Curtain Rises Tonight on 'Bye Bye Birdie'

The kids in Bye Bye Birdie may have been “noisy, crazy, sloppy, lazy loafers,” but that is a far cry the kids who portray them in Moorestown Theater Company’s production of the classic musical, according to the director.

Indeed, it would be hard to slap a “lazy” charge on a cast of 36 that auditioned, rehearsed and will mount the show over just a three-week period.

The curtain goes up on Bye Bye Birdie tonight for a six-show run. The audience is in for a taste of a classic American musical, said Mark Morgan, Moorestown Theater Company’s producing artistic director.

“It’s a musical comedy. Some shows you get a musical, but it’s not all that comedic. With this show, you’re getting laughs,” Morgan said. “If you were writing down how to make a great musical, Birdie would be one of the first models you’d look to.”

The production is part of Moorestown Theater Company’s Summer Stage ’11 program. Now in its sixth year, summer stage offers the opportunity for Moorestown and other area youngsters to learn the inner workings of a musical production in a compressed time frame.

The cast, comprising 6- to 17-year-olds, showed up to Summer Stage ’11 on June 20 to audition for Bye Bye Birdie. They were cast and began rehearsing the next day.

Rehearsals continued through the last possible minute, with Morgan interrupting his chain of thought while talking about the show to call out stage directions and offer tips.

The somewhat rushed atmosphere is part of the fun, said show director Liz Daingerfeld.

“The kids are really so amazing,” said Daingerfield, who has worked at Summer Stage for four years. “They have a great spirit and are eager to get work done. They want to be here, and it shows.”

Daingerfield found so many willing participants that the cast is split into “gold” and “black” with each set performing at three of the performances.

Bye Bye Birdie tells the story of Conrad Birdie (Steve Gross), a rock star drafted into the Army in the 1950s. Worried his star’s luster may fade while overseas, agent Albert Peterson (Jack Morgan) and his assistant Rosie (Spencer Pargas) cook up a scheme for Conrad to kiss one fan on The Ed Sullivan Show before he’s deployed.

Kim (Katie Haselton, Paige Ward), president of Conrad’s fan club, wins that honor, but her boyfriend Hugo (John Griffin) isn’t quite as enamored. Nor is her father (Jake Yaloff). Conrad, often followed by bands of squealing girls, causes quite the stir when he arrives in Kim’s hometown.

Sound familiar? Elvis Presley and his Army service inspired the musical’s story.

In between the teen romance, the band of loyal Conrad followers and the complaints of parents about the deficits of the younger generation, the audience will here some familiar songs—“Kids,” “Put on a Happy Face” and “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” among them.

The production is a shortened version of the full musical, and unfolds in one act instead of the traditional two, although a short intermission is included. Morgan said the show and intermission run about 90 minutes total.

Bye Bye Birdie will play at , 235 West Main St., July 6 at 7 p.m.; July 7 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and July 8 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and teens and $8 for pre-teens.

Tickets may be purchased online at or at the door.

Summer Stage ’11 continues in July and August with Aladdin Jr. and The Wizard of Oz.