BonnerSprings.com

Bonner Springs-area residents will have the opportunity to go back in time tonight, Friday and Saturday.

That’s because the Bonner Springs High School fall musical, “Bye Bye Birdie,” is set in 1958. It tells the story of an Elvis-like singer who is going off to war.

About 50 students comprise the cast of the musical, set to open 7:30 p.m. today at the high school auditorium.

Most of the cast are veterans of other productions by the director, the school’s music teacher and bandleader, Brian White. While they have different levels of experience, the consensus favorite song in the musical is “Honestly Sincere.”

Sophomore Tyler Walker plays the character Conrad Birdie, the singer who is joining the Army, and junior Xavier Capalla plays the songwriter Albert Peterson.

Comparing the experience to his part in last year’s play, “The Boardinghouse,” Capalla said, “It’s nice to sing and move. And I get to do my jazz hands.”

For director White, the most challenging part of the production was transporting and hanging the four different backdrops. The large sheets with realistically painted scenes such as a small-town downtown were rented from an Overland Park company.

The cast members say they’re ready to perform, including first-time performer junior Clayton Rhodes, who plays Hugo Peabody, a jealous boyfriend of the girl Birdie kisses for a publicity stunt before going into the Army.

“I’m a little nervous,” he said, “but I think I’m ready for the part.”

Rhodes was “probably the most improved member of the cast,” White said, an assessment the rest of the crew agreed with loudly.

As for why the public should go see the show, cast members said it was a fun show, and “we’ve all worked really hard,” said Mackenzie Lee, a junior who plays the part of Ursula Merkel.

Comments