Little Elm Says Hello to Summer Musicals with "Bye-Bye Birdie"
February 19, 2008

For information contact: Kristy Vivian, Director, 972-292-3628, kristy@lakesidesummermusicals.com.  In a first-ever collaboration of professional and semi-professional directors, Lakeside Summer Musicals, in conjunction  with Little Elm Junior High and High School Choirs, will bring the  production of Bye Bye Birdie, a well-known, and  highly-favored musical, to the local stage in July 2008.   Community-wide auditions for all singing, dancing and acting parts will be held:
  
March 6-7 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., by appointment only, at Little Elm High School's choir room, 1900 Walker Lane, Little Elm  All age groups are welcome to audition for this musical by Charles Strouse, Lee Adams and Michael Stewart.   Those auditioning should be prepared for a cold, script-reading and to perform eight measures of a song of  their own choice.  Choreography will also be presented for a group audition, so comfortable clothing is suggested.   Call-backs will be March 15, and final casting results will be posted at Little Elm High School.  The rehearsal  schedule will be presented at the time of audition.  The show will run July 11-13, 2008 at Little Elm High School.   Tickets for the production will be available online and at the box office.  “We hope that this production will generate growth and interest in musical arts not only within our school  system, but within the community as well.  It’s a fun and life-changing opportunity, which will create lasting memories for all the performers involved,” said Karen Mayberry, choir director at Little Elm High School. “By becoming part of a musical production like this, students will see that making music through outlets  such as drama and choir will provide a glimpse into the music world where great classics have been created and performed for decades before now.”  Bye Bye Birdie has been favored by crowds for many years.  It is the story of a rock-and-roll singer, Conrad  Birdie, who is about to be inducted into the army, whose publicity stunt that will be remembered for its  hilarity and imagination.  Birdie is a colorful character whose stunt is to bid goodbye to a typical,  American teenaged, girl with an all-American kiss.  A small-town, Ohio , girl receives the honor, and her town  is a-buzz with the prospect of handsome Birdie coming to their town. The farewell kiss is to take place on the  Ed Sullivan Show, but the plan goes awry when the young girl’s father decides to create some drama of his  own, in protest of his daughter’s farewell kiss to Birdie.  Meanwhile Birdie’s PR agent,  Albert, who has been delaying marriage to his secretary, Rosie, for eight years, gets a surprise of his own when  she crashes a Shriner’s meeting and what ensues is a hilarious ballet of sorts.  Hit songs from this musical  include, Put on a Happy Face, A Lot of Livin’ to Do, How Lovely to Be a Woman and many more.   Bye Bye Birdie is a satire done with the fondest affection and gives insight into the everyday life that is  very much a part of us all.  It reaches the highest heights in imagination and frivolity and will be enjoyed  as much by the cast as by the audience.  “We are very pleased to offer high-quality musical theater right here in our own backyard.  It’s a  great opportunity for young and older aspiring performers to be a part of Little Elm’s historical debut  into musical theater,” said Kristy Vivian, producer/director for Lakeside Summer Musicals.  To schedule an audition time, please contact Kristy Vivian, 972-292-3628 or visit lakesidesummermusicals.com.