Schneeweiss Leads 'Bye Bye Birdie' to the High School Stage

Young actors and actresses file on and off the stage to run lines. Crew workers are busy putting sets together. Huddled on the dais below the stage a chorus of females sing “We love you Conrad, oh yes we do. We love you Conrad, and will be true.”

It's theater and it's right here in . This group of high school performers prepares to put on this year’s musical production of “Bye Bye Birdie” this week. Once again high school teacher Erin Schneeweiss directs and produces – just as she has done in the schools every year for a little more than two decades.

“It takes a million people to put it together but it’s so worth it,” said Schneweiss who said the productions are like a family event adding that even though all the kids are not her students in class she refers to them all as "her kids." Between the actors, band, and crew and some other student volunteers there are about 65 kids involved. Even her own family gets involved with helping build sets and her son Chris Schneweiss is going to play guitar with the band in the pit for this production. She said the pit has 17 members this year.

Along with Danielle Kestner who serves as musical director, teacher Michelle Fernandes as assistant director,  Mark Yolleck, piano accompanist and Joe Ascolese, high school music teacher they all work together as a team with the students to put on this production.

Schneeweiss, who has been teaching in Hasbrouck Heights for 23 years, started out putting on productions for the middle school and began directing the high school productions 19 years ago after the last teacher/director left.  She’s been doing shows her entire life having studied theater at Fordham University and says a lot of her inspiration comes from her uncle who was a Hollywood director.

She teaches drama at the high school but this year she is teaching communications and is also teacher of the senior executive board.

Schneeweiss chose “Bye Bye Birdie” as she loves to expose the teens to the classics. “It seemed like the right show to do this year.”

They are right on schedule for this week’s big performance. She said they began in January with auditions and as of last week were finishing up building sets, trying on costumes and getting ready for Monday night’s dress rehearsal.

She said she never pre-casts shows. There are many talented students in the school and everyone gets a chance. She's even found that many times they find a student who may otherwise be considered shy that just comes out of the woodwork and shines perfectly for a role.

The leading roles in the play will be performed by as Alex Peterson, Christina Priore as Rosie, Victoria Parodi as Kim, Kenny Hesse as Conrad and Amanda Drozdowski as Mama.  Also Peter O’Hare, former high school principal who is now principal at Euclid School, will make a special guest appearance as Ed Sullivan, Schneeweiss said.

Because it’s a small school there are so many opportunities for kids to get involved, she said and therefore as a teacher she can really get to know the students.

“I have the best job that anyone could ever ask for,” said Schneeweiss.  

Through all her years of working with these inspiring young actors Schneeweiss of course remembers working with Jason Biggs known for his “American Pie” fame during his years at HHHS. Although Biggs was already doing Broadway as a student he always made time to be involved in the school productions although his schedule kept him from taking the lead roles at the high school.

She calls the actor “a great kid who is really centered and has handled his fame very well.” She is thrilled that he has become so successful she added. She also remembers , who now appears on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” but she did not work with him on the high school productions at the time as he was a student when she was just doing middle school productions.

Schneeweiss says she never sees her job at HHHS as work. “I don’t say I have to go to work, I say I have to go to school.”

“Bye Bye Birdie” will be performed Wednesday, March 23 at 1 p.m. – a matinee for senior citizens and the fifth grade classes  and Thursday, March 24 and Friday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. for the public.