“Bye Bye Birdie,” the Tony award-winning musical comedy from 1960, tells the Elvis-like story of a hip-shaking, swoon-inducing rock and roll singer who leaves show business for the army, and the effect it has on the teenagers of a small town. The Sonoma Valley High School production, directed by Jane Martin, is a delight.
The show closes this weekend with 7 p.m shows on Friday and Saturday, and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.
With well-known standards such as “Put on a Happy Face,” “One Last Kiss,” “A Lot of Livin’ to Do,” “Kids!” and “Rosie,” the comedy is a scrapbook from an earlier, innocent age. It’s like a live sit-com from the 60s, but in color and with better jokes.
In other words, it’s just the kind of show you like to see your teenager in.
When Conrad Birdie (Noah Bartolome) gets drafted, his fans are devastated, but none more than struggling songwriter and manager Albert Peterson (Dominic Bongiavanni, Cian Martin; the show is double-cast). Albert’s longtime girlfriend, Rosie (Hannah Ford- Monroe, Hannah Sendaydiego), pushes Albert to write a new tune that Birdie will perform on television to a fan selected in a contest. The scheme works, with teenager Kim McAfee (Delia Rogers, Mia Benstead) declared the winner. But complications arise via the jealous wrath of her boyfriend, Hugo (Nick Atwood, Max Houghton).
The strength of the show is the many production numbers, several with a large, smartly-choreographed chorus. The sets are minimal, but the players — in period dress and in nearly constant motion — take up the space in splendid old-old school style.
(Above:Delia Rogers and Noah Bartolome)
The SVHS creative team includes scenic artist Deanna Nichols, costume designer Rene Rodriguez, poster design by Hannah Sendaydiego, and program design by Wyatt Lage. The stage manager is Wyatt Lage.
Performances will be February 3, 4, at 7 p.m. with matinee show on February 5 at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children, students, seniors and active military. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Reader’s Books or the campus Student Activities Office. Tickets may also be purchased at the school’s Little Theater Box Office 30 minutes prior to curtain.
-Val Robichaud
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