Bye Bye Birdie a colourful flight of theatricality
Show brings music, passion to the stage
Sassy, savvy and ready for life, a young teenager finds herself living the supposedly ideal life. With a boyfriend on one arm and her idol on the other, the vivacious girl leaves friends and family in the wake of her hormones and desires. It is up to the people around her to help reel in the headstrong youth before her life falls into ruins.
From the set of lively dancing and crazed admirers, Bye Bye Birdie is the dream of every teen on the quest for love and independence. Hitting the Broadway stage in 1960, Bye Bye Birdie was a Tony-Award-winning production. The story revolves around Kim MacAfee as she struggles to overcome conflict with her boyfriend and her obsession with famous rock ‘n’ roll singer Conrad Birdie. While expecting a parting kiss from Conrad, before he leaves America to join the army, Kim goes rogue in the hopes that she will start a new life for herself as an independent woman. With the spice of originality, Ross Sheppard’s rendition of Bye Bye Birdie took flight, bringing the audience on an exciting adventure of rock and romance.
Every cast member brought a vivid colour and spirit to the stage, resulting in the perfect ’60s vibe. Whether it was teens dancing with telephones or a mother with a broken heart singing away sorrows, the entire show was captivating. In some moments, the pitch in songs wavered, but the collective enthusiasm of the cast pushed the show on.
Among the remarkable performers, two rose beyond expectations and made the show a complete success. Alyssa Bilodeau challenged the character Rose Alvarez, a Spanish-American secretary with attitude. Bilodeau made her character a true statement using impeccable dancing skills and voice. Katherine Lewis shone as Mae Peterson, the mother of Rose’s lover. Lewis filled her role flawlessly, illuminating the show with a comedic atmosphere and originality. Both wonderful actresses balanced their characters perfectly to create an unforgettable experience.
With the use of a white set as a canvas for the performers, the creativity of costume designers Grace Donner, Amy Lang and Megan Olson stood out magnificently. The vibrancy in all of the themed costumes brought the era of the show to life. Work in the props department from Andrew Rooney, Tamara Bojovic and Messaline Roux was also evident in captivating the mood and time period of the show. The contributions from members not only onstage but off made the entire production a success.
The performance of Bye Bye Birdie was one filled with passion and creativity. Talent and effort from everyone involved allowed the show to burst against the constraints of regular theatre to become something outstanding.