SCERA's Acting Up Presents BYE BYE BIRDIE 3/23-4/7

"Bye, Bye Birdie," the energetic satire inspired by the Elvis Presley phenomenon that rocked American culture in the '50s, will play the SCERA Center of the Arts March 23-April 7 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30pm.

Presented by the SCERA's award-winning high school company, Acting Up, the show is directed by Kathryn Little, along with her husband, Howard Little. Acting Up, with nearly 40 young people, is an audition-only performance troupe that has nearly dominated the awards the last four years at the Musical Theatre Competitions of American in California.

"I decided we needed a show where people could sit down, smile and just have fun watching this parody of teen idols that is truly done with the fondest affection," she says. "As a totally appropriate family show, I hope everyone leaves the auditorium happy."

Birdie captures a moment in time when a rock and roll singer named Conrad Birdie is about to be drafted into the Army. But before he leaves, however, his manager cooks up a scheme to send him off with a swell new song and one last kiss from a lucky fan.

All tickets are reserved and are available for $8 for adults and $6 for seniors (age 65+), students (w/ID) and children (age 3-11). Tickets are available from 10am-6pm weekdays at the main office of SCERA, 745 South State, Orem, by calling (801) 225-ARTS, online at www.scera.org or at the door 30 minutes prior to each show.

"This show is packed with fun music, and the musical is enhanced by our choreographer, Shawn Mortensen, who has the actors dancing like demons," Little says. "It's like 'Mayberry, RFD' on steroids."

"The dance moves are iconic," Mortensen says. "We've got the Elvis hip roll back on your toes, some twists and other dances from the period. The kids have really embraced it, and you can tell they are excited about the show."

Playing the leads are Christian Wawro as Conrad Birdie; Maren Wilson as Kim MacAfee; Megan Hill as Rosie; Cody Whitlock as Albert; and Brennon Schow as Hugo Peabody.

"I really like the 1963 movie version of 'Bye,Bye Birdie' with Dick Van Dyke," Little says. "I believe later productions have been too sophisticated, which distracts from the charm of the small Ohio town (Sweet Apple) in the story. So my audiences will see a delightful, innocence of family life in the suburbs."

Little and Heidi Vogler are music directors. Meredeth Bliss is the stage manager; Danielle Berry is costume designer; Liz Griffiths is the lighting designer, and Sarah Thornton has designed the set. "Our set looks like a doll house," Little says. "It's on two floors where hard-core New York is on one level and the opposite-a sort of ice cream parlor world-is on the other floor."

"I'll know if people leave with big grins on their faces, that I've done my job right," Little says. "That's the kind of response this show deserves."

SCERA President & CEO Adam J. Robertson is proud of Acting Up. "I'm thrilled audiences will have a chance to see the level of talent these teens have. This Broadway classic is about kids near their age, and it's a perfect showcase for their singing, dancing and acting skills."