, Abby Hauf,
Jordan Wickard, Brianna Wickard, Danielle Clark, Marcia Burdick, Rachael Burdick.
Back row (left to right): Michaela Corp, Carol Hauf, Jeff Hauf, John King, Roy Jacobs
Daniel Rivera a high school student from Romulus who plays the lead role of Conrad Birdie, is singing and dancing along side his younger sister Marisa, who is a chorus member. This is the second SCP production that Marcia Burdick who plays the role of the comical Mae Peterson, and her daughter Rachael from Seneca Falls have been in together. Michaela Corp makes the drive to Seneca Falls from Auburn for rehearsals each week with her two daughters, Ashley and Amy, so they can share the stage.
For Carol and Jeff Hauf, being a part of SCP’s summer musical is sort of a “family summer camp”. “We did a lot of SCP shows before we had the kids, and hoped we could someday participate again as a family” said Carol. Their daughter Abby, age 12, has studied dance for many years and made her SCP debut in 2008 with Alice in Wonderland, Jr., but not until their son Jonah, age 9, was recently in Mynderse Academy's Beauty and the Beast, did they feel that the whole family was ready to be in a show together. “When Jonah and I received the roles of the MacAfee father and son, it only added to the excitement of being in a show together”, said Jeff.
In May, when Roy Jacobs agreed to take his granddaughter Danielle Clark to Seneca Falls for an audition for Bye Bye Birdie, he had no idea that he would also be invited to audition for a part. “It started by learning a dance routine from the choreographer,” said Roy, “and then I sang a song for the musical director. Before you knew it, I had a part in the show right along side my granddaughter.” Little did Roy know that at the age of 59 he would make his stage debut in the production of Bye Bye Birdie with Seneca Community Players. “Can you believe it? My mother who lives in Pennsylvania is coming with the rest of the family who live out of state to see Danielle and I perform. I guess that could turn into a family reunion and well…you never know what can happen in life.”
John King who is a veteran SCP actor from Waterloo, is performing on stage with two Granddaughters. The sisters, Jordan and Brianna Wickard credit their grandfather’s passion for theatre for their involvement. “We have him to thank for introducing us to the world of theatre, and for supporting us.” said Brianna, “His love of theatre is the reason we stand on that stage each night, with a smile on our faces.”
Community theatre offers a unique experience for everyone, and for these theatre families, it a joy to be shared. “There is no greater feeling I know of,” said John King “than sharing a passion of yours with your family. Not only does it bring happiness, but also security because someone you love is there, supporting you in all that you do.”
Bye Bye Birdie will be performed August 11-14 at the New York Chiropractic College’s Delavan Theatre. Tickets are available at WomanMade Products in Seneca Falls and Area Records and Music in Geneva, or by calling 315-568-9364.
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