Bye Bye Birdie
at Potomac Senior High School

Reviewed on March 24, 2017

Samuel Intrater
Albert Einstein High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Potomac Senior High School's wacky and spirited production of Bye Bye Birdie was a delightful night of fanatic 50s fun.

The musical Bye Bye Birdie, written by Michael Stewart with music by Charles Strouse, opened in 1960, three years after Elvis Presley was drafted. The plot revolves around an agent named Albert Peterson who struggles with trying to handle the publicity craze of his singer Conrad Birdie joining the army, while simultaneously managing a tumultuous relationship between his mother and his secretary love interest Rosie Alvarez. After winning four Tony Awards, it spawned a film in 1963 starring Dick Van Dyke and a lesser known sequel called "Bring Back Birdie" in 1981.

A true rock star, Emmanuel Kikoni was endlessly entertaining as the titular Conrad Birdie. His swanky charisma, golden voice, and stylish dance moves sent laughs and chills through the audience during his show-stopping "Honestly Sincere". Kikoni also deserves praise for taking on the choreography that made expert use of the show's ensemble. The dancing was an absolute joy to watch throughout the entire night. Led by the endearing Breyana Hopkins (Ursula), their girly squeals and lovesick facial expressions lit up the stage in numbers like "A Healthy Normal American Boy" and "A Lot of Livin' To Do".

Taylor Aragon and Lyndy Minitrez excelled as the show's female leads. Bringing a youthful energy to the production, Taylor Aragon (Kim MacAfee) was charming and played off the rest of the cast beautifully. Lyndy Minitrez (Rosie Alvarez) stood out as a bold and memorable performer. Her powerful singing voice was an undeniable highlight of the show.

Potomac Senior High School's performance also benefited from laudable comic performances. Malik Carter stood out in his portrayal of the over-protective Mr. MacAfee, while Grace Gyamfi (Mrs. Mae Peterson) stole the show in the second act with her melodramatic performance of "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore". Her hilarious chemistry with mama's boy Gary Kern (Albert Peterson) had the audience in stitches. While the cast's commitment to their characters' physicality was not always consistent, their comedic timing was rich and effective.

The production was visually appealing, thanks to the noticeably detailed set pieces, costumes, and even special effects. One effect, making use of a camera and a projector screen, gave the scene a real sense of worldwide significance. Aside from a few moments where the music overpowered the onstage vocals, the actors generally projected successfully and did not let their limited sound system have a negative impact on the show.

It is clear that Potomac Senior High School has a wide group of hard-working and passionate theatre kids. Their production of Bye Bye Birdie was guaranteed to make you put on a happy face.

Jacob Lamb
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

As the lights went down in the auditorium of Potomac Senior High School and the overture began to play, I wondered what was in store. The answer came immediately when the screams of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club rang through the theatre: I was about to experience an energetic performance from a dedicated cast.

Bye Bye Birdie first opened on Broadway in 1960 with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams, and a book by Michael Stewart. The show follows rock & roll idol Conrad Birdie who has been drafted into the Army, inspired by the same event happening in 1958 with popular singer Elvis Presley. Conrad's manager Albert Peterson plans to rejuvenate Conrad's image before he is sent off to war by finding a random Conrad Birdie fan, Kim MacAfee, and having Conrad kiss her goodbye on national television.

As the title character, Emmanuel Kikoni shone brightly on the stage with every hip swivel and swift dance move. Kikoni showed that he clearly possessed the charisma necessary to portray the heartthrob Conrad Birdie with the swagger of Elvis Presley. He also stood out with his vocal abilities, specifically the stamina he demonstrated by singing while dancing. What really sets Kikoni apart from the crowd in this production is that in addition to his standout performance as Conrad Birdie, he also choreographed the entire show. Kikoni's intricate choreography was consistently executed well by the entire cast during numbers such as "The Telephone Hour," "Honestly Sincere," and "A Lot of Livin' To Do."

Another standout was Lyndy Minitrez as Rosie Alvarez who set fire to the stage with her strong portrayal of the proudly Spanish woman. Minitrez mostly shone when she could show off her impressive voice in songs such as "An English Teacher" and "Spanish Rose."

Bye Bye Birdie is chalk full of humor, and this was best delivered by Grace Gyamfi (Mrs. Mae Peterson) and Breyena Hopkins (Ursula Merkle). Their comedic timing was spot on and had the audience roaring in laughter throughout the entire show. The entire teen chorus also provided many laughs as the Conrad Birdie Fan Club and kept the energy high.

Commendable was the set design which made full use of rotating panels that effectively created distinctively different settings. The set for the MacAfee kitchen was particularly creative in its incorporation of both painted panels and 3D elements that created the illusion of a real kitchen.

The incredible amount of work and dedication put in by the cast and crew certainly paid off. This is what high school theater should be!

Miranda Huffer
Woodgrove High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Rock-n-roll, Ed Sullivan, The Beatles – the 1950's created a youthful culture that would remain popular well into the modern day. Perhaps the most memorable idol of the decade was Elvis Presley; his unique style in both his singing and dancing leading to swarms of teenage fans at every concert. This ideal is what Bye Bye Birdie was written to showcase, which is exactly what Potomac Senior High School's performance achieved.

Originally produced in 1960, Bye Bye Birdie recreates the 50's youth's obsession with rock-n-roll, specifically Elvis Presley. Mirroring history, Conrad Birdie (Emmanuel Kikoni), an artist who parallels Elvis, is drafted, leaving his fans and his music producers devastated. One such producer, Albert Peterson (Gary Kern), a clumsy songwriter and mother's boy, and his girlfriend and secretary, Rose Alvarez (Lyndy Minitrez), find themselves soon to be out of a job. The pair comes up with a final send off for Conrad: a publicity stunt in which Conrad gives his "last kiss" to a special fan. That fan just so happens to be Kim MacAfee (Taylor Aragon), a typical 15-year-old girl trying to express her independence from her old-fashioned, tense father, Mr. MacAfee (Malik Carter). While Kim struggles with convincing her boyfriend and father to let her kiss Conrad, Rose and Albert are experiencing romance troubles as well: namely, Mrs. Peterson, Albert's mother. This tale of romance and 50's nostalgia brings these characters to resolutions, everyone finding love and fulfillment in unusual ways.

Despite not having a theatre program within the school, Potomac Senior High School used their after-school program to develop this lovely production. These dedicated students worked hard to bring their show tonight with a colorful, inviting set and entirely student-choreographed numbers. Both energetic and time-period, the choreography done by Emmanuel Kikoni tied the show together, connecting the 50's style with a bright ensemble. Kikoni not only choreographed the show, but he also portrayed Conrad Birdie excellently. The spirit of Elvis seemed to flow through Kikoni as he strutted around the stage, particularly shining through the number "Honestly Sincere". The screaming fans of Birdie collapsed across the stage as he hit powerful poses matched by his powerful voice.

Bye Bye Birdie's element of comedy found its footing with Mrs. Peterson's character. Written to reel in the laughs, Mrs. Peterson's overly dramatic, eccentric personality thrived in Grace Gyamfi's performance. She took the aged character and added a spritely energy, creating a comedic mother who overreacts whenever given the chance. Another actress to brighten the stage was Breyana Hopkins portraying Ursula Merkle, Kim's friend and a Conrad Birdie fan. Always in character, Hopkins brought a new dimension of excitement and energy to the performance, consistently finding ways to bring out her character, despite its small size.

The technical elements of the performance were crucial, tying the show together. The set, while somewhat 2D, was functional and colorful, bringing to life Kim's Levittown-style suburban home. The lighting design was impressive as well; beautiful gradients were projected in the background, helping with mood shifts and scene changes within the show. Despite having only four microphones for the entire cast, the sound element was pulled off excellently, most everyone being easily understood.

Bye Bye Birdie has always been loved for its ode to the beauty of 50's culture, which is exactly what Potomac Senior delivered. Full of bright colors and an energetic cast, the performance had the same zeal as all of Elvis's screaming fans.