AUGUSTA Hello, 'Birdie'
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BY KEITH EDWARDS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 11/19/2009

AUGUSTA -- Cony High School's first musical in at least 20 years takes the stage Friday and Saturday.

More than 70 students are involved in the production of "Bye Bye Birdie," a musical comedy.

"We're really excited to be able to do this," said senior Brittany Yorks, who plays a main character, Rosie Alvarez, in the production. "A musical takes a lot of time. It's been great to have all these students really come together."

Yorks has previously performed in Chizzle Wizzle, the school's annual talent and variety show.

Dan Wheeler, Cony teacher and drama adviser, said musicals are huge productions and expensive to put on. He started teaching at Cony 13 or 14 years ago, when, he said, the drama program didn't exist.

"It just took time to build up the program," Wheeler said of why Cony hadn't put on a musical in so long. "You don't want to do something and have it flop -- which this won't do. We hope to do many more so it won't be another 20 years."

Wheeler noted it is not just drama and music students who are involved. He said, for example, art club members helped out with the set.

Nor is it just the students on stage putting in the hard work on "Bye Bye Birdie."

"It is not an individual activity, it is a group activity," Wheeler told students just before a dress rehearsal Wednesday. "If someone is not running the lights correctly, no one is going to be able to see you on stage."

He said he and Teresa Beaudoin, music department chairwoman at Cony, have been talking about doing a musical for at least the last two years.

Senior Kenneth Foster, whose character, Albert Peterson, is the love interest of Yorks' character, said Wednesday the show was coming together well.

Foster has also been in Chizzle Wizzle and is a member of the Cony Madrigals.

"Bye Bye Birdie," is set in 1958 and was written by Michael Stewart, with lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse.

It tells the story of Conrad Birdie, a rock star about to head off to war, and the commotion that arises when his agent, Peterson, stages a publicity stunt involving Birdie kissing a teenage girl from Ohio.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students.

Performances are at the Viles Auditorium at Cony High School at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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