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(Enlarge) Howard County Summer Theatre regular Marloe Lippert will be performing the role of Rosie in the company's upcoming production of "Bye Bye Birdie." (Staff photo by Sarah Nix)

It's family entertainment in every sense of the word.

When the Howard County Summer Theatre opens its production of the musical "Bye Bye Birdie" this Friday, July 10, not only will it be a production geared toward families, it will be a show that's filled with families as well.

The 36-year-old troupe is unique in that it stages one large-scale production per year that features a cast of nearly 100 community theater actors and chorus members. This unconventional set-up lends itself to moms and dads acting alongside their kids, and siblings working alongside each other, says the company's longtime resident director, Tom Sankey.

"Most of the shows we do feature kids," Sankey says. "So you have parents auditioning for the adult roles, while their children can go for the younger roles or be part of the chorus."

This year, says Sankey, interest in the troupe was at an all-time high, with close to 150 people coming out to audition. The turnout surprised him, he says, because the initial choice for a play didn't work out and they had to substitute "Bye Bye Birdie" at the eleventh hour.

"We had originally selected 'Fiddler on the Roof' to do, but because of a national tour we got our rights taken away," Sankey explains. "We announced 'Bye Bye Birdie' three weeks before we had auditions."

Longtime supporters of the company posted notice of the audition on their Facebook pages, which helped spread the word, Sankey says. That the show was new to the troupe, which often stages repeat productions of old favorites, sparked interest too.

"Bye Bye Birdie" is a 1960 Tony Award-winning musical that satirized late '50s pop culture. It tells of an Elvis-like singing star named Conrad Birdie (a play on Conway Twitty, who was something of an Elvis clone before he achieved country stardom) whose induction into the Army becomes an excuse for his manager to stage a publicity stunt.

The Charles Strouse score features several numbers that would become popular outside the realm of the production: "Put on a Happy Face," "A Lot of Livin' to Do" and "How Lovely to be a Woman." "Bye Bye Birdie" is best known today, though, for its 1963 movie adaptation, which starred Dick Van Dyke and Ann-Margret.

"As I was getting into directing it, I realized I had forgotten how much fun it is," Sankey says. "The music is upbeat. The story is just kind of simple and sweet. It takes you back to a time in the 1950s when things seemed happy."

To bring the production to life, Sankey rounded up his usual list of collaborators, notably longtime choreographer Amanda Tschirgi. Chris Hettenbach is the vocal director, while Kevin George serves as the orchestral director.

As an added bonus, Sankey says, the production will feature three extra songs that were written for the 1995 television adaptation of "Bye Bye Birdie" that starred Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams.

Bring the kids

"Bye Bye Birdie" will star troupe regulars Steven Namie as the manager, Albert, Marloe Lippert as Rosie, his assistant and Jonny Norman as Conrad Birdie. Maggie Dransfield will make her Howard County Summer Theatre debut in the role of Kim, the swooning teenage fan of Birdie who wins a kiss with him on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

But family participation is this production's bread-and-butter, and there are enough moms, dads and siblings to fill several PTA meetings.

Dad Nathan Rosen and mom Robbie Babbitt will be featured along with children Zach, Dani and Brina Rosen. Also appearing will be dad Jay Humm and kids Joe and Sarah Humm. There's also mom Melissa Stanford and kids Jeffrey and Becca Stanford.

Choreographer Amanda Tschirgi is working alongside her children Laura, Ben and Paul Tschirgi. Sisters Kassi and Christina Mattera also appear.

Randy Whittenberger, a trumpet player in the orchestra, gets to ride to rehearsals with his daughter Carey Whittenberger. Chorus member Karen Walker does the same with her son Andrew Walker, who is doing lights.

Other relatives coming together include mother and daughter Carol and Erin Southard; siblings Travis, Emily and Katie Roenigk; siblings Stephanie and Joey Rodis and Rachel and Emme Petti; and brothers Nathan and Justin Moe.

Popular community theater actor Lisa Ellis will appear with her daughter Mia Ellis, while dad Scott Pfeifer will appear with his son Jeffrey, while wife Marion Pfeifer is part of the costume crew.

Siblings Rachel and Eric Muccino are working alongside the father-and-son team of Mark and Daniel Crampton, while costumer Laural Clark is being joined by her daughter Kristen. Father and daughter Thomas and Colleen Brandt are featured along with father and daughter Joe and Carson Blasko.

Rounding out the cast will be mother and son Heidi and Daniel Bertaux, brothers Tom and Andrew Belliveau, house manager Ellen Beall and son Jason Beall and dad Bill Decker and daughter Leslie Decker.

"I can't say enough about the cast," Sankey says. "There's some meaty roles in this show and they've really taken things seriously. Everybody's doing a really good job with it."

The Howard County Summer Theatre will present "Bye Bye Birdie" Friday-Saturday, July 10-11, and Wednesday-Saturday, July 15-18, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m. at Centennial High School (4300 Centennial Lane, Ellicott City). Admission is $15 general and $12 for seniors and children under 12.

Tickets are available at Music & Arts in Center at Chatham Station and I Love Theater in Ellicott City. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketleap.com or from a cast member and will be sold at the door, if available. Proceeds from the show benefit Prepare for Success and the FIRN, the foreign-born information and referral network.

user comments (1)

user sylviestress says...

Oh no no no no no no no no no ! There has been a terrible mistake in this article! A most awful error! The name of this play is not called "Bye Bye Birdie!!" It is called "Bye Bye BLACKBIRD!" Please correct this terrible, horrible error! This is awful!!!!!!

Posted 2:43 AM, 07.11.09 | Permalink