FULTON – Quirk’s Players of G. Ray Bodley High School are proud to announce that they will present Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse and Lee Adam’s classic Broadway musical “Bye, Bye Birdie.”
Performances are scheduled for Thursday, March 10, Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 in the Bodley H.S. Auditorium. Curtain time is set for 7:30 p.m. each evening. Additionally, there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
Bye, Bye Birdie opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on April 14, 1960, with an incredible cast including Dick VanDyke as Albert Peterson, Chita Rivera as Rose Alvarez, Dick Gautier as Conrad Birdie and the wisecracking, scene stealing Paul Lynde as Mr. Harry MacAfee. Birdie became an audience favorite and won four TONY Awards in the 1960-1961 season including Best Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actor, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography.
In 1963 a successful movie production was made reuniting original cast members Dick VanDyke and Paul Lynde with Maureen Stapleton, Janet Leigh, Bobby Rydell and Ann Margret. In 1995 a television version of Birdie was produced with Jason Alexander, Vanessa Williams, Tyne Daly and George Wendt. Bye, Bye Birdie remains a popular production and is one most frequently produced musicals by high schools, colleges, and regional/community theatres each year.
Set in the town of Sweet Apple, Ohio in 1958, Bye, Bye Birdie tells the story of rock and roll heartthrob Conrad Birdie (an Elvis Presley type) who is being drafted in the U.S. Army. His manager decides to host a publicity event where Birdie gives one fan selected at random a farewell kiss. Birdie’s visit to the quiet American town brings chaos to everyone’s lives.
Bye, Bye Birdie features a lively score that includes such notable Broadway classics as “The Telephone Hour,” “An English Teacher,” “Kids,” “Put On A Happy Face,” “One Last Kiss” “Hymn For A Sunday Evening,” and “Baby, Talk To Me” to name a few.
Starring in GRB’s musical this year is Charlie Stoutenger as music producer Albert Peterson and Jay Whitehead as his assistant, Rose Alvarez. Sutter Lewin will appear as rock and roll singer Conrad Birdie.
The role of Albert’s mother will be played by Paige Kingsley. Dawson Krause will appear as Mr. Harry MacAfee and Elle Stafford will play his wife, Doris. Kelsey Caza will be seen as Kim MacAfee and Cameron Kingsley will be Randolph MacAfee.
The role of Hugo Peabody will be played by Jayce Wornick and Noah Cordone will appear as Charles F. Maude. Additionally, Meilin Lamanna will assume the role of Ursula.
Members of the ensemble will appear residents of Sweet Apple, Ohio as well as teenagers, reporters , Shriners and other small character roles. They are Alexa Bell, Colton Chapman, Santina Cunningham, Avery Evans, Emma Francisco, Elijah Graham, Emma Green, Jessica Herlowski, Nathan Jackowski, Henry Jerred, Mackenzie Kerfien, Braeden LaDue, Mali Lamanna, Gianna Mastro, Camilla Piano, Kaya Renfrew, Madelyn Sands, Bryana Stanard, Evan Standish, Ashley Taplin, Haley Taplin, Ethan Weaver, Lena Williams, and Sean Wright.
Students who are a part of the Bye, Bye Birdie tech crew include Hannah Bell, Claire Briggs, Aeryn Digby, Naomi Johnson, Hanna Miller, Alissa Murdoch, Paige Phillips, and E.J. Seale.
Quirk’s Players’ production of Bye, Bye Birdie is under the direction of Tom Briggs, Theatre Director at G. Ray Bodley High School and Faculty Advisor to Quirk’s Players. Taras Logvis, a member of the GRB Music Department, is music director and will conduct the pit orchestra. Mr. Rob Lescarbeau, an English teacher at Bodley, is the assistant director and will serve as technical director/stage manager. Dances are being choreographed by Dr. Doreen Kelly, a teacher at James R. Fairgrieve Elementary School. Costumes are being designed by Mrs. Debbie Ritchey of CNY Costumes. Mrs. Natalie Lewin will oversee props.
Quirk’s Players is the student theatre troupe at G. Ray Bodley High School. Named in memory of Mr. William Quirk, a long time English teacher at both Fulton High School and G. Ray Bodley High School, the organization presents two main productions a year and participates in at least one annual high school drama festival. Most recently Quirk’s Players presented the entertaining Quirk’s Radio Hour, and old fashioned radio program and A Salute To Broadway, A Musical Revue.
Tickets for Quirk’s Players’ production of Bye, Bye Birdie are now on sale. Due to COVID restrictions, the Fulton School District will be implementing social distancing in the Bodley Auditorium. To purchase tickets for the show, visit: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/60195. The password for online sales is: birdie (with a lowercase b).
By visiting the ticketing website, patrons will be able to select specific seats in the auditorium. Once tickets have been purchased, additional seats will be automatically blocked off so that social distancing can be maintained. Tickets can still be purchased at the door at each performance as well.
