Rosary presents "Bye Bye Birdie" Nov. 8-10
Rosary High School will present the musical "Bye Bye Birdie" on Friday, Nov. 8 to Sunday, Nov. 10, at the high school's McEnroe Auditorium, 901 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora.
Bye Bye Birdie features music by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Lee Adams and book by Michael Stewart. This popular musical is a satire -- done with fond affection -- on American society in the early 1960s surrounding the teenage obsession with singers such as Elvis and the rock 'n' roll movement. As teenage idol Conrad Birdie is about to be inducted into the Army, he visits the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio to bestow "One Last Kiss" on one lucky teenage girl representing his adoring fan club. The show also features the songs "Put on a Happy Face," "A Lot of Livin' to Do," "Kids," and more. The original Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Stage direction and choreography is by Kristin Voris, and music and vocal direction is by Megan Drahos. Technical directors are Rob Stredde and Chris Huntoon. The cast includes more than 40 students from Rosary High School and Marmion Academy in Aurora, and music is provided by the Rosary Symphony Orchestra with additional musicians from the Marmion-Rosary Band.
Show dates are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. Show tickets are $10 or $8 for students and senior citizens.
Pre-show special events are planned for Friday and Saturday. The Rosary Diner will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and root beer floats on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. ($10) Saturday night features a “Taste and See” event with wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres in the school library ($30).
Both are fundraisers sponsored by the Rosary Fine Arts Boosters to fund already-installed auditorium improvements, including lights, sound, a new grand piano, and remodeled backstage dressing rooms.
Tickets are available online at rosaryhs.com/musical. Tickets may also be purchased by mail and in the Rosary school office. An order form can be found online. For additional information, call the school at (630) 896-0831.
Rosary High School is a Catholic, college-prep high school for young women located at 901 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora, and sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois. At Rosary, we encourage young women to achieve their greatest potential. For more information about Rosary High School, please visit www.rosaryhs.com.