Organized chaos. That is how I would describe the atmosphere of the theatre when I walked in on the rehearsal for Howe Sound Secondary's production of the musical Bye Bye Birdie. At first glance, the scene seemed like nothing more than a bunch of kids running around the theatre with nothing better to do. Quietly as I could, I slipped into a seat in the audience and waited patiently for something to happen (the roof to cave in, the sun to burn out, the guy from The Twilight Zone to show up?). I really wasn't sure what to expect.
Things did start to pick up, though, when finally Janice Carroll, stage director and the school's resident drama teacher, sent her cast into the wings after a quick pep talk on taking each scene to the next level. She called a run of Scene 5, Act 1. And so it began...
The lights go down. A boy walks onto the stage. This is Conrad Birdie. He is followed by a gaggle of girls babbling excitedly amongst themselves. These are his fans. Conrad Birdie (the lead role, shared between Kieran Devlin and John Thomson) is a big-time rock star in a nostalgic version of the early 1960s. But when a feeling of patriotism and a certain obligation to his country calls the teen idol away to war, his fans are forced to say bye-bye Birdie.
As a tribute to the star and a sort of farewell notion, Conrad is invited to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show where he will give one lucky fan-girl a kiss goodbye before heading out to fight for his country. Complications arise, however, when Kim MacAfee (played by Hannah Jarvis and Ashley Schultheiss) fears she is falling for Birdie, despite herself.
The scene ends with a song, in impeccable musical fashion, and, oddly, I find myself tempted to clap. The sudden realization that I would be the only spectator applauding in the middle of a rehearsal stops me instantly, but I really am that engaged.
The actors were funny, projecting larger-than-life animations of their characters. The songs were jolly and corny, as one could only hope. Of course, there were still some rough patches such as the occasional line forgotten or cue missed but, with two weeks until opening night, I have no doubt that the wildly talented and dedicated cast of Howe Sound can pull it together without a hitch.
This is the school's second time producing Bye Bye Birdie (originally produced by Edward Padula) since 1995 and Carroll is excited to paint it with a new brush. Of the show, she said the audience can "expect to be entertained." Fast paced and high energy with no shortage of complications and obstacles facing the main characters, Carroll also makes a point to mention that "like all good musicals, it's going to end with a happy ending, everyone in love."
Bye Bye Birdie hits the stage at the Eagle Eye Theatre April 25 to 28 and May 2 to 5. Tickets can be purchased at Billy's Bouquet, Style Zone and at Howe Sound Secondary. The cost is $12 for adults and students, and $10 for seniors and children.
