Cappies Review 'Bye Bye Birdie' at Potomac Senior HS

From the Cappies: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.

by Miranda Huffer of Woodgrove High School

Image via Pixabay