Forget Bieber, AMHS Gives Audience Conrad Birdie Fever

Rock'n'Roll and Elvis Fever was back at Albertus Magnus as they sockhopped and jived their way through their fantastic production of Bye, Bye Birdie. The show was a collberative effort, with stage crew and cast working as a team to wow the audience.

Almost all of the audience consisted of students from Albertus Magnus, who wanted to support their classmates and the drama department at AMHS. As an added bonus, students who saw the show Thursday were allowed to 'dress-down' the next day, meaning they did not have to wear their uniforms to school.

The technical aspect of the show went off flawlessly. The pit sounded fantastic, with director Nadia Rizzo on piano and students Adam Gloc and Timothy Choi. Considering that the school doesn't have a true theater, the sets for the show were a challenge. The stage at AMHS is at the end of the basketball gym and is much smaller than an average stage. However, the stage crew managed to look professional and even have spinning set pieces and flats, making what could have been very long blackouts and scene changes into a seamless part of the show.

The actors were obviously having fun, which made the show a joy to watch. Jessica Muttitt, as Rose Alvarez, and Anthony Tantillo, as Albert Peterson, made a great team. Some of the funny lines were lost during the Spanish Rose scene as they spoke over each other, but the humor kicked back in by the dance break. Peter Duffy was as obnoxious as anyone would hope Mr. Conrad Birdie could be and pulled the part off very well. However, Alexis Jimenez, as Mrs. Peterson, stole the show every time she was on stage.  

"The mom (Mrs. Peterson) was really funny from the first time she goes on stage," said Sophomore Kyle Kasamis as his friends nodded in agreement.

Some audience members didn't even have anyone in the cast to look for in particular. They came out to enjoy the show and support Albertus Magnus.

“It's a great show,” said Millie Jorgensen, grandmother to an AMHS student.

“The talent is great, especially for such young people,” added Eleanor Gallagher, who also has a granddaughter attending AMHS. “We come every year to support the school and the students. They always do a great job.”

Albertus Magnus High School's production of Bye, Bye, Birdie is at 7 p.m. on March 24 & 26, and at 2 p.m. on March 27. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at door. Visit showtix4u.com for tickets and more information.