Bye Bye Birdie
at Flint Hill School

Reviewed on May 1, 2015

Annie Parnell
George Mason High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

Poodle skirts, leather jackets, "going steady" and rock and roll--the spirit of the fifties came alive at Flint Hill's production of Bye Bye Birdie on May 1st.

This classic musical was written in 1960, loosely based on Elvis Presley's draft notice and the resulting devastation of the American teenage population. It tells the story of Albert Peterson, struggling record executive and hapless mama's boy, who tries to pull one final publicity stunt with faithful secretary Rose Alvarez before their star client, Conrad Birdie, is sent to fight for his country. Albert and Rose's plan, a last-ditch effort involving a televised kiss between Conrad and his fan club's president Kim McAfee and a trip to the tiny town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, results in a comedy of fame, adolescence, and romantic blunders.

A cast with stage presence and energy carried Bye Bye Birdie into the next level. Ensemble highlights like Fine Upstanding American Boy and Honestly Sincere exuded vitality despite minor sound problems. Smaller characters in the teenage/fan club ensemble brought cheerful performances as the youth of Sweet Apple, foiled nicely by their frustrated parents.

Jack Jenet gave an excellent performance as the harrowed Albert Peterson, accompanied by Courtney Ebersohl's Rosie Alvarez in a charming duo that shone through in numbers such as An English Teacher and Rosie. Jake Elmendorf's performance as the titular Conrad Birdie was cool and fun, transforming a small role with little dialogue into an energetic portrayal of a 50's heartthrob.

The supporting cast of the show performed their roles with skill and enthusiasm. Matt Middleton portrayed Mr. McAfee hilariously, most notably in Hymn for a Sunday Evening and when ranting about the three words he didn't want to hear in his house: "puberty," "Mussolini," and "respect." Michelle Pawlow's Kim McAfee was well-played, commendably performing her part of a naive teenager ready to plunge into an adult world. Her performance in One Boy with Hugo, played by Arman Azad, was very sweet, with both actors showing the mixture of shyness and happiness typical of a young teenage romance.

Elena Morey and Courtney Ebersohl's makeup techniques were uniform but effective, with many girls sporting period makeup staples of well-crafted cat eyes and bright red lips. At times, the scene changes and setup seemed to draw out. Little, but important, details, such as the curtain opening and closing irregularly and awkward video transitions, detracted from the momentum. However, the cast and crew continued despite these hindrances, not allowing them to get in the way of their performance.

Overall, Flint Hill's production of Bye Bye Birdie was vivacious and entertaining, with the cast's individual efforts combining to create a spirited and funny performance of an American rock and roll classic.

Sydney Fox
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

"Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face." That's certainly easy to do when watching such a radiantly joyful performance of rock n' roll gone out of control. Flint Hill School's high-spirited production of "Bye Bye Birdie" was a time-machine into the gleeful 1960s era of bolder music, bigger hair, and louder screaming of adoring fans. The perky cast captures the jubilant musical perfectly with energy as big as the hair, charming the audience get out of their seats to dance and swoon along with them at Conrad Birdie.

"Bye Bye Birdie", written by Michael Stewart and music by Charles Strouse, has always been a favorite since its debut on Broadway in 1960, with Dick Van Dyke leading as Albert Peterson. Receiving multiple Tony Awards, it was evident the show was much enjoyed by the public, so it's no surprise "Bye Bye Birdie" spurned a 2009 Broadway revival, as well as motion pictures.

The story follows Albert Peterson, who is the songwriter for the country's biggest heartthrob (Conrad Birdie), and Albert's secretary, Rosie Alvarez. The two are in love, but Albert is hesitant to tie the knot, essentially because he'd have to break the news to his overly attached mother. In order to help him finally attain the job of his dreams as an English teacher, Rosie pitches the idea for a television program called "One Last Kiss", where the handsome Conrad would kiss one lucky girl before leaving for the army. Chaos ensues at every turn leading up to the program, but all the trouble pays off resulting in stronger family and romantic bonds as each character puts aside their differences for love.

Flint Hill's vivacious show was highlighted by the charming performance of Rosie Alvarez, played by Courtney Ebersohl. Ebersohl's delightful portrayal of her character was honestly sincere, as each facial reaction and vocal exclamation was spot-on as she battled with how long her heart was willing to wait for Albert's marriage proposal. Her ebullient stage presence carried the show, culminating in "One Last Kiss." Albert Peterson (Jack Jenet) was also a standout performer whose commitment to his role as a hopeless romantic with a businessman's mind, was conveyed with consistent characterization along with strong vocals. The chemistry between these two characters was lovely to watch bloom as the show progressed. Matthew Middleton brilliantly played the overbearing father, Mr. MacAfee that we all love to hate. His comedic timing and stage presence charmed the audience into wishing he'd come back on stage to give his kids more amusing life lessons!

From the creative utilization of the set pieces, to the poodle skirts and sleek hair, the technical details of the show helped transport the audience right into the 1960s rock n' roll craze. The dedicated crew used lighting and sound to bring this ebullient "Bye Bye Birdie" to life.

Flint Hill School took us right into Sweet Apple and the sweet ‘60s, as they delivered a delightful performance full of charm and enthusiasm. The peppy cast made every audience member want to jump up from their seats and join them in "Bye Bye Birdie." After all, "we've got a lot of living to do."

Amanda Johnson
Dominion High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Fairfax

From poodle skirts to rock and roll, the '50s were full of fun and excitement--and so was Flint Hill High School's performance of Bye Bye Birdie!

This high-energy musical originally opened on Broadway in April 1960, starring Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera in the lead roles of Albert and Rosie. Inspired by the uproar caused by the Army draft of Elvis Presley, Bye Bye Birdie depicts a marketing plan created to advertise and sell one more song by the wildly famous Conrad Birdie before the singer leaves on his Army draft. To promote the song, Albert Peterson, Birdie's manager, and his secretary and sweetheart, Rosie Alvarez, formulate a last-ditch publicity stunt in which Birdie will sing the new song titled "One Last Kiss" and smooch one lucky fan on The Ed Sullivan Show before he departs overseas.

Flint Hill High School's production was cemented by a focused and high-energy cast. From the cool and collected Conrad Birdie played by Richard Elmendorf to the dedicated, high-strung fan named Ursula played by Charlotte Sadar, the entire cast remained fixated on tirelessly portraying the vivacious story, never allowing the audience to grow bored.

A stand-out talent in Bye Bye Birdie was Courtney Ebersohl in her portrayal of the ever-committed Rosie Alvarez. From expressing her eagerness at the prospect of settling down with Albert to conveying her irritation with his constant need to satisfy his mother, Ebersohl possesses the wide range of emotion and energy necessary for the daunting role.

Another obvious crowd favorite was Matthew Middleton in his hilarious rendition of the role of Mr. MacAfee, the father of the lucky girl receiving Birdie's "final kiss." Not only did he impeccably deliver hilarious one-liners, even Middleton's mere presence on the stage had the audience rolling with laughter as they watched his reactions to various events. Another aid to Middleton's performance was the sheer comedic chemistry between him and Henry Jeanneret, playing the role of his son Randolph.

The overall performance by Flint Hill High School was a festive, enjoyable time that likely gave the majority of the audience the urge to get up onto the stage and dance right along with the actors.

Anna DuBro
George Mason High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

Bye Bye Birdie is the Tony award winning musical that is regarded fondly in the hearts of many. Bye Bye Birdie is based loosely of the story of Elvis being drafted. In the musical, a young rock star goes to a small town to kiss a fan; one last kiss before he is sent away. The small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, is turned upside down, and Conrad Birdie's manager is facing a love conflict himself. The Flint Hill School performed an engaging and fun rendition of the musical which featured many talented young actors, dancers, singers, and musicians, all of whom were incredible performers. The energy brought to stage by everyone involved brought a level of fun to the musical that is often difficult to achieve.

Bye Bye Birdie transported the audience back to a time of poodle skirts and hip-thrusting rock stars. The costumes, set, props, and makeup were all done phenomenally and were representative and realistic of the 1950's, however, the overhead projector used in a few scenes, while it emitted a few chuckles, was merely more of a distraction.

The hard work and dedication to the show was evident by the engaging spirit brought forth by all of those involved. "Telephone Hour", one of the first songs in Bye Bye Birdie, was performed by the ensemble of teen girls and boys and was a beyond fun and entertaining number. The actors captured the excitement felt by the characters perfectly. The young women involved in "Telephone Hour" hit impossibly high notes without failing to interact with one another on stage and keep the audience entertained. Soon after this number, "Put On a Happy Face" was performed and truly did ensue smiles for everyone in the theater. The dancers in this song, Jackie Plein and Neha Sharma, danced beautifully front and center while the rest of the "Conrad Birdie fan club" assisted lead singer Jack Jenet with their excellent back-up vocals and lively dance moves. It was impossible not to enjoy the unique take on this song, again the energy of the cast is necessary to describe the vivacity of the show.

All of the characters had the audience in stitches at one time or another, especially the comedic Arman Azad and Matthew Middleton were two funny and charming actors who both perfectly embodied their characters of Hugo Peabody and Mr. MacAfee. Jake Elmendorf, who played rockstar Conrad Birdie, had people swooning on and off the stage with his charm and expression of his bad-boy character. The Flint Hill School did a wonderful job with their production of Bye Bye Birdie.

Noah Mutterperl
Hayfield Secondary School
Submitted for publication to The View

One man's name had the power to turn every day, wholesome, all-American teenage girls (and their mothers for that matter) into frenzied, shrieking maniacs. Of course I speak of fictional musical character, the one, the only: Conrad Birdie. The mass hysteria over the rise of American Teen-Pop Idols in the late 1950s was skillfully parodied with excellent energy and perfect comedic timing in Flint Hill School's production of the classic Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie.

Bye Bye Birdie, premiering on Broadway in 1960, satirizes the struggle between teens obsessing over rock n' roll and the parents, attempting to shelter their children from what is believed to be the "devil's music". This light-hearted musical took Broadway by storm, winning Best Musical in 1961, and since then has been revived around the world, including 2 feature film versions.

Despite what the title may lead one to believe, the story centers around Albert Peterson (Jack Jenet), Conrad Birdie's manager and his secretary/long term girlfriend, Rosie (Courtney Ebersohl) as they struggle to execute the perfect "farewell" publicity stunt for Birdie, before he goes off to the join the armed forces. The two decide to randomly select one, American girl to be blessed with "one last kiss" from Conrad while on national television. The lucky girl chosen is the "mature woman" of 15, Kim MacAfee (Michelle Pawlow) of Sweet Apple, Ohio. Just when the plan seems to be running smoothly, Kim's jealous boyfriend, her manic father, and the hundreds of Birdie fans of all ages and sizes cause the peaceful, average town of Sweet Apple to turn into a cesspool of teenage hormones and tom-foolery.

Jenet efficiently embodied Albert's skittish, yet earnest demeanor playing true to the man that desperately wished to reap one final success in the music business. Jenet also proved to be a superb vocalist, demonstrating Broadway-style tonality and great vocal control. Driving the show forward was the extremely talented Courtney Ebersohl as Rosie, whose commanding stage presence made her a standout from her first entrance. Ebersohl exhibited expert acting abilities, displaying her internal monologues through facial expressions, even when the spotlight was elsewhere. She also thoroughly established Rosie's arc from Albert's loyal, appeasing secretary, to a spitfire, lurid, independent woman.

Another standout performance includes that of Matthew Middleton as Mr. MacAfee. Middleton's exaggerated gestures and comedic timing had the audience in an uproar of laughter as he vocalized the strains of being a patriarch of a family where the kids seem to have authority over the parents, with their numerous antics. Richard Elmendorf as the rock star himself, Conrad Birdie, was also a crowd favorite, perfectly showcasing the swagger and undeniable coolness of a 50s rocker with "Presley-esque" hip swivels and slick movement. Despite having fewer lines than other major characters, Elmendorf formed excellent characterization through on-point reactions to the craziness of screaming fans that surrounded him.

The simple set proved to be efficient, with triangular revolving colored flats that served as the backdrops for many locations, from the MacAfee home to Albert's studio. However, lengthy scene changes slowed the overall pacing of the show. Fortunately the enthusiasm from the entire cast brought the show back up to speed.

As Albert Peterson says in one of the shows most iconic songs, "Brush off the clouds and cheer up, put on a happy face." At Flint Hill School's performance of Bye Bye Birdie, the audience took this advice, beaming as they received a blast from the past, in a show filled with liveliness and comedy.