“Bye Bye Birdie” sweeps the audience off their feet with “One Last Kiss”!
The cast and crew from New Hyde Park Memorial High School performed this energy packed musical this past weekend, March 13, 14 and 15th. The story unfolds into a full blow romantic comedy when a teenage heartthrob, Conrad Birdie (Anthony DiMarco), receives orders to report for military duty. While Conrad’s manager Albert Peterson (Nick Sieban) struggles with the imminent loss of his company’s star, Rosie Alvarez (Sarah Manas) comes up with a plan to capitalize on the loss. Ultimately, the scheme is meant to free Albert from show business to pursue a career in teaching and, more importantly, pursue Rosie. However, the plan to give one last kiss to a loyal Birdie Fan Club member, Kim MacAfee (Taylor Giallanza), takes some serious twists. Counting of the emotions of the America teenage girl to create a hit song proves to be unpredictable when the passions of a teenage boy, Hugo Peabody (Ian McParland) puts an end to one last kiss with one knockout punch. Despite the failure of the plan and the meddling efforts of Albert’s mother (Noelle Becker), love finds a way and the show concludes with one last kiss between Albert and Rosie.
The show was the third musical directed by Mr. Gary Ferrar at New Hyde Park Memorial and builds on his previous successes, “Guys and Dolls” and “The Sound of Music”. The Music Department Chairperson Mr. Noel Monat masterfully conducted the pit band that provided the music behind the snappy and entertaining songs. Mr. David Sime, Mr. Chris Micciche and their student stage crew provided lighting and flawlessly executed scene changes.
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The largest cast in school history (see Playbill) brought the stage to life and thrilled audiences with song, dance and well-timed comic relief. At the conclusion of the final night of “Bye Bye Birdie”, real life emotions poured out as the theatrical torch was passed from the graduating seniors to the underclassman carrying on the tradition of the arts at New Hyde Park Memorial High School. Congratulations to all on a job well done!
