flUSICIIL FEEDBACK

Southern Columbia Area High School’s take on a 60s classic had audience members tapping their toes. The cast of 23 was full of energy and enthusiasm in their performance of “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Among the numerous talented young ladies in this cast, three stood out in their performances as actresses and vocalists. Sophomore Alasia Gaines played the feisty character Rosie Alavarez. Gaines maintained both an independent-woman attitude and longing for love that showed the many sides of her character.

Saira Sodergen took on the role of Kim MacAfee, a teenage girl who has an obsession with the famous singer, Conrad Birdie. The character struggles to maintain her relationship with her jealous boyfriend when Birdie comes to town. Those watching could tell how much Sodergen enjoyed playing this part.

Perhaps the character to get the most laughs in this production was Mae “Mama” Peterson, played by sophomore Sarah Eyer. The elderly character struggles to maintain her relationship with her son, Albert, as he makes decisions she doesn’t approve of. Eyer’s physicality as Mama truly brought the character to life, and her line readings made the audience laugh countless times.

As for the males, senior Bryce Turner played Albert Peterson who struggles to manage his career as a songwriter for Conrad Birdie, while also trying to maintain relationships with both Rosie and Mama. Turner portrayed the struggling character quite well, and also showed a softer side when with Rosie.

Senior Josh Lahr played Conrad Birdie, the famous singer who teenage girls are obsessed with. Lahr was effective in his portrayal of the character. With all of the success and fame, Birdie was pretty full of himself, and Lahr played this well.

Another standout guy was Owen Eyer as Randolf MacAfee. Eyer looked significantly younger than the rest of his cast mates, but he did not let this slow him down. In his debut role, Eyer captured and held attention while on stage and made the most of each opportunity he had on the stage.

As a whole, the ensemble had energy aplenty. In particular, the girls who made up the large group of Conrad Birdie fans were truly ecstatic when the Birdie stepped on stage.

Many large, moving pieces made up the set of this production. Each piece was true to the time period and was effective in setting the scene. A set with so many large pieces requires a dedicated crew, and the crew of this show was no exception.

The cast and crew of Bye Bye Birdie put on a high-energy mood lifting performance following the lead of their new director Lexi Holtzman.