Tickets on sale beginning Oct. 24
Opening night for Waupaca High School’s musical production of “Bye Bye Birdie” will be Thursday, Nov. 3.
The curtain will rise at 7 p.m., in the high school’s Performing Arts Center.
Subsequent performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5, with the closing performance at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6.
Tickets may be purchased, beginning Monday, Oct. 24, by calling the high school office at 715-258-4131.
People may do so between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Tickets are $8, with half-price tickets for seniors ages 62 and up for the Thursday, Nov. 3 and Sunday, Nov. 6 performances.
The box office will be open one hour prior to each show for ticket purchases and Will Call pick up.
“Bye Bye Birdie” is a spin off of the iconic story of Elvis being drafted into the U.S. Army.
The show is set in 1958 and tells the story of the teen idol known as “Conrad Birdie,” along with his agent Albert Peterson and Peterson’s secretary/love interest, Rose Alvarez.
Birdie is drafted into the Army, and Albert’s record company, Almaelou Records, is in jeopardy of falling apart.
Rose comes up with a plan to save the company by choosing a member of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club, whom Birdie can both sing to and kiss on The Ed Sullivan Show, before he leaves for the military life.
Kim MacAfee is that girl from Sweet Apple, Ohio.
This small town becomes wild with excitement, yet Kim’s new steady boyfriend, Hugo, is not so keen on the whole idea.
The story builds with both comedy and excitement, and the rock and roll songs and musical ballads will be a musical delight.
The original Broadway production from 1960 was a Tony Award-winning success.
It won multiple awards, including Best Musical and Best Choreography.
Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera starred as Albert and Rosie, and while on Broadway, the show played 607 performances.
A revival of the show opened in 2009, and it was adapted to film in a 1963 version that starred Van Dyke and Janet Leigh as Rosie.
A TV movie was produced in 1995 and starred Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams in the lead roles.
Lead roles in Waupaca’s production include Isaac Wright as Albert, Jane Ryder as Rosie, Kiersten Block as Kim MacAfee, and the role of Conrad Birdie has been double cast by Nate Schuler-Jones and Cole Glass.
Kim’s boyfriend Hugo is portrayed by Simon Baumgart, while Dakota Marlega plays the role of Albert’s mother, Mae Peterson.
Christian Bump and Grace Koch are cast in the roles of Kim’s parents, Harry and Doris.
Band students will fill the performing arts center with the sounds of rock and roll, as well as familiar musical tunes, such as “Put On A Happy Face” and Telephone Hour.”
Band Director Mark Kryshak, has prepared them for the show, and Kathy Alan will conduct them in performance.
The students of Dave Larson’s Theater Technology classes have constructed the set for the show, and Rachel Akey’s Art Club students have assisted with painting set pieces.
The students in Drama Class will be the makeup crew for each performance, and choir students from Treble Clef Choir and Mixed Choir will assist with concessions and usher corps.
Many students are involved to make this production a reality.
Alan, director of choirs and musical director, is leading her third musical show at Waupaca High School as music director and producer.
Long-time drama teacher Monica Reeves has taken on the leadership of drama director in this year’s production.
Together, they have poured their time and talent into leading the members of Concert Choir through the rehearsals, in preparation for this annual event.