Mahomet-Seymour to perform Bye Bye Birdie this weekend

 By Brett McMahon

For their 2023 Spring Musical, the Mahomet-Seymour Drama Club will re-create the classic, Bye Bye Birdie. More than 80 students will have roles in the musical, which will stage three productions, April 21 & 22 at 7 p.m. and April 23 at 2 p.m.

The musical has won Tony Awards and was turned into a movie back in 1963. Its book was inspired by the draft notice of Elvis Presley into the Army in 1957.

The play’s director, Chris Taber, chose Bye Bye Birdie because she wanted a change from last year’s dramatic Fiddler on the Roof, which was a historical show set in modern-day Ukraine. She’s hopeful this year, audience members will enjoy the more uplifting show and will leave humming one of its songs with a smile on their faces.

The cast has been rehearsing since late January with each Saturday bringing a six-hour work day. Students have worked in teams led by a student leader to build and paint the set, make costumes, programs and more to prepare for the big night.

As for student take aways from the production, Taber hopes those involved remember the experience fondly and realize the value of a good work ethic can lead them to great accomplishments in the years ahead. She is a firm believer in younger students looking to those ahead for guidance and the older students providing that in return.

“I fervently believe that the mentorship given to the younger or inexperienced actors by those who have been in the Drama Department for several years is invaluable to the success of any drama program,” Taber said. “Not only can the more experienced students help the newbies with any problem they may have, but they lead by example. Those coming up in the program look to those ahead of them to see how to succeed- they learn about the work ethic and the commitment needed in order to mount a successful show.”

She said “Our cast has so much talent, it’s hard to single out any one person! Key roles are Rosie Alvarez played by Samantha Johnson, Albert Peterson played by John Grygiel IV, Kim MacAfee played by Olivia Pfiefer, Conrad Birdie played by Deandre Hughey, and Mae Peterson played by Adella Bird. But even within the other roles and the ensemble players, the talent runs deep! The acting, singing, and dancing you’ll see these students perform is remarkable! MSHS has such a wealth of talent!”

Taber also has high praises for the future of Drama at MSHS, stating, “There are a lot of talented freshmen in the cast, which is promising for the vitality of the drama department at MSHS. Its future looks bright!”

The Drama Club has utilized social media to promote the show, from their Facebook page to MSHS pages on Instagram and TikTok. Tickets to the shows will be available at the door or online at: https://mshsdrama.booktix.com